[youtube link=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFE4rkSaKOY” width=”590″ height=”315″]

My friend and colleague Stevan Sheets (@navets) tweeted about this sweet Internet Explorer 9 commercial, saying:

Like him, I’m really impressed by this commercial. But unlike him, I actually did go and download.

I downloaded the song, that is. Of course I’m not going to use Internet Explorer! Although I will echo what others have said… “Internet Explorer: The #1 Browser Used For Downloading A Better Browser.”

Here are some links to the song. I really dig it.

The song holds a batch of irony as big as Bill Gates’ bank account, however. Alex Clare sings:

“You know I’m not one to break promises…”

If you’re speaking for Microsoft, Alex, I beg to differ. The reason I’m not downloading IE9 is exactly that… Microsoft is very prone to break promises. The promises of this commercial are pretty sweeping, in particular. How can they live up to these predictions in the commercial, such as “changing the web forever”? Yes, from what I’ve read and experienced, IE9 is a huge step forward, dare I say Web 3.0 attempt? But it’s coming from the people that have let me down so many times before I just can’t make the switch. I worry that it is a trojan horse that looks fun, but once I get it on the computer the Greeks will jump out and attack my computer. I’m guessing that by the time IE9 is standard on PC’s it still fail to be as good as Firefox or Chrome within 3 months, or (insert your favorite browser here instead of trolling me about how great it is) as those browsers update to keep up with the innovations, or bring their own we don’t yet know about.

Like the song says, years ago I said to Microsoft:

“And it feels like I am just too close to love you,
There’s nothing I can really say.
I can’t lie no more, I can’t hide no more,
Got to be true to myself.
And it feels like I am just too close to love you,
So I’ll be on my way.”

IE9 was preinstalled on every computer I bought from the late 90s to the late 00s… and it was just “too close” to love, since the other browsers I downloaded were so much better.

So, sorry, Microsoft… I have to echo the song again, and with Alex Clare say:

“There’s nothing to say, nothing to do.
I’ve nothing to give,
I must live without you.”

But man alive that commercial (and the song) are amazing!

So, what else are you seeing that is advertised well, but fails to deliver? Or, for you MS purists… tell me why I should trust the land that Gates built again and download IE9 when it comes available? Why should I be fed by the hand that slapped me for so many years?