Downloading Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1
Released on 5th March 2008, I went to the download page on 7th March 2008. Here’s what happened.
Get Something Else First
Microsoft Download CenterBeta
We’re Changing!
Get a sneak peak at the new designs we’re testing for the Download Center home page and category pages. We’re using Microsoft Silverlight technology to sprice up the site and make it easier to discover and download Microsoft software. See the image at the right for a glimpse of what you’ll find.
Note about accessibility: This test version of the Microsoft Download Center does not include accessibility features we normally provide in our final releases, including support for browser page readers and the ability to change fonts.
- Try the Beta
- No thanks, I’d rather not try the beta - take me back
Beneath all that, in teeny-weeny text, is this:
Joining the beta will prompt installation of Microsoft Silverlight on your computer.
Luckily, I’m suspicious of everything in popups. A sparkly Download Center would be nice. Really nice. But installing yet another whizzbang technology which doesn’t build accessibility in from the start just for some sparkly graphics and perhaps some needlessly fiddly UI? No thanks, I’d rather not try the beta.
Get IE8
Using Firefox 2, I clicked Save on the download prompt. It was done much sooner than I expected.
Next step is installing it.