Robert Scoble
04-13-2000, 07:38 PM
Glenn,
I totally agree that standards-based products are good and I would love to
have better implementations to code for.
One thing everyone seems to forget is that there is no way in heck that
Microsoft is going to release radical new Internet browsing technology at
this point in time. Why? Two reasons:
1) They don't need to. Their competitor (Netscape) has minimal market share
at this point and their standards-based browser is at least six months away
from being shipping (it's a poor excuse for a browser based on my tests so
far and I'll bet you $50 it won't ship before January 1, 2001).
2) If they released something new right now they'd add fuel to the DOJ's
fire. After all, the crux of the DOJ's case is that Microsoft purposefully
destroyed Netscape's chance to compete in the browser market. Microsoft has
absolutely every reason to hold back now and show that Netscape can be a
vigorous competitor in the marketplace and that Netscape can "innovate"
faster than Microsoft can.
Let's say that Microsoft released its 6.0 beta browser today (you gotta know
that those smart Redmondians have been working on something cool for the
past year since IE5 shipped, don't you?) Well, the first thing that would
happen is that the DOJ would cry fowl and that they'd probably try to get an
injunction against Microsoft. Also, Microsoft would lose any bargaining
power it has if it tipped its hand at this point as to what it was working
on.
So, while we all cry for standards support. The reality is that we aren't
going to get it until the DOJ case against Microsoft is settled. And even
then, I doubt we'll get anything until Netscape 6 is far closer to shipping.
Why would Microsoft release a standards-based product before then? Even a
dumbass like me can see that'd be business suicide.
--
Robert Scoble
http://www.netmeeting-zone.com
The NetMeeting Zone -- Microsoft NetMeeting MVP
http://www.devx.com --The Premier Online Information Source for Programming
Professionals
I totally agree that standards-based products are good and I would love to
have better implementations to code for.
One thing everyone seems to forget is that there is no way in heck that
Microsoft is going to release radical new Internet browsing technology at
this point in time. Why? Two reasons:
1) They don't need to. Their competitor (Netscape) has minimal market share
at this point and their standards-based browser is at least six months away
from being shipping (it's a poor excuse for a browser based on my tests so
far and I'll bet you $50 it won't ship before January 1, 2001).
2) If they released something new right now they'd add fuel to the DOJ's
fire. After all, the crux of the DOJ's case is that Microsoft purposefully
destroyed Netscape's chance to compete in the browser market. Microsoft has
absolutely every reason to hold back now and show that Netscape can be a
vigorous competitor in the marketplace and that Netscape can "innovate"
faster than Microsoft can.
Let's say that Microsoft released its 6.0 beta browser today (you gotta know
that those smart Redmondians have been working on something cool for the
past year since IE5 shipped, don't you?) Well, the first thing that would
happen is that the DOJ would cry fowl and that they'd probably try to get an
injunction against Microsoft. Also, Microsoft would lose any bargaining
power it has if it tipped its hand at this point as to what it was working
on.
So, while we all cry for standards support. The reality is that we aren't
going to get it until the DOJ case against Microsoft is settled. And even
then, I doubt we'll get anything until Netscape 6 is far closer to shipping.
Why would Microsoft release a standards-based product before then? Even a
dumbass like me can see that'd be business suicide.
--
Robert Scoble
http://www.netmeeting-zone.com
The NetMeeting Zone -- Microsoft NetMeeting MVP
http://www.devx.com --The Premier Online Information Source for Programming
Professionals