Microsoft should just block toolbars.
You don't need them.
The below screen grab is a worst case scenario, but it is not faked.



I have benchmarked all three browsers and while IE8 is better than its predecessors, it is still slower and more of a resource devourer than the competition.

It is also the most targeted for vulnerabilities because Microsoft is the biggest target. There may be holes in Chrome and Firefox, but hax0rs just love to attack Microsoft.

Chrome extensions would like a word with you, and that word is 'misinformation'
But depending on when you looked into Chrome they may have not existed.
They're relatively new.

 

I would suggest installing XMarks.
It allows you to back up your bookmarks and can use them over multiple browsers and at different computers.

 

That's not showing a problem, that's showing an idiot.

There are programs out there that, when downloaded and installed, will automatically install a new toolbar. That's why you unclick that option.

If your screen looks THAT cluttered, then chances are you were the reason for it.

 

^
Indeed. Considering the pictured user-knowledge-issue could be fixed with a couple of clicks, it seems a bit ridiculous to lay the problem at the feet of IE.

If I ever get to a point where IE8 is slow or can't do something I want it to do, then I may look into something else. But it's smooth as silk for me, so why bother?

 

Chrome extensions are nowhere near as good as their Firefox counterparts from what I've used. For example, both Adblock and Adthwart load ads before blocking them, which is extremely annoying because you see all the ads as the page loads, then they all vanish and collapse, changing the page layout. Also, each extension runs as a separate process, which annoys the heck out of me. Say if you have 4 extensions installed and 3 tabs open, then you'd have a total of 8 processes running, which just seems weird to me.

 

It was done on purpose to illustrate a point.
The fact that IE allows that many toolbars to be installed is an issue, especially when they pop up and convince the "average user" that he or she absolutely needs them.

FUN FACT: My sister thought she had "Dial Up" because she had a situation in IE like that picture and her browser was agonizingly slow.
I cleaned them up for her and it was much better.
She has DSL.

It fits the Chrome architecture, each tab has its own session so that the entire browser doesn't crash if a single tab has an issue.

You know, Microsoft doesn't like these other browsers encroaching on their turf. I suspect IE9 will be quite a surprise.

 

I've tried all the major browsers and prefer Chrome over Firefox. IE8 is still my browser of choice though.