It's possible that with further linking with the OS it'll make IE necessary to do any secure transactions in the future (ie: Digital Rights Management).

On the other hand it means that all users that don't upgrade to Windows Palladium will need to go to alternative browsers (ie: Mozilla, Safari) in order to view web pages that use newer web standards.

Since banks and Web Stores already know that they can use Mozilla safely I think we're good fo the near future.

Only problem is with digital content creators and retailers, who may force Palladium in order to participate in their wares.

As time marches on, IE will get more and more out of date. This is a giant opportunity for alternative web browsers, and that means us.

With 1.4's NTLM support and its ability to mount home dirs on network drives, 1.4 and Netscape's next release should get a lot of corporate attention. Then, once we transition to Firebird, the product will become even more competitive.

We'll keep fixing bugs, fine-tuning, and adding new features. IE will stagnate.

One thing I really would like to see post-1.4 is crash recovery. That would be huge.

Maybe by 2005, IE will block it's first pop-up, and if we're really lucky, it might even have a tabbed interface.

Microsoft still have a problem with providing total PNG support.Copied from the chat:

Host: Rob (Microsoft) Q: when will IE get transparent PNG support?

A: Ian, I'm sorry, I can't answer that question for you

Shame because just recently I understood what alpha-transparency was. I remebered it as an old GIF hazy edge problem with no name. After reading APC http://www.apcmag.com/apc/apcmag.nsf/1_alldocs/0269C0630D03E3DECA256D18000F5682 it was made clear (the graphic illustrating it in hard copy version explains it all... but was not put its not online).

This thing is clear. Now, since they killed Netscape completely, the browser war is over and they are going to drop IE and to relaunch it whith Longhorn as a Gecko- (or maybe even Mozilla-) based browser. So the MS-AOL deal is merely AOL relicensing their own technology.

As someone who has pulled IE apart this really doesn't surprise me.

The IE installer actually has different binaries of the IE "Core" (html renderer, wininet, etc.) for Windows 95/98, Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, and Windows ME (and Windows XP already has IE 6).

In contrast Mozilla has one binary for Windows 95/98/ME/NT 3.51/NT 4/2000/XP (Yes, as of Mozilla 1.3.1 it still seems to work almost perfectly under NT 3.51!)

Microsoft has already dropped support for Windows 95. They are almost certainly dropping support for NT 4, the last version of windows not to have the windows update feature, making them free now to offer it only via windows update. On a side note, NT 4 was also the last version of windows not to have that awful IE "integrated" shell, so we can now expect more MS applications to make use of these IE "integrated" shell features.

I think since the inclusion of IE 3 in Windows 95 OSR2 this is the kind of integration (packaging wise) MS was after, but then when IE 4 came out they began to aggressively advertise IE as it's own stand-alone product. (remember how the "e" logo was everywhere in IE 4?) Perhaps because people were used to downloading Netscape or possibly other reasons they made IE a separately downloadble product rather than including it with OS service packs. In IE 5 they did change all the installation dialogs to call itself a "Windows update" rather than IE installation. I still laugh at the IE uninstaller on Windows 95 when it always says "reverting to previous version of IE" even when there was no previous version of IE and it is actually uninstalling like a normal application.

I guess Microsoft still needs to learn the Pressplay, Musicnet, and so on lesson. If there's a free alternative that's better and that's free, no one is going to shell out anything to Micro Willy.

Just recently, for example, the Munich city council decided to move 14.000 desktops from Windows to Linux, see the write-up of the story in CNET @ http://news.com.com/2100-1016_3-1010740.html?tag=cd_mh

Also if you want to get a Media box why not buy a Sony Playstation 3 or a similar box powered by Linux for US$200. Who is going to shell out US$200 for a Longhorn license that only lets you install Micro$oft certified programms. Sure, Michael Eisner (the top duck) will, but who else?

I think there are no news here. I never thought Microsoft will stop offering IE, neither stop offering it bundled with Windows. DOJ has granted specific rights to do so now since last years antitrust case resolution.

I would like to see Mozilla leaders pushing not only the Gecko engine but also the browser, and teaming with other open source projects to sinergize: for example, let OpenOffice offer a Mozilla bundled download, offer Kazaa a XUL based UI (if possible); same for Winamp (it's a shame they use IE for minibrowser); and so on.

As for AOL, they're as lost as a rat in a sinking boat: they don't know where to run. They're shooting everywhere and nowhere: Real, WMA?, IE? Netscape?? The truth is they're a media company and will never think as a software company because software doesn't mean visible money for them. The best for all Mozilla communitiy would be that some other company (SUN, IBM) may bought whatever assets or brands Mozilla may have and finance the project with a quantifiable money expectation.

As for Netscape, AOL and Mozilla killed it, let it rest in peace. AOL, because if not even your father trusts you... and Mozilla, because it is and will ever be better than it.

I think there are no news here. I never thought Microsoft will stop offering IE, neither stop offering it bundled with Windows. DOJ has granted specific rights to do so now since last years antitrust case resolution.

I would like to see Mozilla leaders pushing not only the Gecko engine but also the browser, and teaming with other open source projects to sinergize: for example, let OpenOffice offer a Mozilla bundled download, offer Kazaa a XUL based UI (if possible); same for Winamp (it's a shame they use IE for minibrowser); and so on.

