Expect little and you won't be disappointed. This has got to be the rule for Internet Explorer Beta 1. And yes, I did integrate the Beta 1 reference as a way to indicate that, at this stage in the development of the browser, anything beyond reasonable expectations won't be met. At least not when it comes down to the graphical user interface. Traditionally, the UI details are among the last aspect of Microsoft software products that will be implemented before it is finalized. It is the case with Windows and Internet Explorer 8 makes no exception to this rule.

But at the same time, there are anodyne details that do offer a sneak peek at not only the changes but also at what may be coming. In the screenshots integrated with this article, you will be able to get a taste of the IE8 Beta 1 GUI, in comparison to IE7 and Firefox 2.0, courtesy of Long Zheng. And there is one thing that many users have stated when confronted with the first screenshots from Windows 7 Milestone 1 (M1) in comparison to Windows Vista. This is why I thought I would spare you the trouble and note it myself. Yes, Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 does look a lot like Internet Explorer 7.

But you have to keep in mind that this is Beta 1, and that the UI will undoubtedly evolve. However, there are a few minute aspects of the user interface that are changed. First off, you will notice that the domain name is now highlighted in respect to the rest of the link in the address bar. This is of course a move to counter phishing attempts. Secondly, there is now a continuity between the Links item and the rest of the toolbar. And of course, the search box in the upper right hand side corner now features an icon of the default search provider. Nothing much else, except that the up has gained a few pixels, but nothing to grab too much screen real estate.