I switched from IE to Firefox and I'm quite happy with it. But if IE7 offers a better alternative, I might switch to it.
Ah, but would IE7 be a better alternative for everybody, I wonder? Don't forget, it's not just consumers, business users and web developers that Microsoft is catering for (in common with the other browser makers) - there are also Microsoft's various partners who rely on the dominance of IE for the success of their websites, a list that includes Microsoft itself, in the guise of MSN. What's the betting that IE7 is curiously reticent about blocking ads on certain sites?
I suppose Microsoft could apply for a patent on some aspect of browsing, but unless it's some really new, super-nifty stuff that's still in the Microsoft Research labs, they risk getting snookered by either A) prior art, in the form of exising features of, or extensions to, one of the other browsers, or B) the Patents Office, having been shaken a bit out of it's reverie by the Eolas debacle, starting to look more closely at 'new' patents.
I remember reading his stuff in Wired, back when it was still a fairly-cool thing to be reading, and for my sins I have a copy of 'Being Digital' on my bookshelf.
I just read the article (yes, really!) to see what he had to say. Same flannel, just different names used. Of course, some of the more obvious stuff will (eventually) come to pass, thus keeping his 'visionary' status intact....:)
Well, Microsoft did release an add-in for Windows 2000/XP to let users set the default browser, e-mail client and media player. I've used it at home to make Firefox and Thunderbird my defaults. Windows 9x people have to do some more digging, but it can be done.
Windows Update uses an ActiveX control to do the scanning for updates, so it would be hard work trying to make it work without IE.
As for your problems with Hotmail, consider it a good reason to ditch them for someone who will let you access your e-mail using a regular e-mail client. Yahoo! Mail offers POP3 access (I use it partly as a spam-filter by forwarding my ISP e-mail to it), and they've just increased the mailbox allowance to 100MB...
They might have their work cut out, then. I was under the impression that the reason why Microsoft was holding off further work on IE until Longhorn is released was partly due to wanting to tie IE even further into Windows (take that DOJ!) but mainly due to the need to rewrite large parts of the code in order to remove all the built-up cruft. Sure, XP SP2 has a few changes to IE in it, but that is mostly plugging security holes, and it remains to be seen whether those fixes will be available to those using, say, IE6 on Windows 2000, let alone Windows 98.
They can make some cosmetic changes, certainly. But any real changes will require plundering the code from Longhorn, possibly pushing that back even further as they do regression testing to make sure it will work in Windows 2000/XP. Which in turn means that there will be less leverage to get people to move to Longhorn down the road...
Seeing as Taco is wearing the daddypants at the moment (ie. he's selecting and posting new stories to the front page), maybe he got more excited about the Yahoo! story. Also, there was an article about the release candidate for Firefox 0.9 a few days back, so most people would have shouted 'Dupe!' on reflex...:)
Of course, everyone and their dog can apply for a Yahoo! Mail account right now. GMail is still in beta at the moment. Yeah, I know, kind of spoils your joke, and you put so much effort into it too...:D
That's easy. People invent things. Countries either a) try and take the credit for it, or b) balls up the patent application, allowing someone else to take the credit.
Yeah, but if you applied that patches, most of the malware wouldn't even get as far as tripping up ZoneAlarm.
Anyway, if the malware turns around and decides to trash your PC instead, what are you going to do then? Won't look so smug, that's for sure, especially if you've not backed your important stuff up recently.
I've got a NAT/firewall attached to my broadband at home, but I still run Norton Antivirus, and practice safe hex. You need to keep your grey matter up to date as well, you know...
The again, if MS released Windows XP 2004 and charged $129, would most people install it?
If they included the next version of IE, with the pop-up ad blocking? They wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand from retailers as the boxes fly off the shelves.
(Yeah, I know, they could install Firefox or Opera, but that's a whole different topic, and certainly not something that will cross the mind of Joe Average End-User...)
Slashdot Mirror
You're using Slashdot as a benchmark for HTML rendering? Do you have any idea how hilariously absurd that sounds? Oh, my aching sides! :D
-MT.
I switched from IE to Firefox and I'm quite happy with it. But if IE7 offers a better alternative, I might switch to it.
Ah, but would IE7 be a better alternative for everybody, I wonder? Don't forget, it's not just consumers, business users and web developers that Microsoft is catering for (in common with the other browser makers) - there are also Microsoft's various partners who rely on the dominance of IE for the success of their websites, a list that includes Microsoft itself, in the guise of MSN. What's the betting that IE7 is curiously reticent about blocking ads on certain sites?
-MT.
I suppose Microsoft could apply for a patent on some aspect of browsing, but unless it's some really new, super-nifty stuff that's still in the Microsoft Research labs, they risk getting snookered by either A) prior art, in the form of exising features of, or extensions to, one of the other browsers, or B) the Patents Office, having been shaken a bit out of it's reverie by the Eolas debacle, starting to look more closely at 'new' patents.
-MT.
I remember reading his stuff in Wired, back when it was still a fairly-cool thing to be reading, and for my sins I have a copy of 'Being Digital' on my bookshelf.
