Posted on 12/13/2007 12:09:09 PM PST by SubGeniusX
Over the years I have been an active participant in the ongoing fight for open and interoperable Web standards. I have always opposed those who would force proprietary technologies where open alternatives, often superior, exist. From 1994, I worked at CERN and W3C to help make sure there were good specifications for the Web. In 1999, I joined Opera to make sure there was at least one browser that implemented those specifications right. We have worked hard to do that. Unfortunately Microsoft's Internet Explorer, the biggest browser of all, did not.
Today we have taken a stand. Opera has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission to force Microsoft to support open Web standards in its Web browser, Internet Explorer. We believe that Microsoft has harmed Web standards by refusing to support them; Microsoft often participates in creating Web standards, promoting them, and even promising to implement them. Despite their talent, however, they refuse to support Web standards correctly. For example, Internet Explorer is the only modern Web browser that does not support Acid2.
Opera has also requested that Microsoft frees Internet Explorer from the Windows platform. We feel that they have used their market dominating position to limit a genuine choice of browsers on the Web for their own commercial gain.
The time for action is now. The Web browser is the most important application for most of us. Developers and designers are creating more powerful Web sites and applications. But because Internet Explorer doesn't implement open and fully-developed Web standards, the work is hard and frustrating. Web designers are forced to spend time working around IE bugs rather than doing what inspires them. We seek no money from Microsoft. We would rather see Microsoft put their considerable talent and resources to work for the Web community.
To those of you who build and shape the sites and services we use everyday — and who will create those in the future — I ask for your support. You will be the ones who ultimately benefit by having a Web that works seamlessly and effortlessly across devices, browsers and is equally open to everyone. That new day is just over the horizon, and by working together, we will awaken to that dawn.
Thank you.
Håkon Wium Lie Chief Technology Officer, Opera Software 2007-12-13
PING
I hate Microsoft - that’s why I use Foxfire.
Opera files antitrust complaint with the EU
Urges Microsoft to give consumers a genuine choice of standards—compliant Web browsers
Oslo, Norway and Brussels, Belgium — 13 December 2007
Opera Software ASA, the only company that can put the Web on any device, filed a complaint with the European Commission yesterday which is aimed at giving consumers a genuine choice of Web browsers.
The complaint describes how Microsoft is abusing its dominant position by tying its browser, Internet Explorer, to the Windows operating system and by hindering interoperability by not following accepted Web standards. Opera has requested the Commission to take the necessary actions to compel Microsoft to give consumers a real choice and to support open Web standards in Internet Explorer.
“We are filing this complaint on behalf of all consumers who are tired of having a monopolist make choices for them,” said Jon von Tetzchner, CEO of Opera. “In addition to promoting the free choice of individual consumers, we are a champion of open Web standards and cross-platform innovation. We cannot rest until we’ve brought fair and equitable options to consumers worldwide.”
Opera requests the Commission to implement two remedies to Microsoft’s abusive actions. First, it requests the Commission to obligate Microsoft to unbundle Internet Explorer from Windows and/or carry alternative browsers pre-installed on the desktop. Second, it asks the European Commission to require Microsoft to follow fundamental and open Web standards accepted by the Web-authoring communities. The complaint calls on Microsoft to adhere to its own public pronouncements to support these standards, instead of stifling them with its notorious “Embrace, Extend and Extinguish” strategy. Microsoft’s unilateral control over standards in some markets creates a de facto standard that is more costly to support, harder to maintain, and technologically inferior and that can even expose users to security risks.
“Our complaint is necessary to get Microsoft to amend its practices,” said Jason Hoida, Deputy General Counsel, Opera.”The European Court of First Instance confirmed in September that Microsoft has illegally tied Windows Media Player to Windows. We are simply asking the Commission to apply these same, clear principles to the Internet Explorer tie, a tie that has even more profound effects on consumers and innovation. We are confident that the Commission understands the significance of the Internet Explorer tie and will take the necessary actions to restore competition and consumer choice in the browser market.”
Opera has long held the position of innovator in the Web browser market, having introduced and pioneered features like tabbed browsing, Speed Dial, integrated search bar, mouse gestures, Opera Link™ and many others. Absent Microsoft’s abuse, Microsoft would have been forced to compete on a level playing field with Opera and other browsers. Instead of innovating, Microsoft has locked consumers to its own browser and only recently begun to offer some of the innovative features that other browsers have offered for years.
Both of Opera’s requested remedies are intended to give consumers greater freedom and flexibility while at the same time ensuring that the Web further develops into a platform for innovation. Opera believes that the remedies will help promote consumer rights worldwide and force Microsoft to begin competing with Opera and others on the merits of its browser.
I hate it when someone wants the Europeans to mess up my hobby too. We must not have denazified enough countryside over there you know. Not too late though.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
use Mozilla FireFox...
Oh, thought it was Oprah.
Nevermind
Ditto! :o)
Yipee, the EUropeans can’t even give their software away so they sue Americans in their kangaroo courts again.
Nothing annoys me more than running into a Web site that is IE only. I am sympathetic to their calls for IE to become standards compliant, but this seems a little excessive to get to that end. Especially since it won’t actually help them much in marketshare I don’t think. Who is going to seek out a different browser that hasn’t already, especially if IE is improved?
And it is ridiculous to think that a modern OS doesn’t need a bundled browser. Now maybe you should be allowed to delete it if you so choose, but you have to have something to get online to download the browser of your choice with.
That is the last thing MS wants. IE is a tool to make Windows the default Web browsing platform. The more sites run properly only in WinIE, the more cheers you can hear from Redmond. Microsoft developed IE for Mac, but dropped it after version 5.2 and hasn't ported, and won't port, it to OS X on Intel.
I'd like to see Apple port its Safari browser to Linux.
I think Safari is based on an open-source code base -- Camino, maybe. They're no need for a single cross-platform browser if each platform has a browser that sticks with open standards. Safari, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera -- they're all standards-compliant. IE is the outlier.
Safari uses KHTML which was developed for the Konqueror browser on Linux.
Camino is a Mozilla project so it uses Gecko, but it uses Cocoa API’s to look more Mac Native than FireFox.
All are better than IE in my book.
Disclaimer: I am NOT a Microsoft fan by any stretch of the imagination.
That said, no one is forcing anyone to use IE or any MS product.
What I see here is another Netscape situation in the making. Another company who either won’t or can’t compete, regardless of the obstacles. And now you turn to one of the most socialist minded court systems to cure your failings. Here’s a tip for you...give consumers the product that provides the so called “experience” that they desire, and you’ll succeed.
Too bad, so sad. Opera is a very good browser, very fast, indeed. But still, it’s buggy, especially in .nix platforms. Your documentation is confusing and outdated at best. Lacking complete sections of needed information to setup and fully use your product, and glossing over others.
You guys need to concentrate on your product, which could be one of the best with a bit more effort, and not on your lawyers.
Do you really see this as a Microsoft problem?
I see it as a developer’s choice to satisfy what the market wants and is using. If Firefox can become as successful as it has against MS, why can’t Opera? I’m rooting for Opera, I like it, but...
Innovate, don't litigate.
No, I’m aware that it is a Mr. Blonde problem, but still. It is annoying at this point to code only for IE.
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