RE: [xml-dev] Microsoft's deeply cynical appeal to"standards compliance"

[Danny Ayers <danny666@virgilio.it>]

I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments, the "standards compliance" line
here is indefensible, but all MSN are really doing here is taking a few
steps towards the web service approach that technologies like XML are
enabling and simply making their site pay-to-view. One way of side-stepping
open source's challenge, I suppose.

Cynical marketing? - I believe Frazier.NET is in the pipeline.

---
Danny Ayers
http://www.isacat.net

Alternate email (2001) :
danny666@virgilio.it
danny_ayers@yahoo.co.uk

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Edd Dumbill [mailto:edd@usefulinc.com]
>Sent: 25 October 2001 23:10
>To: XML-DEV
>Subject: [xml-dev] Microsoft's deeply cynical appeal to "standards
>compliance"
>
>
>Readers of this list may have come across this story:
>http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/cn/20011025/tc/msn_com_shuts_out_non-m
>icrosoft_browsers_1.html
>
>The story has appeared on Slashdot too, but there's a particularly
>invidious angle to it which is worth raising in this community.
>
>Basically, non-IE browsers are not being let into MSN.com.  Opera and
>Mozilla & derivatives are being shut out.  The Microsoft representative,
>Bob Visse, the director of MSN marketing, handwaves saying that the
>reason these browsers are locked out is because MSN either don't know
>that they "support W3C standards" or they can't insure the customer will
>get a "great experience."
>
>[[ "We do identify the string from the browser, and the only issue that
>we have is that the Opera browser doesn't support the latest XHTML
>standard," said Visse. "So we do suggest to those users that they go
>download a browser that does support the latest standards." ]]
>
>    (Incidentally, does anyone recall that IE6 has proper XHTML support,
>    I remember the Microsoft chap at WWW10 saying directly XHTML support
>    wouldn't make it into version 6).
>
>In fact, on my (Linux) Mozilla, I get a plain page telling me I need to
>get IE for Windows or Mac.  Umm, thanks.
>
>I'm pretty upset at them shutting out platforms they don't directly
>support (yes, I do use MSN.com from time to time), but I can almost cope
>with that (although hardly, considering all the cosy integration talk
>about .NET)
>
>What really rankles is using standards-compliance as an excuse.
>
>I appeal to those involved in W3C work to distance themselves from this
>perversion of standards to mask a plainly cynical corporate move, and to
>those on this list who do work for Microsoft to convey deep displeasure
>to those responsible.
>
>For anyone who thought Microsoft's commitment to web standards was a
>pure and gentle thing, think again.  I think I can safely predict we're
>nearly at the point where "standard" has lost its semantic value.
>
>-- Edd
>
>PS. This seems rather too resonant with some of the views I expressed it
>my recent XML.com editorial, already highlighted in this forum by Len
>and Simon.
>
>PPS. For a laugh, try:
>http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fmsn.com%2F&charset=%
28detect+automatically%29&doctype=Inline