Request for some IE8 information

[danagol1990]

Hello.
After about a month and a half of youtube bugging me to upgrade from IE6, I have finally started to consider it.
I have tried Opera, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari; but do not like any of them.

I am now considering upgrading to Internet Explorer 8.
However I have a few queries that I would prefer to have answered first. I would greatly appreciate any help possible.
Just to let you know, I am running XP Pro, SP2, and classic theme enabled.
(I will not deviate from using classic theme, nor use any program that does not conform the the generic operating system theme)

1. Does the installation of IE8 change the 'back' and 'forward' icons in Microsoft Explorer?
2. Can I disable tabbed browsing?
3. Can I remove the little spinning blue ring when loading pages?
4. Can I still hit 'Ctrl' + 'N' to open a new window?
5. Will I have to hit the 'Alt' key to view the toolbar, as with many other modern programs?
6. (Similar to question 1) Will the installation, in any way change the rest of the OS? - I am talking about new context menu items, different icons, etc.
7. Will any new processes be added to the startup list, and could I remove them?

Thanks in advanced to anyone who can be of any help,
And I would also like to apologise for my array of seemingly un-important questions; I am very specific about what prorgrams I install and use, and i absolutely hate changes to the windows interface. I must stick to classic theme, with '98 colours.

Thanks again.
Dan

 

[SPuNKYbd]

OCD much? lol

You can disable tabs dont know much else.

 

[foothead]

I say, try something different and use the new interface for a week or so. You don't want to get too far behind, as these things change gradually, and you will eventually have to use the new one, at which point you will be 100% clueless.

As far as your questions:
1. Not that I know of but why the heck does this matter?
2. Yes. Again, why?
3. This is a tough one. You could probably find a classic skin that doesn't have it, but why?! Its just a little thing in the corner. You could modify registry keys to make it die too.
4. Yes.
5. ? I don't really know what you are talking about (sorry)
6. Nothing I have noticed. It really doesn't matter though if the theme of Windows explorer looks shinier, but everything is still there.
7. There shouldn't be any. If there are, LEAVE THEM!!! M$ puts thse processes there for a reason.

I am kinda curious why some of this matters, but here are your answers.