This item on C-Net tells how Microsoft paid the developers of the Opera browser $12 million to avoid having the case come to court (some lingering anti-trust worries?).
Opera developed some devastating evidence that the scamps at Microsoft had designed their MSN portal to only display properly when viewed with Internet Exploiter, I mean Explorer, thus giving the impression that other browsers were flawed. This is an on-going prank at Microsoft, and so 6th grade. I first came across it years ago with a CD of Java training software which used flawed HTML (that IE ignored) to flog Netscape browsers as being broken, when in fact, the code was purposely broken so that only IE could display it properly.
And they are still pulling the same crap today. Look, guys, fraternity pranks were rilly kewl in college, but this is the business world, and ADULTS DON'T THINK THIS SHIT IS FUNNY. And I hope you have a good explanation why your little prank cost Chairman Bill 12 big ones.
Morons.
Oh, and check this:
"Having used its desktop operating system monopoly to help trounce its primary rival Netscape, Microsoft has effectively abandoned significant browser development efforts. That's left companies with negligible market share such as Opera and Netscape's Mozilla open-source project to lead innovation in the field." (My emphasis)
Remember during the anti-trust trial when they kept whining about all the innovation they did? Such bullshit.
Posted on May 26, 2004 09:20 AM