How Can Microsoft Fix IE? Just Ask Opera...
Hakon Wium Lie, the CTO of Opera Software, offered this unsolicited yet passionate advice for the heavyweights from Redmond this week -- stop acting like a monopoly! Lie, in an article written for The Register, says that it is time for Microsoft to either embrace the standards that his company and others like Mozilla have been following or to get out of the browser business altogether. Opera filed an antitrust complaint against the Internet Explorer creators back in December, and their claims were taken seriously. The European Commission launched a formal investigation into the matter, which is still ongoing, about a month later.
"In the area of web browsers, Opera Software has proposed a specific kind of remedy - that Microsoft only be allowed to distribute standards-compliant browsers," said Lie. "Microsoft's IE is bug-ridden and the company, despite its vast resources, has shown little interest in fixing problems that cost web designers time and sleep. IE dominates the web due to its being bundled with Windows. This forces web designers to prioritize coding for IE." Opera believes that Microsoft will never become standards compliant unless it is forced to by a party such as the European Commission.
Lie has proposed a set of specific requirements that he would impose on IE if given the opportunity. First and foremost, the browser should not only pass the default tests for both Acid2 and Acid3 but should also support the underlying specifications of these tests. Next, he suggests that more details about each specification that Microsoft implements should be made public. According to Lie, a "lack of documentation on how IE implements standards has been a problem for web developers." He also stresses that going forward, Microsoft must show a commitment to supporting standards that are considered useful to the progress of the Web as a whole. Lie speculates that Microsoft will claim that it cannot develop a version of IE that complies with his proposed requirements, pointing out that other browsers have followed these guidelines for years. "If Microsoft can't live up to the standards of the web, I suggest they leave the browser business," Lie said in closing. Strong words indeed.
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Comments
EXCUSE ME??!! Microsoft already informed Mr. Lie that it cannot develop a version of IE that complies with his proposed requirements!! As far as the European Commission is concerned, they should develop their own advanced computer technology instead of going after Microsoft!! Oy vey!!
The contentious nature of Opera’s claims and their filing with the European Commission have definitely drawn a lot of attention from both supporters and detractors of Microsoft. I feel like suggesting that they leave the browser business altogether may be a bit much, and it will be very interesting to see how far the EU decides to take this. Thanks for reading!
Why tf not begin by UNBUNDLING ALL IE VERSIONS WITH WINDOWS- TO QUOTE THE ARTICLE I DERIVE THIS FROM: “In the area of web browsers, Opera Software has proposed a specific kind of remedy - that Microsoft only be allowed to distribute standards-compliant browsers,” said Lie. “Microsoft’s IE is bug-ridden and the company, despite its vast resources, has shown little interest in fixing problems that cost web designers time and sleep. IE dominates the web due to its being bundled with Windows. This forces web designers to prioritize coding for IE.” Opera believes that Microsoft will never become standards compliant unless it is forced to by a party such as the European Commission.” I PERSONALLY DON’T CARE WHO MAKES EMPEROR OF THE GLOBE BILL GATES AND HIS MINIONS DE-BUG IE-EVERYTHING. Computer manufacturers ought to be allowed to use their own brains to make profits and sell computers that do not have a boatload of bugs to preinstall and unleash on the public. I think the public if we are a global economy ought to one day do a total boycott on the products and services that are dispersed as though those having the monopolies in those market areas think they will exist forever. When their crap sits on shelves a while and their profits suffer enough, maybe they will know what it’s like to try to be a computer owner and user of their junk. Godspeed the EU’s suit and I hope they kick some ass.
Never any probs with Firefox or Safari, just IE!!!!!!!
Please please please, Microsoft just fix your browser, it makes us web designers look bad! And heaven knows we do everything we can to make it work in IE.
The pain in pain falls mainly on the pain…….