IE7 Beta Breaks Instant Messaging Apps
Some Internet Explorer 7 testers who loaded the Beta 1 bits onto their systems have found a nasty surprise BetaNews has learned: their instant messaging software crashes.
Trillian, a popular multi-network IM client, Gaim and IM2 all spit out error messages when loaded alongside IE7, and the only fix is to uninstall Microsoft's new browser.
Sources tell BetaNews the problem ostensibly lies in a DLL file used by the multi-network clients to connect to the MSN Messenger service. IE7 brings a new version of wininet.dll, which causes the crash if users connect to AOL Instant Messenger while also connecting to MSN.
Some Trillian users discovered workarounds to the problem, which often simply involved removing MSN support entirely. Others called for Cerulean Studios -- makers of Trillian -- to correct the issue. But because IE7 is currently in early stages of beta testing, a fix may be a ways off.
"The developers are aware of the issue. There will most likely be no patch for it right now because IE7 is still in BETA testing. If a patch was issued, there is a chance that something else would change that would mess it up again," said one Cerulean employee on the company's support forums.
"When IE7 is released as a final version we will take a look and if it is still causing issues with Trillian, something will definitely be done."
Cerulean is, however, currently testing a fix for customers who submit a problem report about the IE7 issue into the company's support system.