Windows 7: Internet Explorer 8 helps you save time with Accelerato

There’s been a great deal of more talk lately about browser performance. You may have seen some previous discussion about page load performance as you saw here in a video and whitepaper in March. Page load ensures that you get to where you want to go quickly. But page load time differences actually measure about the length it takes for a person to blink their eye once, making a win for any browser pretty inconsequential as far as time savings go.



However, Internet Explorer 8 today offers a feature that saves you time and clicks and lets you get things done more quickly: Accelerators. Accelerators optimize the browser experience by removing repetitive, time consuming actions and give people easy access to the online services they use most. You can discover new Accelerators for Internet Explorer 8 at the Internet Explorer 8 Add-ons Gallery.

With all the talk about performance, we wanted to see what features like Accelerators really meant for time savings when people use the web, so we created another video looking at common tasks people actually do in four browsers: Safari 4.0, Chrome 2.0 beta, Firefox 3.5 beta 99 and Internet Explorer 8. Please note, all tests were performed using the default installation settings for each browser. No additional add-ons or extensions were added. 

Here is a video that shows off how Accelerators in Internet Explorer 8 make your browsing experience quicker and easier:


Accelerators in IE8 Help Save Time!

But page load time differences actually measure about the length it takes for a person to blink their eye once, making a win for any browser pretty inconsequential as far as time savings go.

When I load a certain webpage in Internet Explorer 8, it takes around 5-7 seconds, the latter few of which are spent watching each element of the page load individually. Loading the same webpage in Firefox 3.5, on the same broadband connection, is close to instantaneous. I notice similar differences on every website I've ever tested.

So the quoted statement is correct, IF it takes you around 5 seconds to complete a blink.

What sites are you going to? IE8 and FF3.5 are both near instantaneous to me.

I'm not going to disclose my entire browsing routine, but among the sites I've tested are WinCustomize, Weather.com, and these forums. Each one takes between 5-10 seconds on IE8, less than five seconds on FF 3.0, and almost instant on FF 3.5. The most drastic difference was on Weather.com, which went from about 7 seconds on IE8 to 1-2 on FF 3.5.

Is that with or without a cache dump and a page refresh? I can see where it would be quite quick if FF 3.5 were accessing a cache. The next question would be something along the lines of, "Why isn't IE also using cache?"

why would anyone even need these accelerators if the browser was made/created/coded correctly to begin with? I didn't try any accelerators because I need recommendations from people that try and use them, or are guinea pigs/beta testors.. so, are they safe? do they mess up anything?

Just asking..