We never miss a beat

Se ha rumorado del nuevo sucesor de IE7 que se espera sera Internet Explorer en su nueva version 8.0 y estara en el año 2008 o 2009.

IE7 para Windows XP y Windows Server 2003 se libero en octubre de 2006, luego este navegador también se integrado en vista, y se distribuye como predeterminado en dicho sistema operativo en noviembre de 2006 y enero de 2007. Chris Wilson, administrador de la plataforma de Internet Explorer, ha proporcionado algunos detalles relacionados con Internet Explorer 8.0 en MIX07 en Las Vegas, y la más importante era que debería colocar dos años después IE7 a IE8. Esto significa que Internet Explorer 8 podría estar disponibles a finales de 2008, o incluso a inicios del 2009.

La primera versión beta de Internet Explorer 7 se entregó al final de julio de 2005. La primera versión Release Candidate para IE7 se encuentra disponible en agosto de 2007, casi un año después. La versión actual de Internet Explorer se le ha dedicado un total de 20 meses en su desarrollo, en lo que se incluiye la fase de diseño. En este momento, Microsoft se esta centrando en Internet Explorer 8, pero el explorador está disponible exclusivamente en casa. No existen absolutamente indicios que indiquen que IE8 ha evolucionado más allá de la fase alfa. Pero una cosa es seguro, Microsoft inició la creación de IE8 en enero de 2007, y teniendo en cuenta el intervalo de tiempo que tardó IE7 para estar disponible para los usuarios, IE8 posiblemente estara en el 2009. Mientras tanto, Mozilla esta más cerca de la primera versión beta para Gran Paradiso (Firefox 3.0) y Apple liberará la versión final de Safari 3 este mes. Microsoft debe apreciar que callar todos los detalles en IE8 es perjudicial para los usuarios y los desarrolladores.

“IE7 was done, really done, by the end of the Summer in 2006. Heck, it was done except for bug fixes when I left in May, 2006. It is now, officially, the Fall of 2007. It has been more than a year since work finished on IE7. More than 200 people work on Internet Explorer (heck, if you count “contingent staff” as well as employees, there were more than 120 QA people on IE in mid-2006 and I bet over 100 developers). They’ve all been working on something for a year now. You wouldn’t know it by any public announcements, demonstrations, or [blog] posts,” revealed Al Billings, a former member of the IE team.

The first beta of Internet Explorer 7 was delivered at the end of July 2005. The first release candidate for IE7 became available in August 2007, almost a year after. The current version of IE spent a total of 20 months in development, including the planning stage. At this time, Microsoft is dogfooding Internet Explorer 8, but the browser is available exclusively in house. There are absolutely no signs indicating that IE8 has evolved past the alpha phase. But one thing is for sure, Microsoft started building IE8 in January 2007, and taking into consideration the timeframe it took to get IE7 to users, IE8 appears to be heading for 2009. Meanwhile, Mozilla is getting closer and closer to the first beta for Gran Paradiso (Firefox 3.0) and Apple will release the final version of Safari 3 this month. Microsoft must realize that muting all details on IE8 is detrimental to both users and developers.

“I do agree though that the IE team needs to start talking to the developer community on a much more consistent basis. After the release of IE7 all online chats stopped. The online chats had been taking place every month since well before IE7 was under development. After the release of IE7 the bug reporting system was withdrawn. There have been vague promises that it was only temporary but it has now been almost a year and no replacement is in sight. The IE team does not have to give exact details of IE8 but their complete silence shows a complete lack of respect for the developer community”

Opinion de Dave Massy, Senior Program Manager perteneciente al equipo de Internet Explorer (IE).