Slashdot Mirror
IE Not Faring Well In the EU Ballot
unixcrab writes "Most PC users hit the web using Internet Explorer by default, simply because that's what came along with Windows. Now, after antitrust investigations, European users get a choice of browser to install via ballot screen, and initial reports are not good for 'ol IE. According to Statcounter, IE use in France has dropped 2.5 percent since last month's implementation of the ballot, 1.3 percent in Italy, and 1 percent in Britain. It's still early days, and it'll take more than this to chip away from IE's 62 percent lead in the browser war, but it's certainly not a good trend for Microsoft. With that in mind, we're going to have to ask you to place your bets now."
Have you ever tried to use an operating system without a built-in html renderer? Or a built-in filesystem browser?
How would you download Firefox if you couldn't get online in the first place? I know, FTP. Yes, the first thing I want to do - in the name of protecting and enhancing the consumer experience - is to make my parents type in an obscure ftp command do an unknown website so they can download a browser. All OS's these days have figured out that part of the "consumer experience" is minimal setup required to do basic tasks.
I, for one, am glad that if I choose to try another browser - say, Opera - and dislike it and uninstall it, I am still able to access the internet because Microsoft provided me with the ability to view HTML without having to download another application. Yes. It enhances my experience. It makes me not have to worry that I'm going to bork my computer by uninstalling a web browser and not HAVE a web browser left to go download a new web browser...
Now, if you wanted to complain about Microsoft and have me agree with you - which you don't care about, and for good reason, since I'm just a random slashdot poster ;) hehe - I would complain about the OEM/don't-offer-other-OS's-and-we'll-give-you-a-discount things. Those are ones I get upset about. Getting upset about IE? I could care less, honestly, and I think the EU has bigger problems on its plate than MSIE... :)
There's a difference between a two week delay for FOSS to make the necessary upgrades/testing, and a two year delay as Microsoft often does. (Or worse, keeps the flaw secret so you don't even know you're vulnerable, because it makes MS look bad to have flaws.)
So basically you admit it's okay for FOSS to delay patches (ignoring your ridiculous hyperbole that Microsoft "often" waits 2 years to patch something) while Microsoft is always blasted for it. So basically you've proven that he was debating no strawman at all.