Is my PC ok to run IE7/IE8 without slowing right down?

[nicola b]

I've got an old PC running XP. It's not bad but it's not real fast.

AMD Duron 1800 cpu (approx like a 2100+ Athlon)
Via SV266A chipset on Syntax mobo
768MB SDRAM memory

Am still on Internet Explorer 6. Will my machine be ok to run IE7
or even IE8?

Is there a simple and honest explanation of the pros and cons of
these later versions of IE? I don't want to end up with a bloated
browser and no real benefits!

[R. McCarty]

Simply stated IE-8 is more secure. Actually you don't have to use a
single browser. I use IE, Opera and Google Chrome. All of them are
good browsers that have unique features.
Upgrading is reversible. If you load IE-8 and learn it's new features
but decide it's not for you it can be rolled back to your previous IE.

"nicola b" > wrote in message
...
> I've got an old PC running XP. It's not bad but it's not real fast.
>
> AMD Duron 1800 cpu (approx like a 2100+ Athlon)
> Via SV266A chipset on Syntax mobo
> 768MB SDRAM memory
>
> Am still on Internet Explorer 6. Will my machine be ok to run IE7
> or even IE8?
>
> Is there a simple and honest explanation of the pros and cons of
> these later versions of IE? I don't want to end up with a bloated
> browser and no real benefits!

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

What's New in Internet Explorer 7
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms649487.aspx

IE7 Release Notes
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/aa740486.aspx

=======

What’s New in Internet Explorer 8
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.ie8.aspx

Release Notes for IE8
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/dd441788.aspx

IE8 System Requirements
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/support/system-requirements.aspx

IE8 FAQ
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/support/faq.aspx

IE8 Quick Reference FAQ (including Keyboard Shortcuts)
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/ie7/quickref.mspx

IE8 Tour
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/tour/default.aspx

IE8 Videos
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/videos.aspx (Silverlight)
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=ie8videos&view=videos
• Overview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGzlJFx7YaE
• Security Features: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMqcEEBogj4
• Easier Browsing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gStCIkPUrhM
• Compatibility View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSs1ulZKgCA
• History of the Internet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsMFyo8DWs4

IE8 Features: Accelerators; Performance; Favorites & History Management;
Instant Search; Web Slices; Automatic Crash Recovery; InPrivate Browsing;
Security; and more. See the 3 tabs (i.e., Faster; Easier; Safer) on this
page:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/features/faster.aspx

About IE7 (and higher) Installation and Anti-Malware Applications
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/10/11/IE7-Installation-and-Anti_2D00_Malware-Applications.aspx

About IE7 & IE8 and Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2008/05/05/ie-and-xpsp3.aspx
--
IE-specific newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
www.banthecheck.com


nicola b wrote:
> I've got an old PC running XP. It's not bad but it's not real fast.
>
> AMD Duron 1800 cpu (approx like a 2100+ Athlon)
> Via SV266A chipset on Syntax mobo
> 768MB SDRAM memory
>
> Am still on Internet Explorer 6. Will my machine be ok to run IE7
> or even IE8?
>
> Is there a simple and honest explanation of the pros and cons of
> these later versions of IE? I don't want to end up with a bloated
> browser and no real benefits!

[nicola b]

Thank you. That's good info but I need something simple and honest.

Microsoft's announcements are not simple.

Microsoft isn't exactly neutral when it comes to judging their own
browsers.

I'm still not sure if IE7 or IE8 gives me bloat or benefit.

Can anyone help?


On 00:12 10 Nov 2009, PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
>
> What's New in Internet Explorer 7
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms649487.aspx
>
> IE7 Release Notes
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/aa740486.aspx
>
> What's New in Internet Explorer 8
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.ie8.aspx
>
> Release Notes for IE8
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/dd441788.aspx
> === REST TRIMMED ====
>
> nicola b wrote:
>> I've got an old PC running XP. It's not bad but it's not real
>> fast.
>>
>> AMD Duron 1800 cpu (approx like a 2100+ Athlon)
>> Via SV266A chipset on Syntax mobo
>> 768MB SDRAM memory
>>
>> Am still on Internet Explorer 6. Will my machine be ok to run
>> IE7 or even IE8?
>>
>> Is there a simple and honest explanation of the pros and cons
>> of these later versions of IE? I don't want to end up with a
>> bloated browser and no real benefits!

