Microsoft Launches Internet Explorer 7 Release Candidate

Dean Hachamovitch, IE General Manager has announced on the IEBlog the availability of the first public release candidate, Internet Explorer 7 RC1 for Windows Windows XP SP2/x64/Server 2003. Hachamovitch revealed that the IE7 RC1 has built in uninstall features that kick in upon the detection of previous IE7 beta variants and performs the removal process automatically, addressing an uninstall issue that some beta testers have encountered with the browser that prompted Microsoft to release a removal tool.

"The RC1 build includes improvements in performance, stability, security, and application compatibility. You may not notice many visible changes from the Beta 3 release; all we did was listen to your feedback, fix bugs that you reported, and make final adjustments to our CSS support. I do want to call attention to two changes in particular," wrote Hachamovitch on the IEBlog.

Hachamovitch has warned of potential problems involving the IE7 RC1 installation and said that they are primarily related to add-ons and third party product compatibility issues; and here, he also included older releases of toolbars. The release candidate will actually prompt the user with a warning in the eventuality of stability or compatibility issues.

"A release candidate is fundamentally different from a beta. With the exception of a very short list of issues we're aware of and working on, we think the product is done. The English RC1 release will be followed by localized versions in mid-September. We'll continue with Arabic, Finnish, German, and Japanese as before but also add French and Spanish versions with this release. Web sites and applications that are compatible with this RC1 build should be compatible with the final version of IE7 when we release it later this year," said Hachamovitch.

The final Internet Explorer 7 is scheduled for release in the fourth calendar quarter of 2006, but - strictly depending on feedback - Microsoft may launch another release candidate.

IE7 RC1 was tested by Softpedia as being 100% Free and is available for download here.