|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||
Berst Alert
 
MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1997How IE 4.0 Will Drag Us All Down Jesse Berst, Editorial Director ZDNet AnchorDesk Microsoft's IE 4.0 browser will break new ground by integrating seamlessly with the operating system. And by building in powerful "push/pull" technology so you can have information delivered directly to your desktop. But IE 4.0 also brings dangers that could slow the pace of progress. Integrating the browser and the operating system makes it more difficult to revise either one—as just illustrated by Microsoft's confession that problems with IE 4.0 have put the Memphis release of Windows behind schedule. (See story linked in sidebar.) Although the company is only admitting to a "one-month" delay, I predict Memphis won't arrive until 1998. Bottom line: Windows users are now hostage to Internet Explorer. The more IE is integrated into the OS, the more it affects everyone. The more likely new versions of IE will have unexpected repercussions. Will break older applications. Will conflict with other software. And consider the safety issues. Security flaws surfaced in Internet Explorer 3.0 earlier this month. Netscape Navigator doesn't have these particular problems precisely because it is not as closely integrated with Windows. By giving its browser more power, Microsoft also made it more vulnerable to attack. And made every Windows program more vulnerable. Finally, there's the fact that IE 4.0 gives Windows a new interface. By changing Windows' look and feel, Microsoft has set off a chain reaction. Other aspects of Windows will have to be changed to match. Likewise, third-party software will have to change. Users will have to be retrained. The transition will take years to play out. Do you agree with me that IE 4.0 will slow the progress of personal computing? Click the TalkBack link at the bottom of the page to send a letter to the editor. We'll post the best responses here for others to see. Or, if you'd like to talk it over with other AnchorDesk readers, go to the discussion group linked at the top of the sidebar. I'm excited about Internet Explorer 4.0. But I'm also worried. You should be, too.
Web schizophrenia — Dan Rode The obvious solution — Chris Lampton Some points to ponder — Llewellyn Mocke Hostage to Microsoft — Alex Mateev Big brother Bill — Stephen Voss No more security problems — Osvaldo Pinali Doederlein Betting on the wrong horse — Richard PIper Microsoft has become its own enemy — David Scott There is a limit to what we need — Colin R. Blanchard Keep Browser/Desktop separation — Christopher B. Wright Constructive motives are needed — Arnab Ghosh Microsoft proves Internet focus — Henry Sinnreich The road to Memphis looks rocky — Jean De Lorenzo Standards are being shot down — Ryan Ferguson Call in the DOJ — Lou Wiener Communicator looking better — Raymond McIlwain I want browser independence — Olivier Borgeaud Here's your alternative — John Dowd Micro$oft delay syndrome. — Andrew Tavenor Short term loss, long term gains? — Jim Gradolph It's only another step — Itzik Cohen Twins of doom? — Sy Rosenfeld Welcome slowdown II — Marc Le Maitre Welcome slowdown — Paul Hoffman I couldn't agree more. — gordon grieder Browser-centric choice is bad — Eric Scoles Drag us down? Not a chance. — Jerry Waese The cost of progress — Alex Rojas To Microsoft: don't be so helpful — Lon Larsen Microsoft's plan for domination — D. Hallowell Bundle Office with it — Mark Janness The history of Microsoft build-ins — Duane Fahey The best and worst of the industry — William Webster-Garman Not dazzled by Microsoft — R Haaheim Leaders need to take risks — Mark Webster Bad news? Wait and see. — JOHN COOK I care and I don't — Ken Gaugler Evaluate the expense of Microsoft — E. Karsten Smelser Did I miss something? — Greg Meyer They can't give it away, so . . . — Govan Greaves Everyone will be following Microsoft — Enzo Maini Are we moving back? — David J. Straley Sorry, I don't feel your pain — Edwin E. Thorne 3rd party solutions to MS problems — Jeffrey L. Cooper Layers of trouble — Kyle Miller IE4.0 is the next logical step — Ed Caggiani Microsoft mega-blunder? — Gene Inger Choose platform-neutral alternatives — Clark Sanford Virtual monopoly at Microsoft — Jonathan Davenport Thanks to the pioneers — Tim Baehr Just turn it off — Bill Papoosha A bad idea in MSN, now coming to desktops — Gary Drum IE space-time continuum — Jeff Winchell No worries with IBM — James Cook Simple -- Just throw away your PC — Steve Elmshaeuser My PC is not a playground! — Chris Quirke Where's Beavis when you need him? — Curt Gottwald |
 
| |||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Got something to say? Talk Back to Jesse Berst |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Copyright (c) 1997 ZDNet. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of ZDNet is prohibited. ZDNet and the ZDNet logo are trademarks of Ziff-Davis Inc. 
|
||||||||||||||||||
