Time for That Internet Explorer Nine Download. Because Your 9 Will Really Shine

Internet Explorer, the world's most popular browser (okay, the most widely used if not particularly popular) has been on version 8 for two years now. The latest, version 9 is finally here. Should the new Internet Explorer 9 download be a part of your plans for the future? What will you gain by it? How different could it be from the one you have already? Let's get down to it.

To begin with, if your operating system is anything other than Windows 7 or Windows Vista, you are pretty much out of luck as far as an Internet Explorer 9 download goes. It only works with the two most recent versions of Windows. One does wonder what Microsoft was thinking. Every other major browser supports multiple operating systems - right from Windows XP to Mac OS. Even Apple's Safari does this. Still, if you have a relatively new computer, you have an option in version 9.

The first thing you are likely notice about version 9 is how quickly it starts up, and then opens web pages. Even pages full of JavaScript with lots of interactivity features built in (like Facebook) will open right away (assuming of course that your computer and your Internet connection are up to it). It's just a big airy interface that version 9 has. Kind of like what Chrome has. No more do you have to worry about how all those toolbars take up an inch of space at the top of your screen. Come to think of it, they seem to have cut down even more space wastage than Chrome manages. Version 9 works well with HTML 5. When you go on websites like YouTube that offer an HTML 5 option to Flash, your 9 will really shine.

And then, perhaps the best reason to go forward with the Internet explorer 9 download is that it is safer. Version 9 comes with an ActiveX disabling switch. ActiveX is a standard that isn't really needed today. On almost any site, you can usually make do without it. You just need to turn it on when ActiveX is needed (like on YouTube).

So is everything rosy with version 9? Should you be an instant convert? There are problems, of course. To begin with, it doesn't support all of HTML 5; every virus-designing creep around the world will be gunning for the latest version of Internet Explorer; and of course, there is the uncomfortable feeling that Internet Explorer 9 is only playing catch-up with Chrome.