[thelist] MSN locks out non IE browsers

spinhead evolt at spinhead.com
Mon Oct 29 15:10:07 CST 2001


I think you've probably hit it - it's a control move. Is anyone else
surprised at the HUGE percentage of folks who use AOL for web access? I
couldn't use it if it was free. But I have friends who want their computer
to be as simple as an FM radio, so they use what's easy. They don't care who
controls the web. They care if they can get e-mail and listen to that cool
dance radio from Brazil. There are millions of folks just like them out
there, considering 'getting on the web.' And if Microsoft can get them to
use a Microsoft browser instead of Netscape, or Opera, or whatever, they
have just tiny bit more control.

spinhead


----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Forsberg" <andrew at thepander.co.nz>
To: <thelist at lists.evolt.org>
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2001 12:56 PM
Subject: RE: [thelist] MSN locks out non IE browsers


> >if you're going to a party, and the dress code is /*formal*/ - you
> >turn up in shorts, slippers, and a vest
>
> Who told you about that!!?!! ;-)
>
> >Firstly, designing to accomodate other sites ~ no designer loves that,
and
> >in ms's case, what's the point, when they have other things to take care
of.
> >The simplest thing to do is design for their own browser.
>
> Not an excuse. If Microsoft don't have the resources, then who could?
>
> Bottom line: this is a business question, not a resource question.
>
> The assumption is (I'm guessing here): lock out non-MS browsers, and
> they'll want the content so badly they'll install a Microsoft
> browser. But who are they pitching this to? (Another guess:)
> inexperienced computer users who weren't aware of this browser
> upgrade guff? How many of these users would put the whole issue into
> the too hard basket?
>
> That's why I called it a 'strange move.' Not a 'stupid move', nor a
> 'fascist move', nor a 'money-grubbing monopolist move'. Just strange,
> because there has to be something else to it that I'm missing. And
> the 'designing for multiple browsers is too hard' argument doesn't
> cut it.
>
>
> --
> Andrew Forsberg
> ---
> uberNET - http://uber.net.nz/
> the pander - http://thepander.co.nz/
>





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