[Bill in Co.]

In addition to what has already been posted:

You can try it out, and if you don't like it, revert back to IE6 (although,
like anything, it's a good idea to have an image or clone backup of your
system to restore to, should anything go astray in the upgrade or
retrograde). Your CPU speed and memory are plenty sufficient.

The bottom line is both IE7 or IE8 have more features, but I wouldn't say a
lot more bloat, and some websites are, or will be, discontinuing support for
IE6. (But I'm one of the holdouts still using IE6, just because I like it
better, and it's a bit more customizable. The downside is that a few
websites can be problematic for me, but so far, not enough to make me
upgrade).

nicola b wrote:
> Thank you. That's good info but I need something simple and honest.
>
> Microsoft's announcements are not simple.
>
> Microsoft isn't exactly neutral when it comes to judging their own
> browsers.
>
> I'm still not sure if IE7 or IE8 gives me bloat or benefit.
>
> Can anyone help?
>
>
> On 00:12 10 Nov 2009, PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
>>
>> What's New in Internet Explorer 7
>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms649487.aspx
>>
>> IE7 Release Notes
>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/aa740486.aspx
>>
>> What's New in Internet Explorer 8
>> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.ie8.aspx
>>
>> Release Notes for IE8
>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/dd441788.aspx
>> === REST TRIMMED ====
>>
>> nicola b wrote:
>>> I've got an old PC running XP. It's not bad but it's not real
>>> fast.
>>>
>>> AMD Duron 1800 cpu (approx like a 2100+ Athlon)
>>> Via SV266A chipset on Syntax mobo
>>> 768MB SDRAM memory
>>>
>>> Am still on Internet Explorer 6. Will my machine be ok to run
>>> IE7 or even IE8?
>>>
>>> Is there a simple and honest explanation of the pros and cons
>>> of these later versions of IE? I don't want to end up with a
>>> bloated browser and no real benefits!

[Richard Urban]

What I consider benefit you may consider bloat.

Would I receive a benefit trading in my Crown Vic for a Cadillac. You can't
possibly begin to answer that question.

--

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience & Security


"nicola b" > wrote in message
...
> Thank you. That's good info but I need something simple and honest.
>
> Microsoft's announcements are not simple.
>
> Microsoft isn't exactly neutral when it comes to judging their own
> browsers.
>
> I'm still not sure if IE7 or IE8 gives me bloat or benefit.
>
> Can anyone help?
>
>
> On 00:12 10 Nov 2009, PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
>>
>> What's New in Internet Explorer 7
>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms649487.aspx
>>
>> IE7 Release Notes
>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/aa740486.aspx
>>
>> What's New in Internet Explorer 8
>> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.ie8.aspx
>>
>> Release Notes for IE8
>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/dd441788.aspx
>> === REST TRIMMED ====
>>
>> nicola b wrote:
>>> I've got an old PC running XP. It's not bad but it's not real
>>> fast.
>>>
>>> AMD Duron 1800 cpu (approx like a 2100+ Athlon)
>>> Via SV266A chipset on Syntax mobo
>>> 768MB SDRAM memory
>>>
>>> Am still on Internet Explorer 6. Will my machine be ok to run
>>> IE7 or even IE8?
>>>
>>> Is there a simple and honest explanation of the pros and cons
>>> of these later versions of IE? I don't want to end up with a
>>> bloated browser and no real benefits!

[Jon Danniken[_2_]]

Bill in Co. wrote:
> In addition to what has already been posted:
>
> You can try it out, and if you don't like it, revert back to IE6
> (although, like anything, it's a good idea to have an image or clone
> backup of your system to restore to, should anything go astray in the
> upgrade or retrograde). Your CPU speed and memory are plenty
> sufficient.
> The bottom line is both IE7 or IE8 have more features, but I wouldn't
> say a lot more bloat, and some websites are, or will be,
> discontinuing support for IE6. (But I'm one of the holdouts still
> using IE6, just because I like it better, and it's a bit more
> customizable. The downside is that a few websites can be
> problematic for me, but so far, not enough to make me upgrade).

Also still using IE6 here. The ability to compress the top toolbar into
only one bar is important, as is the ability to "auto-inline" complete
through the address bar (don't know if they are still implimenting the
latter).

Jon