Performance Enhancements

From a performance standpoint, the just-in-time Java compiler gave Internet Explorer 3.0 the fastest Java performance in any browser available. Internet Explorer 4.0 continues that tradition by not only continuing to have fantastic Java performance, but also by improving the browsing experience with Dynamic HTML. Dynamic HTML enables users to interact with the information on a Web page without taking the large amounts of time that it normally takes to browse a site.

Key Features of Performance

• Dynamic HTML. Dynamic HTML lets Web authors create even richer, interactive pages than was possible with HTML 3.2 while reducing bandwidth requirements. Dynamic HTML enables authors to create pages that don’t need to talk to the Web server each time a user clicks a hyperlink. This saves the user from waiting for something to happen, and it reduces the load on the Web server.
  
  
• Java just-In-time compiler. Java applets run faster than ever. Plus, support for a new, open, backwards-compatible compression technology means that classes download faster, and you can even have class libraries installed, so you don't have to reload them every time.
  
  
• Basic performance improvements. Continuous performance improvements on how pages are downloaded and displayed increase the browsing speed of Internet Explorer 4.0.

How does Speed Work?

Dynamic HTML will greatly influence users’ Web experience. When an author writes code with Dynamic HTML, not only will users get more interesting, engaging pages, but they will also receive a faster, more interactive experience. Users will be much more satisfied with Web sites that provide continuous action, as opposed to those that must search the Web on every mouse click. The following Dynamic HTML features enable a great deal of interaction to take place on the client side without talking to the Web server.

• Dynamic HTML multimedia controls. A set of multimedia controls is automatically installed with Internet Explorer 4.0. These controls provide special graphic effects, such as transitions and text art, without requiring high-bandwidth images. Instead of waiting for graphics and animations to be downloaded and displayed, users can instantly see graphics when they download a page. In addition, Dynamic HTML lets authors create structured graphics, a type of multimedia control that describes a meta file. These produce slick graphics that look better than traditional images while reducing the overall size of graphics.
  
  
• Dynamic HTML data binding. Today, users expect to interact with data in applications like Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access; they can sort it, filter it, and make queries. On the Web, however, normal HTML pages must contact the originating Web server and/or database server to allow the user to rearrange the data on their page. Data binding lets authors embed a data source on a page, which users can sort and filter like a database without contacting the original database server.
  
  
• Dynamic HTML outlining. Outlining lets authors show or hide text based on user events such as pointing or clicking the mouse. For example, a table of contents can be created on the fly, or hidden text can pop out from a heading when a user selects it. New HTML is created on a Web page dynamically, without talking to the original server, so users open and display fewer pages to find the information they need. Keeping the intelligence on the client side significantly improves performance.