I do not like IE7

[Wijono]

I am using WinXP SP2.

It has been quite a while that Microsoft has set IE7 as critical update in their Windows Update website. The word “critical” has somehow influenced me to accept that update.

When I started to use IE7, I feel somewhat disappointed with its rigidity. I am the type of person that like simplicity, IE7 does not allow me to do so.

There are three rows on top of the browser, we cannot customize buttons as we could with IE6. The navigation buttons are on the top left, the Home button is part of the Command Bar on the right. There are “Favorites Center” and “Add Favorites” buttons on the left next to the tabs that we cannot get rid, they are there cause one time IE7 did not have Menu Bar. Anyway the Menu Bar is back in the most recent IE7, but it is in the middle row, not the top row as it used to be. Unlike the Firefox, we cannot hide the tab even if only one tab is open. The story goes on …..

In pursuing the simplicity I managed to find Registry entry as follows that will bring the Menu Bar back to the top of the browser where it belongs:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\WebBrowser]

“ITBar7Position” =dword:00000001

Whereas following Registry entry:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\InfoDelivery\Restrictions]

“NoSearchBox” =dword:00000001

will remove the Live Search box.

But that is it! No other hack I can find!

True, there are a bundle of plus points that come with IE7, among others are security things, but I don’t really need it, I just like simplicity!!

So, after a while I decided to uninstall IE7 and get back to IE6. Maybe I will reconsider it when one day it becomes customizable like its predecessor. And in order to prevent IE7 from annoying with critical update warning under Windows Update, I simple add following Registry entry:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Setup\7.0]

"DoNotAllowIE70"=dword:00000001

Good bye IE7!!!

Any comment?

[Idontwantspam]

Why use any version of IE? Use opera or firefox - they're free, fast, way more secure than any version of IE, opera is essentially 100% W3C compliant, firefox is pretty close. And, they have intuitive interfaces!

Oh... and did you have an actual question or just a comment? Comments are fine, I was just wondering if there's something you need to know.

[PC_LOAD_LETTER]

Yeah use internet explorer for the one thing its good for: Windows/Microsoft Update and FF/opera for everything else

P.S. ActiveX is not a feature its a liability -so i don't count that as something IE is good for.

[Wijono]

Thanks for the fast comment from Idontwantspam!!

To be frank I have never tried Opera yet, but I already use Firefox.

The reason that I still have IE is that it is part of the OS the we cannot get rid of, furthermore there are some websites that unfortunately won’t work or does not properly work with Firefox (yet).

My writing above is more like comment, but if someone knows better tricks to simplify IE7 would be highly appreciated, such as moving buttons, get rid of some buttons like “Favorites Center” etc.

[TheFlash428]

Actually, I really like IE7 and feel it's much improved over IE6. The tabbed browsing and added features have been needed for quite some time.

(NOTE: I'm not trying to endorse IE over Opera and/or Firefox--I'm only comparing it to IE6)

As far as configuring options, if you have XP pro there are a bunch of settings that can be accessed via group policy editor.

(START --> RUN... --> gpedit.msc) Navigate under the User Configurations to the admin templates and IE7 should be listed under the Windows components.

Unfortunately, I don't know how to disable the "Favorites Center"-- even though I don't use it, I don't feel like it takes up that much room either, so I can live with it.

[pawan]

You can't customize the buttons, but you can completely get rid of them by following registry entries

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\CommandBar]

"Enabled"=dword:00000000

Edited November 21, 2007 by pawan

[Wijono]

Thanks pawan!!

But that will remove the Command Bar completely right?

Well, I still need “Home” button that is unfortunately part of the Command Bar.

To satisfy my “simplicity” wish, what I would need to have is two rows only on top of the browser:

1. Menu Bar

2. Back, Forward, Refresh, Stop and Home buttons + Address bar

Could anyone help please?

Or is it only possible in the next generation of IE7?

[freish]

I don't like IE7 either.Perhaps because it is not written for XP

[Joe K]

I tried it twice and went back to 6.0

Joe