I want to test Microsoft’s new browser very much. I’m a web developer, so being aware of bleeding edge technology like this is important, especially in the context of Internet Explorer 7 which brings with it big changes.

Unfortunately, some years ago Microsoft made a terrible engineering decision that means you can’t run two different versions of Internet Explorer alongside each other in the same Windows installation. Thus, the only way to run IE7 in anything close to a standalone mode, is to use Microsoft’s Virtual PC product. This allows you to have a second copy of Windows running in a window on your main system’s desktop. It’s useful and keeps your main system’s files safe while you’re testing something.

Except, there’s a big catch. Some years ago Microsoft made a terrible engineering decision that involves imposing product activation on Windows XP. This means you can only have Windows installed on one computer at a time. Not unreasonable in itself, until you realise that a Virtual PC installation of Windows is apparently identical to “one computer”. Therefore, I can’t install my existing copy of Windows through Virtual PC, because I’m already using it on the computer on which Virtual PC is running. Follow?

So, I can’t activate Windows. It’ll still functional for 30 days though, right? Wrong. I tried installing the IE7 beta. To install, it requires something called a Windows Genuine Advantage validation check. This is a new thing Microsoft have come up with to stop software pirates getting non-critical updates for Windows. Guess the prerequisite? Activation.

I’m lucky enough to have a copy of Virtual PC through Microsoft’s Academic Alliance scheme. That means it’s free. Although, if I want to continue using it after I graduate, it will cost 100 for a full license. Next, add an additional license for Windows XP: Also 100. But, a Virtual PC probably doesn’t quality for an OEM license (they’re for system builders), so instead crank up the Windows license fee to 250 for the full boxed version.

What I’m trying to say is this: It costs 350 to legally test Microsoft’s shit software in a safe testing environment. Here we are, locked in to testing for Microsoft’s terrible but dominant browser and that’s the tax were supposed to pay for it. How did they ever get away with this?

Update: Thank you for all the suggestions regarding hacked standalone versions of Internet Explorer. I’ve actually used these for a long time for testing old versions of IE, the purpose of this entry was to emphasise how ridiculous the only supported mechanism is for testing IE7. I had a genuine desire to do it properly this time.

Anyway, since doing it properly is rarely a sentence associated with any version of Internet Explorer, I’ve instead got it running by following these instructions from Jon Galloway. The only downside is that it requires you to su into an account with Administrative privileges or else IE7 crashes out instantly. I assume that’s a side affect of the hack, not an incredible oversight in the implementation of IE7.

Update 2: Ooooor not. Jon Galloway’s trick, which is known to work with beta 1 and was then modified so as not to fuck up IE6 with beta 2 actually worked for me (wait for it) once. Just once. From then on, IE7b2 crashes out every time you try to start it. Apparently that’s a widely reported change from beta 1, where you could run it standalone like this. I’m going to return to my original “fuck Microsoft” position and sulk.