Five years ago: IE 4.0 up for download everywhere... except MS site

First published 8 April, 1997

Microsoft's comedy of errors over the release of the Internet Explorer (IE) 4.0 'Platform Preview' continued, as the giant once again missed a self-imposed deadline for posting pre-release code on its Web site. That didn't stop hundreds of thousands of browser junkies downloading the code from myriad Web sites after Microsoft had test-posted the code over the weekend. Download sites include ZD Net UK Software Library.

Although Microsoft UK executives promised a 6pm yesterday posting for the software as recently as mid-afternoon, there was still no trace of it at 10.30 this morning. Instead, a statement said: "Microsoft is on the verge of releasing the Platform Preview test release of Internet Explorer 4.0."

Microsoft had previously said it planned an Easter Monday posting for the code but missed that date too.

Microsoft was unavailable for comment.