First, Microsoft said that no one wanted tabbed browsing. Then, they said they would make tabbed browsing available for Internet Explorer 7. Now, it seems the pressure has really gotten to them, and they have made tabbed browsing available for Internet Explorer 6, through the MSN toolbar plugin.

I could not personally test this, since I am running Internet Explorer on Linux through WINE and the MSN toolbar installer doesn't seem to like that idea. But it looks like the basic tabbed browsing already supported by literally every other major competing browser, if not a little less functional than some implementations. It appears also that the tab bar remains even if tabbed browsing is turned off, which is an annoying space waster.

All in all, it seems like a move made out of desperation. Obviously Microsoft has realized how behind in the game they are, and the things that they have previously brushed aside turned out to be important after all. Hopefully with Internet Explorer 7, they'll realize just how important strict compliance with the standards is. On the other hand, considering the rush that they're in to get this browser out into the market, they almost certainly won't have time to come even close to catching up with Firefox, Opera, and Safari.

Anyone who is well informed on the subject of web standards knows that Internet Explorer has been and continues to be one of the greatest obstacles, if not the greatest, in the advancement of the Internet. Unfortunately, the average Joe doesn't know what web standards are and why they are important, nor does he even care. He just wants a program that works "well enough" to do what he needs to do. He doesn't realize how functional, how versatile, and how much more intuitive and useful the Internet could be if the web standards were encouraged, let alone required. Because of this, many people are likely to buy into Microsoft's continued empty promises and stick with Internet Explorer. They will continue to believe that there is not enough of a difference among browsers to switch away. As a website designer, believe me, there is a huge difference! Internet Explorer is by far the hardest web browser to develop websites for, and it only gets worse over time as I want more and more to use more advanced web technologies that Internet Explorer doesn't even begin to support. Every other major web browser on the market is right on the game, but Internet Explorer continues to lag miles behind.

So anyway, I ramble, but the point I'm trying to make is this: Internet Explorer is crap. They may add glitter and paint to make it look like it has what the competition has, but in the end, it's still just crap. Don't be fooled, get a real browser. The Internet will be better for it.