Original URL: http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/12/24/ie8_acid2_standards/
IE's Acid trip back to conflict
'nam all over again
Posted in Software & Security, 24th December 2007 00:02 GMT
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On the face of it, rendering a simple smiley on a screen seems pretty straightforward. So Microsoft's excited revelation (http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/rss.xml) that the yet-to-launch Internet Explorer (IE) 8 has passed the Acid2 (http://www.webstandards.org/action/acid2/) test might seem like a lot of fuss about nothing.
The reality is that - assuming Microsoft's claim is genuine (http://channel9.msdn.com/) - it is quite an achievement. (http://www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2007/05/01/internet_explorer_standards/)
The news is important because Acid2 is a rigorous test (http://www.istartedsomething.com/20071220/ie8-acid2-test/) of many acknowledged web standards. The news appears to confirm Microsoft's commitment (http://www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2007/12/10/gates_ie8_fire_drill/) to being more open on IE 8 and it will go some way to satisfying the demands from the developer community for more standards compatibility in IE.
It also means that, when IE 8 eventually appears sometime in 2008, Microsoft will be able to hold its own against rival browsers such as Firefox, Opera (http://www.opera.com/) and Safari (http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/safari.html) all of which have demonstrated that they can pass the Acid2 test.
There are, of course, many other considerations beyond Acid2 when comparing browsers. A recent comparison (http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001023.html) of JavaScript performance provides another insight into their relative merits.
Microsoft's revelation comes at an interesting time in the browser market - heralding a possible escalation in the conflict between browser builders. The test results came as Microsoft's closest rival - Mozilla - released the Beta 2 (http://developer.mozilla.org/devnews/index.php/2007/12/18/firefox-3-beta-2-now-available-for-download/) version of Firefox 3 and also claimed (http://www.betanews.com/article/Latest_Firefox_beta_passes_Acid2_test_IE8_claims_to_pass_also/1198178648) that it had passed the Acid2 test.
The sudden openness about IE 8 and its adherence to web standards also coincides with Opera filing (http://www.opera.com/pressreleases/en/2007/12/13/) an anti-trust complaint against Microsoft with European Union. Opera said - surprise, surprise - that Microsoft is abusing its dominant position by bundling IE with Windows. But there is a twist. Opera wants the EU to compel Microsoft to follow web standards - which now seems a bit redundant.
Opera - which has achieved most of its success in the mobile area - has been a thorn in Microsoft's side for several years. In 2004 Microsoft paid (http://www.news.com/Microsoft_behind_$12_million_payment_to_Opera/2100-1032_3-5218163.html) it off to stymie an earlier lawsuit and in 2005 there were strong rumors that Microsoft was about to buy (http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_Not_Acquiring_Opera/1135356504) Opera.
Opera's call to the EU coincides with the news (http://reddevnews.com/news/article.aspx?editorialsid=9343) that Microsoft spin-of Zumobi (http://www.zumobi.com/) (formerly ZenZui) has released the first beta version of its mobile browser that aims to compete with - among others - yes, Opera.
Several years back Microsoft gave up on IE as a separate product, believing it was mission accomplished in browsers and there wasn't anything left to innovate. That gave Firefox, with tabbed browsing and better security, a foot in the door and spurred Microsoft into making IE available again as a separate download. 2008 promises to confirm that - more than 10 years after the browser wars ended - there remains much to do in browser development and that hostilities are back on.®