That's precisely what I don't feel about IE. I find myself comparing features and deciding that yes, this or that IE7 feature is marginally better. And Microsoft's slick revamp of the Favorites panel has the feature overlaying the browser window instead of pushing it to the right. (Plus, there is an option to make it work as it did, pushing the window right.) The browser's RSS Feed features have a bit more utility than Firefox's. But then Microsoft goes and does something stupid and turns off the classic File, Edit, View... menus by default. And the excellent configurable tool bar system from previous versions of IE (which has been heavily copied by a variety of other software makers), has been hobbled.

These days, Microsoft's user interface design clearly seems the result of internal corporate directives instead of planned around best-of-breed ideas. There was a time when Microsoft listened. Now, it's just patently sure of all its decisions. There appears to be little institutional memory about what strategies got them where they are.

I admire IE7, but I don't think I could ever learn to love it. It's like the minivan of Web browsers. It's a model of great engineering, but it's just not cool.