Microsoft^® Internet Explorer 4.0 for Windows^® 95 and Windows NT^® 4.0

White Paper

The Best of the Web, the Best of the PC

February 1997

Internet Explorer 4.0 Vision

The Internet has become a vital part of almost everyone’s lives. But even with the advances in browser technology, there are still a number of key consumer issues that need to be addressed:

• There are different and inconsistent tools to browse the Web and use the PC. Users tell us that finding and using data on the Internet requires a different set of tools and methods than finding and using information on their computer or on a server, making their learning curves longer and training and support costs high.
  
  
• Finding useful information on the Internet is too difficult. Today, when users want to find information, they have to initiate a search with the hopes that the results will be easily manageable, useful, and relevant. Invariably, the searches result in information overload. Overwhelmingly, users tell us that they would like to have only the information that is pertinent to them, delivered right to their computer.
  
  
• Bandwidth issues limit productivity. Users tell us that the way they use the Internet could be improved. For example, if a user has five favorite sites they want to check every day for new information, they have to visit each Web site to determine if anything has changed. This is magnified for users of dialup connections, who tie-up a phone line for an inordinate amount of time while reading and searching online.
  
  
• Web content lacks compelling presentation. Many users, after they visit a few Internet sites, complain that the Web is not exciting, the cool content is not there, it takes forever to download the Web pages, and so on. Users expect Web sites to offer the same experience and quality they experience with television and CD-ROM titles, when in fact they don’t.
  
  
• Rudimentary communication capabilities. Users tell us that communication tools on the Internet today are limited, with most not venturing beyond basic e-mail. Even with the existing communication tools, finding friends, family, or co-workers on the Internet is difficult.

This document outlines Microsoft’s plan for addressing these key issues that customers have told us about in focus groups, user groups, and newsgroups.

What is Internet Explorer 4.0?

Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 integrates the PC and the Internet into Microsoft’s overall concept known as the Web PC. Web PC embraces the importance of integrating Web tasks into a proven and popular user interface that leverages current investments in training and solves key customer issues. Web PC is the next step in Microsoft’s vision of Information at Your Fingertips—finding information should be easy and painless, regardless of where it is stored.

For corporations, Internet Explorer 4.0 is designed to make users more productive and to ease the migration to the intranet, while allowing administrators a fine degree of control. Integrating the browser into the operating system interface leverages the existing investment in training. For users, it provides a much richer Internet experience through Web site interaction, delivers full-featured communication capabilities, and makes finding information on the Web easier than ever. For developers, Internet Explorer 4.0 delivers on the promise of full interactive and compelling content.

Key Components of Web PC

• Best Browser. Having a great Web experience starts with the browser. Internet Explorer 4.0 once again raises the bar for innovation by providing the easiest, fastest, and most fun way to browse the Web.
  
  
• Complete Communication and Collaboration. Internet Explorer 4.0 offers integrated tools that appeal to every type of user: electronic mail, news, conferencing, authoring tools, publishing tools, and broadcasting.
  
  
• Webcasting. Internet Explorer 4.0 enables users to have information delivered to their desktop when they want it. Additionally, Internet Explorer 4.0 can automatically notify users of Web site changes and offers innovative offline capabilities so users can view Web contents while they’re on the road.
  
  
• True Web Integration. True Web integration has two parts. First, the Windows user interface has been updated to be Web savvy. Internet access becomes a seamless part of the desktop, with the browser and browser-like navigation available in every view. Second, the Internet Explorer 4.0 suite of products is tightly integrated to ensure consistency across all components in the suite and to provide an easy way to switch between them.