Why IE 7.0 needs CSS

IE 7.0 beta 1 has been released to MSDN subscribers. Some took umbrage with its limited release, reacting like Microsoft had left them crying at the altar. Limited release has its advantages, though. Releasing a beta 1 product to "friendlies" (as MSDN members are more likely to be) enables feedback to be gathered without undergoing the pressure of a full public release.

The IE 7.0 feature list appears to be more consumer oriented than developer oriented, however. The Technology Overview for Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 Beta 1 devoted many pages to the consumer features included in IE 7.0, such as malware protection, mechanisms to detect fraudulent web sites, control over add-ons, tabbed browsing, "shrink-to-fit" printing, RSS feed support, and user interface improvements...most of which were available previously as add-ons or through custom browsers that wrapped the IE HTML Rendering control in a new shell.

Only one and a half pages were devoted to "Platform Enhancements." These included support for alpha channels in PNGs, more tools for enterprise management, and improvements to IE's handling of CSS. As noted in an article yesterday on ZDNet, however, Microsoft isn't planning to pass the Acid2 test, which is designed to test browser support for web standards, including CSS.

To be fair, Mozilla browsers, such as Firefox, don't pass the Acid2 test, either (at least, not yet). Even so, I think Microsoft should take the time to put it's CSS house in order. Passing the Acid2 test should be pushed up the priority list. There are a number of benefits to be derived from this:

1. CSS is simply a great way to layout web pages
Some may remember an article last Fall where I suggested that Microsoft's competitors should do more to make it easier for pages written for IE to work in alternative browsers (okay, "suggested" might be a bit mild). That does not mean, however, that I don't find CSS a great way to do layouts.

A reader by the name of Joey3x (don't know his real name) wrote this CSS-kosher solution which does what I tried to do in my "Bah, Humbug" article. It doesn't work as well as the IE-specific page (which doesn't work under Firefox, Safari or Opera), but the code is very elegant in comparison.

CSS is a better way to do page layouts in web pages. If Microsoft wants its product to use best of breed technology, then providing complete support for CSS makes sense.

2. Where's the real appeal of Firefox?
It isn't, quite frankly, among regular (read: non-technical) consumers. Rather, the appeal is more among technical users, to whom the power of strong support for CSS (among other features) matters more. Similarly, businesses might be attracted by the productivity gains to be derived from a well-understood page layout technology like CSS.

Keeping IE current with popular productivity-enhancing technologies like CSS is a great way to keep businesses on side. Granted, strong CSS support makes it easier to make cross-browser web sites, but that matters less to businesses than some proponents of alternative browsers believe. Businesses have complete control over their internal environment. Therefore, they can choose to use one browser exclusively, and many choose IE.

In other words, making IE better able to handle seamlessly cross-platform web sites is not going to pose a huge threat to IE. Offering solid CSS support just makes the job of business developers easier, and that will appeal to businesses, even as they continue to use IE.

3. Goodwill and cotton candy
Okay, opponents of Microsoft will still hate us because we are the biggest and baddest boy on the block (and we rock). Still, I think there is something to be said for taking points of argument off the table whenever possible.

I also don't think that CSS would be much threat to applications designed for Windows Vista (the Operating System formerly known as "Longhorn"), given the sheer number of features available to such applications (automatic update of desktop apps, streamlined development model, more controls, etc...and a topic for a later blog). All it would mean is that developers who need to make web applications would have a great technology for doing it in IE...which, consequently, would give opponents of Microsoft one less reason to complain.