Dvorak on Microsoft: IE Is Worst Mistake Ever
Columnist John C. Dvorak says Microsoft’s decision to enter the browser space cost the company billions, with zero return.
I’ll admit that it took me a long time to use a browser other than Internet Explorer, largely because I was accustomed to how it worked. Nevermind that it was buggy, crashed often, and generally seemed to fight me at every click. I was sticking with it because I’d always stuck with it. Of course, I chastise people repeatedly for this (see any Apple blog I’ve ever written), and yet for years, I found myself in the same exact position as other technophiles – clinging to a piece of technology that is inferior simply out of habit.
I am, I admit, no better than the very people that frustrate me so much. I am part of the technology problem. The only fact that I can cling to is this: Microsoft also fell in love with its browser, quite to its detriment. Dvorak has a compelling piece about this over at PC Magazine.
A snippet:
If the problem is not weird legal cases against the company, then it’s the incredible losses in productivity at the company from the never-ending battle against spyware, viruses, and other security problems. All the work that has to go into keeping the browser afloat is time that could have been better spent on making Vista work as first advertised.
As a post script, I’m happy to say that with the help of a now-departed TR developer, I kicked the IE habit. He introduced me to Mozilla Firefox, and I fell in love with its functionalities and look to the point that I had my Web development team design the first iteration of our new site (the design you see now) in that particular browser. So while Microsoft may not be learning from its mistakes, I’m happy to say that I am learning from mine.