Once Microsoft released the beta, it was publicized on several sites within the Microsoft.com domain, but it did have an obligatory warning. The fact is this: the current release of IE5 is still in beta.

Beta is the second and final phase of growing for a software product – kind of like a digital adolescence. This is done through testing and bug fixes. In this case, it’s public testing.

Should you install it? Well, it does work nicely. You can rest assured it’s what I’ve got back home, but all beta software inevitably has some problems. The fact is, if it’s not final, then there’s no guarantee of a perfect experience using it. Certain Web sites might not display correctly, and a few features may not perform as expected. This is why it’s still in testing.

IE4 Assistant Forum Manager Michael Solomon laid out what a user needs to accept when playing with a beta, especially when it comes to system failures:

"A user should always have a good backup strategy, but when they start playing with beta software (especially one that so tightly integrates with the operating system), they should be prepared for the worst possible situation and most [difficult] remedy. If the user doesn't feel comfortable [with reformatting their computer], they should stay away."

MSN Software Refresh
You may have noticed that when people report their problems using MSN to our support newsgroups, sometimes they get sent to a Web site that seems to fix everything. What is this magical Web address? What is it good for? And when should you use it?

Benefits
This site resets settings in all your MSN-related software. If your troubles are related to incorrect settings, this will fix them. .

This MSN site does the following:

• Resets Outlook Express to be the default e-mail software.
• Resets MSN QuickView to the proper settings for e-mail and Friends Online notification, and QuickView links.
• Configures e-mail account setup in Outlook Express.
• Configures both MSN newsgroup servers in Outlook Express.
• Adds MSN chat server information to Microsoft Chat.

If your troubles are related to Web surfing, using your browser or connecting to servers, this page won’t help you.

Is there a downside to changing my settings?
There are a couple inherent risks in completely reconfiguring your MSN software. The biggest is, you might like using custom settings with your MSN software.

For example, if you use Outlook 98 as your e-mail client, you might have to set Internet Explorer to recognize that again. If you have special settings in Outlook Express on your MSN mail or news accounts (like a special reply-to address), you’ll probably lose them.

When should I reset my settings?
This is a last-resort fix. Make sure that before you use this, you have exhausted all other means of trying to solve your problem before you use the fix. Also, this is specifically for MSN issues, like if MSN e-mail notification isn’t working for you.

If you’re having other troubles, say connecting to a Web site, or talking to someone through NetMeeting, this software fix won’t help you.