Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.
Re: Web Users Own the Method of Presentation, Not Publishers
Author: Sam Yates Posted: 9/28/1999; 5:38:08 PM Topic: Windows apps on Linux: the real reason Msg #: 11564 (In response to 11542) Prev/Next: 11563 / 11565
I know the question was not directed at me, but I will attempt an answer anyway.I think that the effect your scenario would have on the web is that IE would cease to be the leading browser of web sites. Yes it would be extra work for people to use a different browser (due to MSFTs arguably monopolistic bundling practices), but that doesn't seem to stop people from using, say, Netscape as a browser. I can't believe that *all* of the Netscape users out there are hard-core techies.
The bottom line is that if enough people don't like the current, market-leading widget X, somebody creates a product to meet the demand. That's the beauty of free markets.
If you think that just because MSFT makes something the default, everyone will accept it, remember back to the "push" channels they made the default in IE4. Even though lots of newbies got stuck looking at a silly full-screen browser with all this "active desktop" stuff they probably couldn't remove, there was enough outcry that MSFT backed off from making this the default. In fact, as I believe you experienced, you now can't even *choose* to install the integrated desktop with IE5 unless you already had the previous version.
Admittedly this is not a perfect analogy. I do believe, though, that "push"ing stuff that people don't want on their desktop and the grafitti-type technique of Third Voice are not so different as to make a useful comparison.
Sorry for the windbag response. I'm done.
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