It has been interesting to see how this thread has evolved. From where we are, the issue isn't about an interim release of IE, or alternatives to IE. It is about how the use of the public networks and the Internet are evolving and how people and businesses will interface with the applications available across these networks. I've thought about how to respond to some of the posts in this thread - to at least encourage some thought about how each of us might influence the direction this takes.
We could all scribble here in incomplete ways - probably more to blow off some steam, or be entertained by Hal's link swarm - personally I like to think he's a passionate advocate of choice, but to such a degree that anything practical, no matter how good it may be, is bad "just because." The challenge there is if "choice" is the only decision made, then nothing is chosen and little is accomplished.
So what then? It really comes down to doing those things that provide the fuel to continue to pursue the inventions and innovation that result in progress and hopefully, significant improvements in human performance or the advancement of the human condition. Hal <sorry guy> would have us believe that just because current technologies don't use future technologies that we should all embrace and "fix" technologies experimented with in the 60's and 70's - resurrected by a student learning to build OS'es using an OS designed to teach that very thing. Scary - like some sci-fi flick where the survivors of some great war salvage bits of this and that just to continue to exist.
I do know that how we use these networks must change - because not only has IE stagnated - the entire net has in large measure. Sure, there are islands of innovation, but they are too few - given the potential. So I find it odd that when the reality of what is being advanced is revealed, it is rejected without any measure of objective consideration in favor of an obstinate adherence to incomprehensible and largely irrelevant arguments expressed in the name of choice, or "standards" - these two do appear to contradict one another. So what to do? Provide an alternative? Share more? Surrender the net to kids who are convinced a scripting language is better than an IDpE (Production)? I think we'll have to settle for driving how the net is used in however small a segment we can provision.
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