You Asked For it...or Not - IE8 Beta 2 Now Available for Windows Server 2008

Well, whether or not you asked for it or need it you're getting it. Yesterday Microsoft released Internet Explorer 8 beta 2 for Windows Server 2008 (and other Windows platforms as well). Beta 1 was really for developers to work out app compatibility issues and now with beta 2, it's time for IT to work out deployment and upgrade issues.

Couple of things you should know - you can't deply IE8 side by side with IE7 or IE6, so the best way to test is to set up virtualized environments each with a different version of the browser. Also, IE7 compatibility is turned OFF by default - this is keeping within the goal of making IE8 be more in compliance with Web standards as part of Microsoft's Interoperability Principles for open connections, standards support and data portability.

Microsoft hasn't committed to another beta or a final release date for IE8 - I guess it depends upon how many issues come up with this beta and how much work they need to do to fix them.