Understanding the Internet Explorer Problem

Lot’s of my Microsoft friendly friends (and yes, I’m among the Microsoft friendly folks when it comes to technology) don’t understand the issue most of the technical community has with the abuse Microsoft has been allowed to get away with and would like you to think that this is all about someone else deciding what is best for you.

They would like you to believe that Firefox, Opera, etc know better in requesting that Internet Explorer be removed from the OS. There is no basis for this argument because if they feel they need IE, they can download it free of charge.

What is at stake here is the functionality of web services, which is generally agreed to be the future. Microsoft should not be allowed an inch of competitive advantage for their existing platform, not only because they obtained it in a dirty anticompetitive way, but because their prior behavior indicates they have little interest for anyone but themselves.

And when you’re asking for the world to trust you with their data, you need to be a little more accommodating.

That is what Firefox, Opera, Safari and all others need to push not just EU but also US legislation to do – Microsoft should not be given a free pass on their past transgressions of trying to own open Internet protocols and apply what they have learned from screwing OEMs and VARs into screwing the consumer at large.

If you like IE, download IE. If you like Firefox, download Firefox. If you like Safari, download Safari. If there is more choice in the platform, it stands to reason that there will be more choice and interoperability for services.