- From: Matthew Thomas <mpt@myrealbox.com>
- Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2004 10:11:18 +1200
On 4 Jul, 2004, at 2:05 PM, Lachlan Hunt wrote:
> ...
> Microsoft could do lots of things. Since they effectively ceased
> development of IE over the last few years, they could:
> ...
> Or anything else you can think of, but since Microsoft cares more
> about their market share for a dead browser rather than supporting
> standards, they're unlikely to do any of those any time soon.
> ...
Microsoft aren't making money from Internet Explorer, except inasmuch
as its ability to view IE-targeted Web sites is a reason to buy Windows
rather than another OS.
But the more people use (non-IE-specific) Web apps, the fewer people
rely on Windows apps.
Therefore the only reason for Microsoft to care about Internet Explorer
market share *now*, it seems to me, is in retarding the Web --
minimizing the ability for people to create Web apps sophisticated
enough to replace Windows apps. Therefore they'll maintain market share
with features like pop-up blocking, a download manager, and improved
security, without improving the standards compliance at all.
Nevertheless, the WhatWG specs will make it easier for people to create
non-IE-specific Web apps sophisticated enough to replace Windows apps.
For Internet Explorer, the WhatWG specs will be implemented externally
using HTCs.
Therefore, perhaps, more likely than any of the items on your list is
one of the following:
* Use a patent lawsuit (whether or not it is ultimately
successful) as justification for permanently removing/
/reducing support for HTCs. (Precedent: Using the
ultimately-unsuccessful Eolas lawsuit as justification
for permanently removing support for Netscape-API
plug-ins.)
* Use a security vulnerability (whether or not it is
otherwise fixable) as justification for permanently
removing/reducing support for HTCs. (Precedent: Using a
security vulnerability as justification for permanently
removing support for the Gopher protocol.)
I don't know whether HTCs are used too much elsewhere to make that
infeasible, but it is perhaps something to think about when drafting
the Web Apps and Web Controls specs.
--
Matthew Thomas
http://mpt.net.nz/
Received on Sunday, 4 July 2004 15:11:18 UTC