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What's a browser?
First thing to remember is that IE still disappears as of Longhorn, or whatever it is now. Why? So that it makes no difference to the user whether the response he's getting on the pc comes from the web or not. Think of web services as an example.

At the moment, someone switching from IE creates little problem for Microsoft. In Longhorn, they may have trouble figuring out how to let other browsers look for webpages while IE operates at the same time.

In short, IE is a very essential part of Microsoft's business strategy, a triumph of middleware.
Closely related, that's part of the reason why the victory over Netscape was so important. Keeping competing "platforms" from arising is probably significant even now.

Speculation, but I think it makes sense.
Posted by: Anton Philidor   Posted on: 03/17/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Microsoft needs to have IE only web sites though.  DonnieBoy | 03/16/05
I'll only migrate to Linux when...  voska | 03/16/05
But don't you get tired of Microsoft with their hand out?, the viruses?  DonnieBoy | 03/16/05
What?  NonZealot | 03/16/05
Most people pay for MS software, yes, fixes are free (if MS chooses to fix)  DonnieBoy | 03/16/05
Not a nice try  NonZealot | 03/16/05
Please do ignore Linux  Sunny Jalolly | 03/16/05
Ok, so you don't use AV, you never apply security patches??  DonnieBoy | 03/17/05
Again with the reading comprehension!  NonZealot | 03/17/05
Ok, we can all relax, MS does not and will not have security problems.  DonnieBoy | 03/17/05
What he said  voska | 03/17/05
Then they've already failed  John L. Ries | 03/16/05
Competitive markets  Real World | 03/17/05
MS doesn't make any money from IE  John L. Ries | 03/17/05
Yes, but it is very important for them to maintain 90% or more share.  DonnieBoy | 03/17/05
How much lock-in value does IE have?  John L. Ries | 03/17/05
Sure they do  Real World | 03/17/05
And the reduced numbers of IE only sites is why they are willing to  DonnieBoy | 03/17/05
What's a browser?  Anton Philidor | 03/17/05
I don't understand IE only sites  alterego_z | 03/17/05
Yes, but it was not that long ago, that it was less than 5%.  DonnieBoy | 03/17/05
Blatantly "innovating" Firefox's featureset into IE was inevitable  whisperycat | 03/17/05
Did you read your link?  Ardian Daka | 03/17/05
Yawn. Another lame argument  billywill | 03/17/05
Be nice to jellyclock  NonZealot | 03/17/05
You should..  Jeff Spicoli | 03/17/05
Look Who's Talking ... Now !  Ardian Daka | 03/17/05
I'm talking, Mo Frare!  Jeff Spicoli | 03/17/05
Wish they'd call it W3C cohort pressure...  Anton Philidor | 03/17/05
Would you prefer they cede to standards like ISO and ECMA?  B.O.F.H. | 03/17/05
Promise we won't argue about punctuation?  Anton Philidor | 03/17/05
But Anty..  Jeff Spicoli | 03/17/05
So, no FireFox "advantage" in features.  Anton Philidor | 03/17/05
Spicoli Lied  nucrash | 03/17/05
Needing to put words in peoples' mouths a sure sign of..  Jeff Spicoli | 03/17/05
Featuring...  Anton Philidor | 03/17/05
Some users just like old technolgy!  B.O.F.H. | 03/17/05
Tabbed Broswing?  jfreedle2@... | 03/17/05
Darn, source close to MS, . . guess that means lawsuit  FilledOut | 03/18/05
This thing is going to follow Standards?  tor2351@... | 12/23/05
This thing is going to follow Standards?  tor2351@... | 12/23/05
This thing is going to follow Standards?  tor2351@... | 12/23/05

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