Microsoft has issued an update for Windows 7 Beta to plug numerous compatibility and reliability holes in Internet Explorer 8, according to ChannelWeb. The patches address a variety of stability problems like crashes, hangs and memory issues in IE. It also fixes glitches in PDF file printing and improves cookie management.

Sci-Tech Today reports that IE itself was responsible for about 40 percent of IE8's reliability problems, and third-party components caused the remaining 60 percent. Still, Michael Gartenberg, vice president of strategy and analysis for Interpret, believes IE8 is a solid product, saying:

"It's the strongest Web browser that Microsoft has developed. But Microsoft has not done a particularly compelling job at talking about why people might want to start engaging with IE8 and, in fact, it appears that consumers are engaging instead with some of these other browsers."

Whether IE can maintain the home-court advantage remains to be seen as it inches closer to its release.