Ie 7.0

[blind34_1]

removed because apparently my arguments aren't well balanced enough.

Fine, Robert. IE is the greatest thing since sliced bread and I definitely won't use anything else.

[Robert]

Originally Posted by blind34_1

the only thing reason people us IE is because its the path of least resistance. its what comes on their pc when they buy it from the store. if thats good enough for them, then whatever. go mediocrity!

yes, IE does hold the majority of web surfers. go figure, based on above.

everything displays correctly in IE, because, due to uneducated users continuing to use bundled software, web designers have to make provisions so IE wont barf.

i wont use IE on principle, because of this. the majority just doesnt care, as with everything else in the world.

Yes the world is a bad place because MS gave away free IE. You should listen to yourself, it sounds rediculous to make such a point over a internet browers; but more then likely you are using a MS opperating system or MS software. So much for your principles.

As for dumb consumers. There has always been choice for surfers to choose something other then an MS product, however just because they hold the market share does not mean they have 'tricked' 'fool' or 'forced' them to use MS product. The great thing about a free market is just that, you have choice. If more people are choosing MS products over other products there is a reason; beyond your redicilous notions. It's just business, its no personal and as such should be viewed like business.

Side note - I have found those who strive to be different end up being the same, just in a different group of people. If you define yourself as different because of the software you use; get out of the house more. There is more to life then bits and bytes.

[GT40FIED]

He's got a point though, Rob. Like I said before, I use IE because I'm just too damn lazy to d/l Firefox or Opera or whatever and relearn how to use another browser. Does IE have it's flaws? Absolutely...especially when we're talking security. But I do my best to keep myself safe. A lot of people don't.

No one is being tricked or fooled into using IE or any other product. They, like me, do it out of apathy. It comes on your computer, so why fuck with it? If your PC came with Linux, you'd probably use that all the time because that's what you'd know. But then again Linux isn't as user friendly as MS. That's the thing about computers...they shouldn't be user friendly. They should be intimidating, complex machines that people should learn how to use before bitching and whining about them.

[Robert]

Originally Posted by GT40FIED

They should be intimidating, complex machines that people should learn how to use before bitching and whining about them.

I loved that.

You're right he does have a point. However you still have choices, there is apple, and build your own machine with linux. The reality is however MS has secured itself a serious market share and comes as a stanard OS on so many machines.

I think, to push the issue. If there was such a huge improvement with products other then IE people would use them. Example. When I heard firefox was that much faster then IE i tried it, and found it not to be faster and to have serious problems loading my fav sites. So I uninstalled it. I think alot more people try it and remove it then we'd like to think.

Now imagine this for a moment. MS OS's dont come with a web browser built in. YOu have your computer on the internet but cannot surf. What do consumers do then? They will look for an OS that has a browser built in. If for the simple point of surfing over to firefox downloads. My point is as the OS there is a minimum of 'free/included' software that must be provide. Pre-internet it was other softwares that no one complains about are provided.

Should MS remove any free games or say the calculator function? I'm sure there onces was a company who sold calculator software to the computer industry. I think what is more likely is teh fact people find MS to be such a big company its easy to hate it; its easy to make it unpersonal. HOwever this company has seriosuly advanced computers, made them easier to use and removed the need for the software company to own the computers that run their OS. From a business stand point its a wonderful case study.

If you do your research you'll find every company is borrowing/stealing ideas from eachother. IN a market place like this I find it amazing that MS has dominated the market place. I dont think all their products are the best they could be, and there is room for suppior products to compete. However I often find with those products they do not integrate will MS products. So I pick carefully.

Steve - very impressed with your replies, very balanced.