:)
I just read the article (yes, really!) to see what he had to say. Same flannel, just different names used. Of course, some of the more obvious stuff will (eventually) come to pass, thus keeping his 'visionary' status intact....
-MT.
Well, Microsoft did release an add-in for Windows 2000/XP to let users set the default browser, e-mail client and media player. I've used it at home to make Firefox and Thunderbird my defaults. Windows 9x people have to do some more digging, but it can be done.
Windows Update uses an ActiveX control to do the scanning for updates, so it would be hard work trying to make it work without IE.
As for your problems with Hotmail, consider it a good reason to ditch them for someone who will let you access your e-mail using a regular e-mail client. Yahoo! Mail offers POP3 access (I use it partly as a spam-filter by forwarding my ISP e-mail to it), and they've just increased the mailbox allowance to 100MB...
-MT.
They might have their work cut out, then. I was under the impression that the reason why Microsoft was holding off further work on IE until Longhorn is released was partly due to wanting to tie IE even further into Windows (take that DOJ!) but mainly due to the need to rewrite large parts of the code in order to remove all the built-up cruft. Sure, XP SP2 has a few changes to IE in it, but that is mostly plugging security holes, and it remains to be seen whether those fixes will be available to those using, say, IE6 on Windows 2000, let alone Windows 98.
They can make some cosmetic changes, certainly. But any real changes will require plundering the code from Longhorn, possibly pushing that back even further as they do regression testing to make sure it will work in Windows 2000/XP. Which in turn means that there will be less leverage to get people to move to Longhorn down the road...
-MT.
No, you just got lucky with an ISP that gives a monkeys about helping their customers handle their e-mail.
I forward all my ISP e-mail to my Yahoo! account, where the spam gets filtered out for me.
-MT.
My yahoo.co.uk address got upgraded. Needless to say I'm not going to reveal the address here, I get enough spam as it is...
-MT.
That's what he's telling you. In reality he's probably visiting www.bitchesinheat.com using your credit card... :)
-MT.
Seeing as Taco is wearing the daddypants at the moment (ie. he's selecting and posting new stories to the front page), maybe he got more excited about the Yahoo! story. Also, there was an article about the release candidate for Firefox 0.9 a few days back, so most people would have shouted 'Dupe!' on reflex... :)
-MT.
Er, you did remember to turn the spam filter on, didn't you? Works wonders for my e-mails, catches about 80-90% of the spam.
-MT.
I just told Yahoo! to trash all my Bulk Mail instantly. Problem solved. :)
(And yes, I have made sure all my essential e-mail is either on the non-spam list or routed to another e-mail before taking that step...)
-MT.
Of course, everyone and their dog can apply for a Yahoo! Mail account right now. GMail is still in beta at the moment. Yeah, I know, kind of spoils your joke, and you put so much effort into it too... :D
-MT.
Nice muted colour scheme, unlike some that I can think of... :D
-MT.
What, you mean this one? Still up on the front page here.
-MT.
Should have done your research before opening your mouth - Dan is originally from the USofA.
-MT.
No he didn't. Mosaic, Netscape, and Microsoft did.
:-)
Mosaic made the web browser.
Netscape mucked up the HTML specification.
Microsoft made the security holes.
Yep, they all played their part in making the World Wide Web what it is today.
-MT.
Maybe Tim B-L getting this award will get them to use standards and technology that anyone on any platform, using any browser can access.
:-)
They already are. Any platform, any browser - from Microsoft.
-MT.
That's easy. People invent things. Countries either a) try and take the credit for it, or b) balls up the patent application, allowing someone else to take the credit.
-MT.
No offence, but that gag has been round the block waaay too many times to qualify for a +1 Funny.
:-)
Of course, once Star Wars Ep3 arrives, we'll have to endure another round of Natalie Portman + Hot Grits with every other post...
-MT.
-1, Shouldn't Post To /. With A Defective ENTER Key :-)
Uh-huh. And I wouldn't be surprised if you were wearing a aluminium-foil hat while typing the above... :)
-MT.
Yeah, but if you applied that patches, most of the malware wouldn't even get as far as tripping up ZoneAlarm.
Anyway, if the malware turns around and decides to trash your PC instead, what are you going to do then? Won't look so smug, that's for sure, especially if you've not backed your important stuff up recently.
I've got a NAT/firewall attached to my broadband at home, but I still run Norton Antivirus, and practice safe hex. You need to keep your grey matter up to date as well, you know...
-MT.
*Sigh* So close... what you meant to say was : "In Soviet Russia, critical update downloads YOU!" Better luck next time, comrade!
-MT.
The again, if MS released Windows XP 2004 and charged $129, would most people install it?
If they included the next version of IE, with the pop-up ad blocking? They wouldn't be able to keep up with the demand from retailers as the boxes fly off the shelves.
(Yeah, I know, they could install Firefox or Opera, but that's a whole different topic, and certainly not something that will cross the mind of Joe Average End-User...)
-MT.