Internet Explorer 9 tops first official HTML5 conformance test

by Pete Mason on 2 November 2010, 11:24

Tags: Internet Explorer, Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), Opera (OPERA.OL), Mozilla

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Even before Microsoft launched Internet Explorer 9, it made it very clear that it would be putting a huge focus on standards, compliance and compatibility. It turns out that it was more than just hot air, though, as the company's latest browser has topped the first official HTML5 conformance test.

W3C - who published the HTML5 standard - ran these tests on the latest versions of the five most popular desktop browsers. Since the standard hasn't been finalised - and probably won't be for some time - the evaluation suite focused on just a few parts of the specification, including audio, video and ‘attributes'.

The latest platform preview of IE9  managed a perfect score on five of the tests, ranked top with a score of 89.55 per cent on the sixth and came in third on the final metric. The latest beta version of Chrome 7 came in second, followed by Firefox 4 beta 6 and Opera 11 alpha, with Safari 5.02 bringing up the rear of the pack.

Obviously these tests only represent a small slice of the HTML5 standard, which in turn only accounts for a fraction of all of the content on the web. Nonetheless, it's reassuring to see Microsoft's commitment to interoperability and conformity in practice, even at this early stage. If nothing else, it shows that the software-giant is genuinely trying - and largely succeeding - in creating a competent, competitive browser.

It seems like the browser is already starting to find some favour with the public as well. Approximately six weeks after it launched, CEO Steve Ballmer announced last week at PDC2010 that the beta browser had been downloaded more than ten million times.



HEXUS Forums :: 35 Comments

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So they're testing a pre-beta quality “platform preview” of IE against a beta of Chrome, a beta of Firefox, an alpha of Opera, and a final release version of Safari that's a couple of months old instead of the latest Webkit nightly. Way to go on fairness there.
But then they would have been testing a Webkit nightly and not the newest Safari that is out there. Yes the underlying core of Safari is based on Webkit, but that doesn't make them the same thing really.

I would expect to see a great deal of progress made by the other browers by the time IE9 final is released. So much to that I would guess IE9 will end up in at least 3rd, perhaps fourth or fifth even.

All the other browsers have a much sorter release schedule than Microsoft, so instead of large jumps, expect to see incrimental improvements from the others as we go forward.
Rolphus
So they're testing a pre-beta quality “platform preview” of IE against a beta of Chrome, a beta of Firefox, an alpha of Opera, and a final release version of Safari that's a couple of months old instead of the latest Webkit nightly. Way to go on fairness there.
I'd say that they are already on to 9 for IE, so I'm guessing they just used to most current versions they could find.

The news here is not that it was the highest scoring, but that the velocity at which they have managed to get there. That is the key thing.

In other news, the weather in hell is a nippy 10°K and there will be a flypast of suidae in classic V formation over trafalgar square this afternoon.
internet explorer could be first and come with free cake… i still wouldnt use it
Biscuit
internet explorer could be first and come with free cake… i still wouldnt use it

CAKE? I'm in.

Seriously though, you'd not use something ever even if it became superior to your current choice? Don't get me wrong, I'm a solid Opera user but that's after trying all the competition for several weeks. IE9 (you obviously haven't tried it) is amazingly er.. good. It seems wrong somehow but it is. I don't think I'll jump ship (especially now Opera 11 has extensions) but it's hard to ignore such a paradigm shift from MS in their browser (which we all come into contact with once in a while anyway).