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Can Microsoft really build a better browser?

arstechnica.com

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Re: Can Microsoft really build a better browser?

#3

Does it even want, or need, to? That's probably a more interesting question, though this is still a fairly sophisticated argument he's making, not the "Microsoft sucks!" article that you might guess from the headline.

Since MSFT entered the Web search market, it is in their interest to maintain a solid presence in the browser market. The only way they can achieve this (besides having a large OS market) is by making a superior browser.

As long as they adopt open standards I have no problem with it.

Personally, I will never use IE browser even if it is the fastest, most compliant browser around. IE have scarred me too much during my web design days to ever fully trust them. I will stick with Chrome & Firefox.

Re: Can Microsoft really build a better browser?

#4
You can [sadly] substitute IE9 for quite a few different products from MS where the demo come out so early that by the time of release, competition is well ahead.

ZuneHD was initially announced cheaper than the comparable iPod touch - by the time it shipped (9 months later), apple had dropped the price on its product. HP Slate announced before iPad but available after.

Microsoft really doesn't understand how to market themselves.

Re: Can Microsoft really build a better browser?

#6
Microsoft doesn't want to follow standards, their browsers are made to access stuff built by software they license and the only reason they are willing to adhere to some standards now is because they have fallen behind. So in essence their shitty browsers are a kind of DRM.

Re: Can Microsoft really build a better browser?

#7

Yes, Microsoft can definitely build a better browser. They just need to put their hearts to it. And cut off all support for IE. They envisioned a Chrome-OS like system before Google did, and I think they even have a team to work on it (not sure though).

I agree that they have envisioned a Chrome-OS like system before Google (right after Netscape mentioned that they will turn Windows into set of poorly debugged device drivers). But this vision was not "Wow! Let's do that!" - instead it was more like "Oh my God! If this ever going to happen it will kill our business. Let's kill Netscape then.".

Re: Can Microsoft really build a better browser?

#8
And why not? IE6 was released in August 2001! Its competition was something like Netscape 4.8. Mozilla was barely alpha, and not really usable yet. In this light, IE6 was a good browser, better than any competition back then. Of course. IE6 was mostly irrelevant few years later, but that wasn't because it was crappy browser, but because it was simply obsolete (but without a replacement from Microsoft).

Re: Can Microsoft really build a better browser?

#10
I think having a more iterative release cycle for Internet Explorer would put Microsoft in a better position. Having small releases adding new functionality would be much better than having to wait 2+ years between browsers. This tactic seems to work in the Windows & Office world, but not so much in the quickly changing browser market.
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