4 ms·

It is easier for a user to push a button to install a plugin than to install a new browser, update the profile with bookmarks and so forth, and learn the new in

by Xurinos 16y ago

It is easier for a user to push a button to install a plugin than to install a new browser, update the profile with bookmarks and so forth, and learn the new interface. We can trivialize these things, but I am sure we also have as many stories of trying to get someone to use Firefox (with noscript!) instead of IE and meeting significant resistance or eye rolling. A plugin has the disadvantage and the advantage of supporting users' browser choices. So basically, it looks petty and unprofessional to say on some minority of websites, "This website is developed and tested for" or "This website will only run on". In contrast, I have seen "Click here to upgrade your Flash Player", and moments later, things just work. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could have an HTML renderer plugin? And some kind of system where you could -- with some clear and dumbed-down descriptions of the differences/advantages -- choose between alternatives? And get upgrades?

detst 16y ago
> Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could have an HTML renderer plugin? And some kind of system where you could -- with some clear and dumbed-down descriptions of the differences/advantages -- choose between alternatives? And get upgrades? I've wondered for a long time (perhaps 10 years) why this basic idea wasn't done, especially with my eyes looking Microsoft's way. This has been a problem for far too long and is now only getting worse. The thought of all of the lost productivity and inefficiency of those working with these issues makes me sick.
FluidDjango 16y ago
> So basically, it looks petty and unprofessional to say... True. That would be very poor spin by your marketing dept. I'm not in marketing, but I'll bet a half-trained spin-doctor could come up with something more flattering like, "Our site takes advantage of the latest, user-friendly web capabilities. To experience the full ease and power of Web X.0 on our site (and many others), we invite you to download a free copy of a world-class browser [... insert links to Chrome, FF, Safari, whatever ...]"
buster 16y ago
Yes, i can see some problems: - First, in the worst case users will switch between browsers all the time, but users only want one place to store their bookmarks and cookies - Second, even worse, if this would become a common practice, every browser manufacturer (especially MS) would just develop their own HTML "extensions", the standard would drift apart even more and the ultimate goal to achieve 100% standard compliant browsers would be out of reach. I can see how MS would implement new HTML and Javascript functionality to offer developers new features and in the end tie them to their browser

by Xurinos 16y ago

detst 16y ago

> Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could have an HTML renderer plugin? And some kind of system where you could -- with some clear and dumbed-down descriptions of the differences/advantages -- choose between alternatives? And get upgrades? I've wondered for a long time (perhaps 10 years) why this basic idea wasn't done, especially with my eyes looking Microsoft's way. This has been a problem for far too long and is now only getting worse. The thought of all of the lost productivity and inefficiency of those working with these issues makes me sick.

FluidDjango 16y ago

> So basically, it looks petty and unprofessional to say... True. That would be very poor spin by your marketing dept. I'm not in marketing, but I'll bet a half-trained spin-doctor could come up with something more flattering like, "Our site takes advantage of the latest, user-friendly web capabilities. To experience the full ease and power of Web X.0 on our site (and many others), we invite you to download a free copy of a world-class browser [... insert links to Chrome, FF, Safari, whatever ...]"

buster 16y ago

Yes, i can see some problems: - First, in the worst case users will switch between browsers all the time, but users only want one place to store their bookmarks and cookies - Second, even worse, if this would become a common practice, every browser manufacturer (especially MS) would just develop their own HTML "extensions", the standard would drift apart even more and the ultimate goal to achieve 100% standard compliant browsers would be out of reach. I can see how MS would implement new HTML and Javascript functionality to offer developers new features and in the end tie them to their browser