Re: Introducing NetscapeML

:>   I think perhaps you're being a little harsh on Thomas.

Perhaps you're right, he does seem to be among the minority in the
Redmond Empire that actually cares about standards, as are the other
fine representatives of MS in these forums.

:>Given the obvious concessions Netscape were accorded in Wilbur, I
:>honestly thought that they might have shown a little more respect
:>for the standards process. You're quite correct about their track
:>record, of course, but I guess it's just human nature to be
:>optomistic and hope that they would have a change of heart.

I get the feeling that Netscape has affected a fifty-fifty split
amoung the "watchers."  50% saw it coming and 50% were surprised and
taken aback.

:>And I'm pleasantly surprised to see Microsoft setting an
:>example - they too started off down the path of 'HTML extensions',
:>but now seem to be fully supporting the standards process.

Yes, somewhat refreshing and scary.  While we know that the fine
people that participate here on these lists are with the standards
track, I can't help but wonder if the upper management in Redmond
might not tell the developers to "out-Netscape" Netscape.  I feel
that that would hurt the whole process.

I wonder if we can get some official word out of W3C about their
feelings about Netscape's gambit?

:>   Maybe Microsoft see what Netscape don't - if you make use of
:>the standards process, you'll get things right, and not have to
:>fix them later. If Microsoft can have a change of heart like
:>this, anyone can.

Maybe MS has been burned by bad press over their previous
heavyhandedness toward standards.  Don't forget that MS is
pushing FrontPage, which goes a long way toward breaking
many things, in their fervor to compete with things like
OpenDoc, etc.  Don't forget that web-browsers and HTML are
a very small part of MS's overall software development.
Don't forget their wondersome PPP extensions when they planned
on every customer of theirs getting Internet access through
MSN.  While I admire the efforts of the few here, I continue
to abhor the overall structure.

:>I really hope Microsoft continues to follow the standards process
:>and gives us a good, cross-platform browser that implements things
:>like CSS, and knocks Netscape on its head. Coming from a previously
:>strident MS-basher, that's saying something!

I have a hard time thinking of MSIE as being close to a "cross platform"
browser.  It still doesn't run on 90% of the machines that I use.

Matt

Received on Sunday, 30 June 1996 03:39:26 UTC