Review: Internet Explorer 6.0

Aug. 29 -- Microsoft has released the final version of Internet Explorer 6.0 for non-XP Windows operating systems (Windows 98 SE, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT Workstation 4.0, and Windows 2000 Professional). The new IE version includes an updated cookie-management tool, a new button for media-related information, a sizing feature for browser-displayed images, and search functions.

Overall, the interface is less visually engaging than that of IE 6.0 for Windows XP, though only moderately so. For instance, tool bar icons aren't as rich-looking as those in the Windows XP version.

Smart Tags: Gone, for Now

Presumably reacting to criticism from beta testers and others, Microsoft has dropped Smart Tags. The controversial Smart Tags worked by highlighting certain words on a Web page — such as "video" or "computer" — so that, when clicked, they sent surfers to other sites related to the highlighted term. Critics complained that Smart Tags altered browser behavior. However, Smart Tags are still a primary feature of Office XP.

Microsoft also omitted support for Java and Netscape plug-ins, choosing to transfer responsibility for both to developers. Instead, Microsoft opted for ActiveX. The Java plug-in from Sun isn't currently available. (Sun recently complained of being shut out of Windows XP.)

Method to the Media

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IE 6.0 adds a media button, indicated by an icon of a musical note and a globe. When clicked, it launches a left-hand pane that links, not surprisingly, to windowsmedia.com, Microsoft's portal to news, music, and video. News is limited to MSNBC, though other news outlets are available, including CNN and BBC.

The media panel integrates basic controls for its media player, located in the bottom panel. When you select a song or video from the browser, the player launches. You can enlarge the player, but you'll need a fast connection to watch videos with any clarity — true with any streaming video. Our test of a Jennifer Lopez video was grainy and pixelated at speeds of 56 Kbps; at faster speeds (300 Kbps), image quality looked relatively sharp in most scenes.