I test IE7 Beta

So much for that

I spent some time yesterday testing IE7 Beta.  While I'm quite happy with Firefox, there are some issues that bug me.  For one, I use a lot of gimmicky thinks on my blog -- like rollover sound -- that do not work in Firefox.  Even when posting comments, or using Movable Type, the menu showing formatting options disappears in Firefox.  On the other hand, bot infiltration has been cut to near zero.  Last night  I ran my weekly Spybot, and it found nada.  Anyway, back to IE7 IE-7 is obviously Microsoft's reaction to Mozilla.  Every touted feature is available now in Firefox, from tabs to extensions. Getting started was fairly easy despite some initial glitches -- like it locked up on first try.  It was also very, very slow loading at first, but it did  correct itself. Another thing that annoys me is the installation changed my file handling options. Clicking on a thumbnail did open the graphic in Paint Shop Pro; now it displays in Microsoft's Fax and Image viewer. I'm sure more will pop up later. This is a Beta version, so glitches are to be expected.  This is one that Microsoft needs to address posthaste.  The popup window stopper is impossible to control.  This is my menu, for crisake, and even disabling all popup control failed to stop it.  Unlike IE6, where you simply click a tab that says "allow popups on this site,' or some such, you have to go to the tool bar, select popup, and configure it there.  And it still won't work.  But, here is where they lost me entirely. The great thing about Firefox is the open architecture that allows hobbyists, geeks and other peeps to create ''extensions.''  These are little ad-ins that make life easier.  One that I use is a browser accelerator that actually seems to work.  I was anxious to see what kind of action Microsoft had, and was surprised to find several options already available.  I clicked on IE Accelerator, and you see what I got.  A free trial, then you pay $14.00 for it.  Are they nuts?  Am I misreading this?  I'm outta here IE7.