14 DAY TRIAL // Firefox and Chrome might have Internet Explorer 8 beat on web standards support (CSS3 and HTML 5) and in the speed of the JavaScript engines, but fact is that IE8 bests both rival open-source browsers from Mozilla and Google in terms of nutritious value per download. In partnership with Feeding America, Microsoft has launched the “Browser for the Better” campaign and website. The aim is to make Internet Explorer 8 nutritious enough to feed the hungry. The Redmond company has promised to donate the equivalent of no less than eight meals per IE8 download to Feeding America, provided that the downloads have as source the “Browser for the Better” website. Neither Mozilla nor Google are running similar programs for Firefox, respectively Chrome, resulting in a zero nutritive value for downloads of their respective browsers.
“This summer, millions of families throughout the U.S. are living on the brink of hunger. Demand for food is higher than it has been in decades. The Browser for the Better campaign is both raising awareness of hunger and giving people an easy opportunity to help their neighbors at no cost to them. It’s a win-win arrangement for Microsoft, Feeding America and people all across the country,” stated Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America.
Microsoft revealed that in excess of 17 million children benefited from free or even reduced-price breakfast and lunch from local public schools across the U.S. But this is valid only for the duration of the school year. During summer, vacation means that children no longer have access to the programs, and can as a consequence go hungry. The “Browser for the Better” campaign is designed specifically to provide students with no less than eight meals for every complete download of Internet Explorer 8. The Redmond company will run the initiative from June 10th until August 8, 2009.
“Our customers have told us they want to have an impact in the lives of their friends and neighbors,” added Amy Barzdukas, senior director for Internet Explorer at Microsoft. “The Browser for the Better campaign is all about making it easy for people to make a real difference. Not only are they contributing to their community, they’re getting a more secure, modern browser designed for the way people browse the Internet today.”
Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) RTW is available for download here (for 32-bit and 64-bit flavors of Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008).