Griping about Microsoft IE4

[Charles Crawford]

And Chuck neglects to mention the black helicopters that have been
spotted flying in and out of the Microsoft campus in Redmond.

CMUNSON wrote:

> Bill Drew said:
> >I really don't understand the griping and whining about Interent
> >Explorer 4.  Yes, it can take over your desk top, BUT you can also
> turn
> >that ferature on/off in the settings under the Start menu.  It only
> >makes sense that IE4 be so closely integrated with Windows 95.
> Remeber
> >that Microsoft is Windows 95.  I get sick of the whining from users
> and
> >other companies about a so called Microsoft monopoly.  If you don't
> >like Microsoft load LInux on your machine or go buy a Mac (remember
> >"the computer for the rest of us" that none of us could afford).
>
>      Anyone who follows the computer industry can see that Microsoft
> is a
>      monopoly in that industry and that it wants to monopolize the
>      entertainment and information industries that are online. It has
> a
>      project called Sidewalk that is an attempt to eliminate Yahoo. It
>
>      gives its IE browser away FOR FREE. It is attempting to privatize
>
>      image collections (Corbis and Bettmann) and trying to buy
> librarians'
>      silence with puny donations (Bill's worth 36 BILLION). Microsoft
> is
>      trying to dominate the online travel industry with Expedia. It's
> even
>      trying to colonize, no, assimilate Star Trek fan sites with
> Continuum.
>      It's managed to get webmasters to stupidly put Microsoft IE
> button
>      ADVERTISEMENTS on their websites, WITHOUT EVEN PAYING THEM. Its
> site
>      builder program for webmasters is another attempt to get the
> techies
>      hooked on Microsoft products. This idea that Microsoft has about
>      including "channels" to corporate websites in its new browser is
>      pretty scary too. This is an attempt to take back the web by the
>      advertisers and the big corporations. They are frightened about
> how
>      the web lets the small gal put up a website that looks as good as
> the
>      megacorp.
>
>      Is there no end to Microsoft's reach and ambitions?
>
>      That is just some of the evidence and it should concern us. It
> doesn't
>      have to be THIS WAY. IF MICROSOFT HAS DESTROYED THE ALTERNATIVES
> HOW
>      ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO GO CHOOSE THEM?
>
> I am not an apologist for Microsoft.  My browser of choice currently
> is
> Netscape Communicator but that may change if Microsoft keeps getting
> it
> right.  Netscape has made a big mistake in making the browser so
> closely
> integrated with such features as e-mail and newsgroups.  IE4 lest you
> pick if you want to install e-mail or not.  On public stations we may
> be
> removing Netscape and installing IE4 after it is in fianl release.  I
> am
> getting sick and tired of Netscape ignoring the needs of libraries,
> schools, and academic institutions.  We need a browser that is fully
> configurable without spending $800 or more for a configuration
> management program.
>
>      Yeah, like Netscape has the same R&D budget as Microsoft. If you
> want
>      to collude with the Microsoft Empire, so be it. Have you
> attempted to
>      convey to Netscape what libraries need? Has anyone? I would think
> they
>      would be more receptive than Microsoft.
>
>      If we don't fight back, soon our web experience will be totally
> shaped
>      by Microsoft and our caffeine will be limited to Starbucks
> coffee.
>
>      </FLAMEOFF>
>
>      Chuck