Google likes to talk about how it’s AdSense system supplies the lifeblood for much of the Web, feeding the adverts that generate income for many other websites. Through its network of advertising affiliates, Yahoo plays a similar role.

So based on the latest results from both companies, the rest of the Web must really be hurting.

Facing a fresh attack from European regulators and with Google breathing down its neck, Microsoft could really do with something special from the next version of its Web browser. That would be one way to silence the critics who claim its dominance of the market has killed off innovation.

As it happens, there are plenty of good ideas in IE8 (a near-complete version of which was released today.) As often with Microsoft, though, some of these represent refinements of breakthroughs that were made by rivals rather than genuinely new ideas. The main new features in IE8 include: