Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser is in the process of getting its first significant update in two years this week, as part of the company's overhaul of its operating system.
The updates, part of the much broader Windows XP Service Pack 2 release, are largely focused on fixing the succession of security flaws that have surfaced in recent months, along with adding a few new features.
But renewed competition in the browser market, along with recent calls by Microsoft for higher levels of customer feedback, have led to speculation online that a bigger browser update might be on the way. It has been three years since Microsoft released a new, full version of its browser, and a growing chorus inside the Web development community has said the slow pace of updates has held back online innovation.
"Internet Explorer hasn't been updated in three years, whereas every other browser has been updated in the last six months," said Robert Dumas, a freelance Web developer from Long Island, N.Y., and one of many who have pushed Microsoft for new features. "A company like Microsoft shouldn't have the least-capable browser."
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news.com
Aug 11, 2004, 07:18 AM
