IE 7: so much for Firefox by Molly Wood, Senior editor, CNET.com:

At this year’s RSA Conference 2005, Bill Gates announced a new, Windows-free version of Internet Explorer designed to be more secure and to crush the rising Firefox threat. OK, he didn’t specifically say that last part, but you know what? That’s what’s gonna happen.

Here’s my take on it:

Post by: GnomeWriter on 02/16/05 [this is my identity for comments on the CNET site]

No version of IE will be safe enough for me until MS completely disconnects it from the OS AND kills the index.dat file. (As I have said in my LockerGnome columns, integrating IE into the OS was a bone-headed move with the sole purpose of fending off antitrust lawsuits.)

If - and only if - the “standalone” IE allows *complete* removal of the existing installation AND goes at least six months without a serious security breach AND does away with the privacy-invasive index.dat file will I consider using it again.

Oh, one more thing. Even if the above conditions are met, if IE 7 lacks tabbed browsing, forget it!