Tweak and Customize IE8 Beta 2 (Even the Localized Versions)

Following the release of Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 at the end of August 2008, Microsoft offered a toolset designed to permit advanced customization of the browser. Internet Explorer Administration Kit 8.0 Beta was dropped after the English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), and German localized versions of IE8. On September 16, the kit was updated to reflect the wave 2 of Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 releases. Earlier this week Microsoft made available 21 new fully localized flavors of IE8 Beta 2, bringing the total number of language versions to 25. 

"With the release of these additional languages, the IE8 IEAK can now build an additional 20 language packages. We're excited to enable more users to download IE8 Beta 2 and use it in their native languages," revealed Vishwac Sena Kannan, IE international program manager.

The September 16 release of Internet Explorer Administration Kit 8 Beta is tailored to the new span of IE8 Beta 2 language versions. The kit is designed to permit the customization of Microsoft's latest iteration of the Internet Explorer browser. IEAK 8 Beta enables customized packages of IE8 Beta 2 to be put together, and this is valid for the many flavors of the browser. Features such as Accelerators, Web Slices, First Run Wizard and Welcome Page options, Compatibility View, Search Enhancements, InPrivate, Developer Tools and Delete Browsing History can all be customized via IEAK 8 Beta.

"Full Language and Platform support: You can create custom Internet Explorer 8 packages for all platform and language combinations that support Internet Explorer 8. If you are using the IEAK 8 to package Internet Explorer 8 in other languages, the settings on the Additional Settings page (which appears at the end of the Internet Explorer 8 Customization Wizard) will always appear in English, regardless of the language of IEAK 8," Microsoft informed.

IEAK 8 is set up as the evolution from IEAK 7 delivered for Internet Explorer 7. The new toolkit, tailored to Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 and later, is set up to integrate seamlessly with Windows Vista RTM and SP1, Windows XP SP3, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008.

Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 (IE8 Beta 2) is available for download via this link.

Internet Explorer Administration Kit 8.0 Beta can be downloaded from here.