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Original URL: http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/12/24/ie8_acid2_standards/

IE's Acid trip back to conflict

'nam all over again

By Phil Manchester

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 [1] that the yet-to-launch Internet Explorer (IE) 8 has passed the Acid2 [2] test might seem like a lot of fuss about nothing.

The reality is that - assuming Microsoft's claim is genuine [3] - it is quite an achievement. [4]

The news is important because Acid2 is a rigorous test [5] of many acknowledged web standards. The news appears to confirm Microsoft's commitment [6] 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 [7] and Safari [8] 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 [9] 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 [10] version of Firefox 3 and also claimed [11] that it had passed the Acid2 test.

The sudden openness about IE 8 and its adherence to web standards also coincides with Opera filing [12] 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 [13] it off to stymie an earlier lawsuit and in 2005 there were strong rumors that Microsoft was about to buy [14] Opera.

Opera's call to the EU coincides with the news [15] that Microsoft spin-of Zumobi [16] (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.®