I haven’t tried any of the beta version of IE7, I waited until the official release, which was just a short time ago this evening. I installed it and my initial impression of the interface was an urge to try and find how to fix it. They’ve moved things around for sure, which in itself isn’t bad, as long as you can customize it to your liking. Well, you can’t. They throw in some token adjustments that you can make (turning toolbars on and off, and customizing the buttons on one of the toolbars), but they’ve moved backwards on IE7 when it comes to flexibility.
Example, You cannot customize in any way the top toolbar, which contains the forward/backward buttons, address bar, reload, stop, and search bar. What if I want to use the Google Toolbar, due to it’s much greater functionality (bookmarks, automatic suggestions from bookmarks/history/etc, pagerank, calendar and gmail links)? Well, you can use it thankfully, but you’re still stuck with MS searchbar (yes it can be set to search Google, but it can’t do all those other things). Where’s the Home button? It’s in that one toolbar (the ‘Command’ bar) you can change the buttons on, but you can’t move the Home button to the top toolbar, nor can you add forward/backward buttons to the Command bar.
So, here’s how I configure IE6. IE6 allowed me to put multiple toolbars on one line, and move buttons around pretty freely (the picture is small, but you get the jist). I used the Google Toolbar as my addressbar, since I could not only type my addresses into it, but it would even ‘auto suggest’ address for me:
Here’s how I have to configure IE7 to keep the same tools. Instead of one row of tools, I now need three, which are spread out all over the place, and include duplicate functions (Google searchbar, MS searchbar, and address bar all serve the same purpose). If I wanted the menu’s (which I do have in IE6), I’d need yet another row:
I looked on the web for ideas on how to customize, and many websites mentioned a ‘classic toolbars’ option if you right-click a blank spot on one of the toolbars. Looks like they’ve removed that option from the final version. Why? Shame on you Microsoft. I know I shouldn’t be surprised that I’m disappointed with your product, but why do you have to go so far out of your way to disappoint us?
November 18th, 2006 at 12:06 am
You hit it right on the head! The navbars suck!
November 21st, 2006 at 9:30 pm
YAY! Someone else who doesn’t like the toolbar configuration — Unlock the toolbars they say, and you can move them — NOT!!!
Thanks Joe — maybe I can re-do part of mine too with your help.
November 26th, 2006 at 6:19 pm
It absolutely sucks…
New version, less user interface functionality.
This should be the first thing they fix in the next update.
December 4th, 2006 at 1:10 pm
I agree with everything! I just installed it and am now planning to go back to IE 6. I also prefer the google toolbar, menu links on top, and it would be nice if when I moved my toolbars to one line they actually stayed there!
The tabs were more annoying than helpful, I’m going back to the old version which doesn’t usually happen. Maybe they’ll work the kinks out next year.
December 13th, 2006 at 12:29 pm
[...] I generally have been using IE because of the better Google Toolbar, and recently upgraded to IE7. I'm very displeased by the inability to customize the toolbars in IE7, they take up a ton of space (see previous post "IE7 Toolbars Create Poor First Impression"). With the new Firefox toolbar, I'm in heaven. I get all the benefits of the Google Toolbar, and it fully integrates into the Firefox browser. By fully, I mean each and every button from the toolbar can be placed in any Firefox toolbar, so you can completely customize your layout. [...]
January 6th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Are they going to make the buttons’ positions more customizable? If we MUST have the integrated search, could they also add the additional functions provided on the 3rd party (google) toolbar.
Personaly I could care less about the tabs – two 20″ monitors – I’m not hurting for screen real estate.
IE7 is only good for one thing – for me to poop on.
January 28th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Jan 28, 2007, and still no customizable toolbars in IE7. I, too, am very disappointed.
March 23rd, 2007 at 7:46 am
March 23, 2007 and still no toolbar fix. Thank goodness for Firefox.
October 28th, 2007 at 4:14 am
I have always been using Firefox as my default Web Browser for years. But when you need to go to some MS support like windows update, support etc, I feel IE6/7 is still better (although Firefox already has IE Tab plug in itself). However, if you are using Windows OS (98, XP, Vista etc), you still need Its integrated built in apps like IE, WMP, etc because for some purposes, they can’t be replaced with other third parties even if they are not default. Yeah, I agree IE7 has dissapointed me and you. But for some purposes, we still need it. I am still waiting for IE8 (as Vista SP1 will have it next year, Good news it will be for both Vista and XP). i will give it a try …(pardon my english, i am from Indonesia). thank’s.
January 20th, 2008 at 11:24 am
just so glad to know I am not alone in my inability to do anything with these space-hog toolbars. Didn’t like the tabs, and got rid of them, but still have this extra bar that will not combine with another on one line. On a laptop, that screen space is precious. BOOO, Microsoft. Time to explore Firefox…
March 7th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
There is a fix,read this
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2006/10/27/unhide-display-and-show-classic-menus-or-menu-bar-in-internet-explorer-7/
March 8th, 2008 at 12:57 am
Thanks for the try, but it’s definitely not a fix. All it does is add the menus, doesn’t make the toolbar any more configurable, or any less monstrous. It’s been a while since I did this article, and in retrospect, IE7 was the best thing that happened to me as far as web browsing. I’ve switched entirely to Firefox and couldn’t be happier. I can’t imagine every going back, and the reports of IE8 make it sound like there will be no temptation at all to do so.
March 8th, 2008 at 5:59 am
No worries
IE6 was more famiar than 7,the classic toolbar is what most people wanted so thats sorted with me
and I hope my link helped normal people like me
March 8th, 2008 at 8:12 am
A recent third party release of “IE 7 Pro” (google it) has made using it more tolerable for me.
March 9th, 2008 at 6:27 am
Excellent thats what these info sites are all about
Keep up the good work boys