As soon as the press found out that Microsoft, forced by the Firefox's ascension, will release a new version of the Internet Explorer browser, everybody has started to wonder what effect this will have on the "fox that has put the Internet on fire".

Lots of users started to pity the cruel fate of Firefox, which won't stand a chance against the new 7.0 version of Internet Explorer.

Since March, when the first details on Internet Explorer 7.0 were announced and until the first beta, Microsoft has been very careful about disclosing information on the new browser.

But the time has come for Microsoft to release, together with the first beta of Windows Vista, the fist beta of Internet Explorer.

What was the public's reaction? Perhaps nobody could have said it better than Paul Thurott, renowned Windows expert and supporter, who has an article at this address http://www.windowsitpro.com.

Actually, Paul Thurott has only one thing to say: "My advice is simple: Boycott IE. It's a cancer on the Web that must be stopped. IE isn't secure and isn't standards-compliant, which makes it unworkable both for end users and Web content creators. Because of their user bases, however, Web developers are hamstrung into developing for IE at the expense of established standards that work well in all other browsers. You can turn the tide by demanding more from Microsoft and by using a better alternative Web browser. I recommend and use Mozilla Firefox, but Apple Safari (Macintosh only) and Opera 8 are both worth considering as well."

In conclusion, the battle between Firefox and Internet Explorer 7.0 is postponed indefinitely, or at least until Microsoft's programmers will accept that there are standards in this world that have to be complied with.

Softpedia has decided to wait for the next beta version, before posting the review for Internet Explorer 7.0.