Exclusive interview: Microsoft talks IE8

JC: I think we are well aligned with IE8 if you look at it around the world, browser usage varies greatly and in the UK more people have chosen to be on IE8…

TR: Or not chosen…

JC: They have chosen. They've chosen to stay or continue using it and upgrade within the IE line. They've made a choice along the line, but what we're seeing in IE8 is a big step forward in terms of the overall browser. Fundamentally, we're really excited about the head to head comparisons and I think it shows in things like publishing the whitepaper [comparing IE with other browsers]. We'll take on anyone.

We all want to win [the browser wars].

TR: There's been a lot of talk about speed – how important is dependability?

JC: If it becomes about benchmarks it's also got be about dependability. Tab isolation makes a big difference for people. I don't know about you, but I always have a lot of pages up for a lot of different reasons, so if one goes wrong I don't want that to affect everything.

IE8 will restore the entire browser session or your homepage – again giving the customer the choice.

Patrick Goss

Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content.  After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.