Should I Download Internet Explorer 8???

Irish sweety I am not that wonderful technically but I am going to have a look and if I can't figure anything out i will ask the other half 0 he usually has some good ideas and knows what he is talking about , with computers anyway! lol Promise to get back to you! Lady M Thanks for forgiving me - I would have if you hadn't! xxx

Thank you Mo!!! Your comment to another response was very helpful so I'll forgive you this time!!! Irish, I remember that discussion. I have Vista on my laptop but don't use it enough to have a real opinion on Vista. I did install Firefox on it & put all my add-on on it with NO problems. I'm a functioning illiterate when it comes to computers. I love using them; but, when they malfunction, I have NO freaking clue what to do. I have fixed my own with a bunch of trial & error approaches with sudden success...usually with NO clue as to what I did to fix the problem!!!

So did I!!! Firefox is my default browser. I only use IE for about 5 sites that don't work with Firefox. I found that IE7 worked better than IE6. So, I was just wanting to hear people's experiences with IE8. I've decided to leave 8 alone & just stick with what I have. I'm finding that some sites that didn't work with Firefox before are now compatible.

I wasn't planning to stop using Firefox. I just wondered if I should use IE8 in place of IE7 for the times that I need to use IE. I think I've found my answer here today. I'll just keep on using Firefox as my default browser & continue on using IE7 for those sites that need IE.

After some of the previous comments, I think I'm going to stick with IE7. I know what to expect with it. As my hubby pointed out to me frequently, I can't trust Microsoft to not update me into buying a new computer...& that is just NOT in my budget right now...so I have NO intention of giving them the chance!!!

Thank you!!! Once you do try it, please do come back & give me your opinion!!!

I only use IE on about 4 or 5 sites. I think I'm going to wait & get IE8 later. Surely IE7 will still be useful on these few sites.

Both browsers use an ungodly amount of system resources. I went to Firefox a year ago and I like it. However, yesterday my system starting acting slow and when I checked in task manager, Firefox was using almost a gigabyte of RAM. There's no excuse for this. None of the browsers on the market today are any good at memory management. Once they grab a chunk of RAM, they don't let go. I used to be able to write major programs that ran in 28K (not a typo) of RAM on a PDP-11. Writing good, efficient code is not rocket science. Programmers today are extremely lazy and prefer to throw hardware at a software problem.

Read over the entire discussion & you might change your mind!!! I haven't heard much good about IE8 so far!!!

I can't argue with you!!! I just have 512mb RAM on my computer. I know I need to upgrade it, but I just keep procrastinating. I know how to add additional RAM but don't know how to choose which product to buy. iTunes installed Safari on my computer but I've never even opened it. So, no clue if I like it or not!!! Seems in #6 it was said that he could NOT uninstall IE8 & go back to 7 on his system. That is scarey!!!

That's the kindest thing I've heard said of IE8 so far. If it's that much like Firefox then I might just well stay with Firefox & just continue to use my IE7 as my backup browser.

Yesss...Firefox is by far the BEST!!! Only considering IE8 as a backup browser. It's NO good as a backup if it doesn't work well!!!

That does not surprise me!!!

Why can't it be used on Vista??? Since that's their current Operating System, it doesn't make sense. If it doesn't work on Vista, it definitely WON'T work on XP!!!

The more I read, the more I agree. I wasn't planning on giving up on Firefox...was just considering IE8 as my backup browser. It's like I have Linux as a backup operating system to Windows. I'm a little anal!!! But that has saved my azz several times!!!

I agree with you. I prefer Firefox but still have IE7 on my system so I can get to some websites that don't work with Firefox. I was just trying to make up my mind if IE8 is worth risking a download. Either way I plan to keep Firefox as my default browser. I've only had one problem with Firefox after an update & I got it fixed within 24 hours with the help of Mozilla's HELP pages. I can't say that for ANY IE version!!!

I have 2 sites that I use frequently that just refuse to work with Firefox & a couple others that I go to occasionally that don't work well with Firefox. If you haven't tried it, Mozilla has an IE Tab option that switches the tab that you're currently using over to IE. When finished, it is easy to switch back to Firefox. That is one of my favorite features with Firefox. I get the BEST of BOTH worlds with minimum effort!!!

Are you using Vista or XP???Are you not having problems with your computer since updating???

Being better than previous versions of IE is NOT that difficult. The first 7 sucked!!! I was mostly looking for what problems this version has!!!

I'm keeping Firefox as my default browser. Was just trying to decide if IE8 should be my backup browser.

First off...I'm NOT a dude!!! Second off...I can download streaming videos now. From what I've read so far, i don't think I'm going to try IE8. It sounds like the risks outweighs the benefits. I'm not that good at troubleshooting problems with my computer & I don't have the cash to outsource that job!!! So i will probably be safe & keep everything as is!!!