As for AOL, they're as lost as a rat in a sinking boat: they don't know where to run. They're shooting everywhere and nowhere: Real, WMA?, IE? Netscape?? The truth is they're a media company and will never think as a software company because software doesn't mean visible money for them. The best for all Mozilla communitiy would be that some other company (SUN, IBM) may bought whatever assets or brands Mozilla may have and finance the project with a quantifiable money expectation.

As for Netscape, AOL and Mozilla killed it, let it rest in peace. AOL, because if not even your father trusts you... and Mozilla, because it is and will ever be better than it.

I sware if I was an ISP i would seriousely think about leaving IE, Waiting for a New OS WTF???? LMFAO

From what I've heard in the last year or so, IE development has stopped because a) The old NCSA Mosaic code that IE is based on is now an unmanageable pile of spaghetti, and b) MS is developing a new browser from scratch to be available only to MSN users.

If this new MSN Explorer is released with Longhorn, that makes for some scary possibilities.

Hi, By the way there will not be another relase of netscape eaither and if you want the futuer I.E.s You will need to upgrade you O.S.

Maybe having a large market share in browsers isnt making MS any money *shrug* seems to me they are giving up, I don't know

You can't fill your fueltank here. If you want fuel, you have to buy a new car.

...post year 2005:

Scene: An older man in your typical office supplies store approaching a young man restocking a shelf with notebook binders. Older man is a clueless computer user. Young man is fresh on summer break from college.

Clueless: "Excuse me, I'd like to upgrade my Microsoft Office?" Clerk without looking: "Um, the new Windows 2005 in aisle three. We'll process your rental agreement at the counter." Clueless: "But I have Office 97 and I just want to upgrade it." Clerk turns, shaking head in disgust: "Ya, aisle three. Remind me to add the obsolete system surcharge when you get back. Really, you 'otta just go home and stick with what you got." Clueless user shuffles away. Clerk mutters quietly, "stupid ol' geezer must think I look like a Linux terrorist or something. Dang it, the BSA rep saw me talking to him. Oh jeez grampa don't look him in the eye, keep walking... Omygod he said hello. I'm screwed. I'm screwed." Clerk reaches into pocket. Cut shot: fire bursts from window of nearby apartment building. Shards of glass spray onlooker in sidewalk below.

Exit scene: Queue background music. Clerk pulls plastic knife and charges BSA rep while screaming. Sound is distorted. Clerk's eyes are wild with hate. Closing focus on clerk. Shock replaces hate as bullets tear gaping wounds in chest. Narrow focus on face. We see clerk mouth "freedom" in a sudden silence as face slides low left. Lose focus and blur. Background music swells. Roll credits.

<Note: see cutting room about moving copyright notice to top of credits>

...post year 2005:

Scene: An older man in your typical office supplies store approaching a young man restocking a shelf with notebook binders. Older man is a clueless computer user. Young man is fresh on summer break from college.

Clueless: "Excuse me, I'd like to upgrade my Microsoft Office?" Clerk without looking: "Um, the new Windows 2005 in aisle three. We'll process your rental agreement at the counter." Clueless: "But I have Office 97 and I just want to upgrade it." Clerk turns, shaking head in disgust: "Ya, aisle three. Remind me to add the obsolete system surcharge when you get back. Really, you 'otta just go home and stick with what you got." Clueless user shuffles away. Clerk mutters quietly, "stupid ol' geezer must think I look like a Linux terrorist or something. Dang it, the BSA rep saw me talking to him. Oh jeez grampa don't look him in the eye, keep walking... Omygod he said hello. I'm screwed. I'm screwed." Clerk reaches into pocket. Cut shot: fire bursts from window of nearby apartment building. Shards of glass spray onlooker in sidewalk below.

Exit scene: Queue background music. Clerk pulls plastic knife and charges BSA rep while screaming. Sound is distorted. Clerk's eyes are wild with hate. Closing focus on clerk. Shock replaces hate as bullets tear gaping wounds in chest. Narrow focus on face. We see clerk mouth "freedom" in a sudden silence as face slides low left. Lose focus and blur. Background music swells. Roll credits.

<Note: see cutting room about moving copyright notice to top of credits>

Well, Windows was just an overprized, insecure, and unstable extension to IE anyways - so finally IE officially becomes part of it all. BTW, with this move, noone will be able to claim that IE is "free" (as in comes with no cost) any more ...

So what about the unix versions like the one for HPUX?

" Since then, Microsoft has struggled to reconcile Countryman's remarks with promises that current users of the standalone version of IE will be provided with upgrades.

Countryman did not return calls. A Microsoft representative pressed for clarification of Countryman's comments acknowledged that the company did not, in fact, know what it was going to do.

"We don't know what's happening," said the representative. "There are a lot of different options, and it's too early to talk about any of them...Nothing has been decided yet." "

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2135615,00.html?rtag=zdnetukhompage

"One possibility is that its removal could benefit makers of standalone browsers, such as Norwegian software company Opera Software (which charges for one version of its browser and gives away an ad-supported one) or Netscape Comminications, a unit of AOL Time Warner."...."But the future of Netscape, as well as the AOL Time Warner-funded Mozilla open-source project, appear clouded, after the media giant's rapprochement with Microsoft, in which AOL threw the weight of its subscriber base behind IE. Many speculate that Netscape's days as an AOL unit are now numbered."

What the fuck? CNET, it's really time to stop messing with mozilla... It's like they have something directly against Mozilla. In every article I've read about browsers they either get the facts wrong or ignore Mozilla as an alternative browser... The fact is that Mozilla is BY FAR better than opera or any other non-IE browser!