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Battle of the Browsers Part 1: Internet Explorer V4.00

© Chris Cruickshank

This article is a review of Microsoft Internet Explorer V4.00 that was released recently. Read about the main features of this browser. After two beta releases, the question remains: does Microsoft have it right for you? Here are the important features.

Introduction of push technology with channels

Subscriptions to web sites

Browser changes

Windows 95 changes and the Active Desktop

Additional features

Push technology with channels

Push technology means that web information (like news, sport, entertainment), is sent to you (or pushed to you), without you having to go to a web site. The idea is that you subscribe to items of interest such as a news reader program. On your desktop, a "ticker tape" of headlines can appear, automatically displaying headlines. See something of interest? Simply click on the headline and a web page opens with the full story!

This is something that is going to be big in the future. I wonder if we, as surfers, are going to be inundated with commercials using this media? I sincerely hope not — but I wouldn't be a bit surprised!

A word of caution. If you use the Active Desktop (of which this is a part), then expect your machine to run slower as a result. A high specification machine is needed for this. What can one say about this? It's going to be the way of the future and you can expect more and more push sites to appear on a daily basis.

Subscriptions to web sites

Got a favourite site (like the PC Support Page ) whose changes you want to know about? IE 4.00 supports the facility to check and see whether your favourite web sites have changed and, if so, to download the page (either online or for off site reading).

Once on line, you can get the browser to check for updated versions of your favourite sites. If the site is newer than your previous check, the page will be downloaded. No need to ever miss those crucial changes ever again!

I'd recommend caution with this one as site changes can take a long time depending on how many sites you subscribe to. Another thing to think about is to not bother with certain sites. Daily news sites are going to change, well, daily, so there is little point subscribing to them when you know they will change! Stick to sites that change periodically (perhaps a monthly e-zine).

Browser Changes

There are the inevitable button changes and whistles and bells that have been added. IE 4.00 has some nice touches, namely:

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