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Thursday, September 30, 2004
Microsoft just swears that it hasn't given up on Internet Explorer and that it's really, really important to the future of Microsoft, to the next version of Windows, etc., etc. Oh, I'm sorry... that sound was my lie detector exploding.
Here's the takeaway from News.com's lengthy piece about one possible future for IE's rickety web browser:
What's new:
Microsoft is facing growing criticism over its glaring neglect of Internet Explorer, but browser technology remains key to the future of Windows.
Bottom line:
Microsoft plans to unveil dramatic new features in future versions of its operating system that aim to take Web browsing to an entirely new level--in many ways stepping beyond the browser completely. If only that were true. It's easy to overlook this fact, but the web browser -- specifically IE -- is one of the most important parts of the "Internet economy," and it's flabbergasting that Microsoft has done so much to undermine the browser's development with its crass disregard for updating IE. The entire Web is built around IE technology, and Microsoft has deliberately dragged its feet on browser development. Why? Who can say, but I'd wager that it goes back to Microsoft's insistence that IE is not a standalone product, but an integral part of Windows. Not to mention that it's a well-known fact that Microsoft sees web-based applications as a threat to its core business -- Microsoft Office.
Will we actually see revolutionary browsing technologies? Perhaps, but given Microsoft's history of vaporware, don't hold your breath.
Posted by
Cory Kleinschmidt
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D'oh!
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