Microsoft's Research : Gazelle Browser

[gxsaurav]

I found this via a Microsoft Research PDF for a Gazelle browser. After some googling I found some articles written on various websites regarding the Gazzle Browser prototype. It sure looks like a super solid browser engine all written in C# managed code.

Introducing Microsoft's Gazelle: A Web Browser as a Multi-Principal OS

Late last week, Microsoft Research released an interesting paper [PDF] about a Web browser it calls Gazelle that's constructed in such a way to act like an operating system with the browser kernel exclusively protecting resources and sharing across Web sites. The idea behind Gazelle is to create a browser that is more secure for the now typical dynamic pages we find on the Web. According to Microsoft, Gazelle is different as no existing browsers, including new architectures, have a multi-principal operating system constructed in such a way that provides the browser-based OS exclusive control to manage the protection of all system resources.

"Gazelle's security model is centered around protecting principals from one another by separating their respective resources into hardware-isolated protection domains. Any sharing between two different principals must be explicit using cross-principal communication (or IPC) mediated by Browser Kernel."

The research team claims it has successfully browsed 19 of the 20 most popular sites as reported by Alexa with its prototype, but admits the performance of the prototype was only "acceptable." The paper also includes an in-depth comparison of Gazelle's architecture and security with Google Chrome, OP and IE8.
But before you go and read it, make sure you realize that it was written by the research team and in no way states it will be developed by the IE team; there is however a glimmer of hope for those who think it would be a good idea, and it can be found in the conclusion when the team points out that 'the implementation and evaluation of our IE-based prototype shows promise of a practical multiprincipal OS-based browser in the real world."
Still, it's an interesting read for those who are interested in the technology.

Looks like Microsoft started work on a new Browser Engine for Internet Explorer quite some time back. Its quite nice to see Microsoft making efforts in fixing the problems of Internet Exploer & its browser engine.

[victor_rambo]

I hope we web developers won't have to then deal with Microsoft's one more buggy product. IE is enough to keep us occupied

Sorry for being cynical though

[gxsaurav]

Right now it is just prototype & its being made keeping HTML 5 & CSS3 in mind.

[PCWORM]

Thnx for the info...!

[fabler]

sounds very interesting... thanks for the info bro...

[chooza]

Originally Posted by gxsaurav

Right now it is just prototype & its being made keeping HTML 5 & CSS3 in mind.

Thanks bro and yeh Victor toh ek week pehle korea ja raha tha na? kya hua, gaya nahi kya? ya korea walon ne mana kar diya Lol

[Pat]

Originally Posted by gxsaurav

Right now it is just prototype & its being made keeping HTML 5 & CSS3 in mind.

You mean they are doing research on technologies that Apple have already released ? Are they so behind ?

[vandit]

@pat read the paper and the thread CAREFULLY. Its not html 5 and css 3 that microsoft is researching on ; its something else which apple hasnt ; cant and will not be able to think of anyways.

[Faun]

CSS3 ftw ! I hate using images just to make round edges...lulz. Firefox supports round edges and thats what awesome.

Dunno how this Gazelle comes out...

[Pat]

Originally Posted by vandit

@pat read the paper and the thread CAREFULLY. Its not html 5 and css 3 that microsoft is researching on ; its something else which apple hasnt ; cant and will not be able to think of anyways.

Ofcourse there might be other things..I was referring to HTML5 and CSS3! Isnt it available on IE 8 ?