A Sneak Peek at Internet Explorer 8

Not to be outdone by the latest Firefox 3 beta release, Microsoft put out a preview build of its own this week. The long-awaited first beta version of Internet Explorer 8 has arrived, bringing with it some interesting innovations as well as what appears to be a fresh stance on Web standards and interoperability.

Microsoft has taken a great deal of heat in the past from its competitors as well as the Web developer community at large for not complying with open standards and making lives a lot tougher than some folks think they should be. This early beta version is intended for developers and designers so the average user may want to stay away. However, our Internet Explorer 8 preview should help satisfy your curiosity. For those of you who want to take the plunge at your own risk, IE 8 Beta 1 can be downloaded directly from Microsoft's site.