Though Internet Explorer has been panned for lack of web-standard compliance, many are forced to use the browser because of stubborn IT departments. Fortunately, Google has issued its latest “up yours” to Microsoft with the Chrome Frame plug-in for IE.

The Chrome Frame allows IE to use HTML5 and other open source technologies, including high performance JavaScript enhancements, that Internet Explorer’s Trident Engine is unable to render. One of the largest barriers to the mass utilization of HTML5 was IE’s lack of support for the standard. When people install the plug-in, and developers add a X-UA compatible tag, websites can have HTML5 elements without sacrificing losing a large segment of the potential user base. Without the X-UA tag, pages render normally using the Trident engine instead of the WebKit Chrome renderer.

One of the major advantages for Google in issuing the plug-in is ensuring IE compatibility for Google Wave. Users with the plug-in will also have the benefits of offline storage and utilization of the canvas tag. It’s no secret that Google believes that the traditional desktop base is going the way of the dinosaur—making HTML5 and enhanced JavaScript a ubiquitous standard is the first step to emulating desktop environment via the web.

OK, great. Now let’s see how many of the IT departments that refuse to upgrade from IE6 allow their users to install some crazy Google plug-in. [Ars Technica and Google Chrome Blog]

via Gizmodo

Microsoft is tweaking how IE8 prompts users about becoming the default browser when it is first run. Users who install IE8 and have another browser set as the default will have to consciously make the decision right when IE8 is first started using the above screen (notice that neither option is preselected) and “Use express settings” will no longer set IE8 as the default browser. Users who already have IE set as their default browser won’t see this screen. This screen was originally part of the “Choose custom settings” option, and the “Use express settings” option set the browser as the default. This will no longer happen when Microsoft updates IE8. Microsoft is trying to give users more control to reduce confusion.

Microsoft plans to send out a dynamic update in mid-August that will change this default functionality. Microsoft claims that over 90 percent of those who run the IE8 first-run setup accept dynamic updates. The company will also make this change available in the next cumulative security update for Internet Explorer. This change will be evident for IE8 installations on XP and Vista, but also when users with a non-IE default browser install Windows 7. Administrators can find information about how to manage software and security updates on TechNet.

All in all, this is a positive update, but it doesn’t seem like something that Microsoft would decide to do on its own. This change is likely as a result of EU’s ongoing antitrust complaints against Internet Explorer.

via Ars Technica