IE 8 does have more problems than mere JavaScript engine speeds. It scores a 20/100 on the Acid3 test, the lowest of the major browsers, and the installation process still requires a reboot. There’s no default “smart” location bar that many other browsers have, although you can search your history and most visited pages from it.
Sure, there is a lot more that goes into a browser that makes it a great browser, but doing well on the Acid3 Test is one for me.
Sure, a browser can do just fine on most pages with a mediocre score, but not only is 20/100 pathetic, it shows that Microsoft isn’t interested in making Internet Explorer play by everyone else’s rules - the software giant seems to think that since the are the largest fish in the tank, people will follow their rules. Sad. And unfortunate for the majority of Windows users who never know that a better browser is just a few clicks away.
For comparison, Safari 4 Beta, Opera and Google Chrome all score a perfect 100/100, Firefox 3.07 scores a 71/100 (with the beta 3.6 making a 94/100).