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Bill's Assimilation Strategy (12/17/98)
I have always had sort of a "6th sense" with computers. Or, perhaps
it is just a result of almost a lifetime of experience, but I can sense
if a computer is properly configured. If it is, it seems "happy". (although
with Windows it's a brain dead kind of "happy".) Recently, however, I have
noticed something scary: Computers with Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 installed
give me the sense that they have been taken over by something EVIL.
If IE 4 were just any application, it would not be a big deal. Just
don't install it! But Microsoft is pulling all kinds of dirty underhanded
tricks to force EVERYBODY to install their browser.
There are basically 3 types of PC systems, and Microsoft has created IE 4 requirements for all of them.
I am not a legal expert, and I know very little about economics, but I know what I like and what I don't like. I know that I don't like Internet Explorer 4. Further, I really HATE the fact that Microsoft "integrated" IE 4 in to Windows 98.
I honestly don't mind if they ship a web browser with their operating system. A modern user oriented operating system without one would seem naked. However, Microsoft was being unreasonable about not allowing the Internet explorers shipped with original Windows 95 and Windows 95 OSR2 to be removable like any other windows component. Now they have crossed the line by forcing all users to USE (as opposed to just having) IE 4 with Windows 98 weather they like it or not! Even with all of the awful internet options (active desktop, browse HD as web page) turned off all you need to do is double-click on "My Computer" and POOF there is IE 4.
And what about computers that are <GASP> never going to be connected to the internet? They must still use IE 4 anyway! This group includes many business computers and some home users who for one reason or another do not need internet connections. Microsoft is alienating them by not offering an operating system that meets their needs.
In my opinion, (and I realize most people will disagree), the Internet
as we know it currently is just a fad. There will probably be changes and
we will all move on to something better. When that happens, IE 4 will be
obsolete and then what of Windows 98? Most of the machines will probably
be obsolete by then, but the ones in service will still have that stupid
browser glued to the user interface and users will ask themselves "why?".
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Outlook 98:
With all of the hype surrounding the "integration" of IE 4 with
Windows 98, the "integration" of IE 4 and other products seems to have
gone largely unnoticed. While the media has been focusing on IE 4 being
forced on home users with Windows 98, I believe it is equally important
to point out Microsoft's invasion of the corporate world through Outlook
98.
Home users would gladly install yet another browser on their system, but office environments have much stricter software policies and little need for a bloated toy like IE 4. Microsoft grabbed the corporate world by its balls, their e-mail client Outlook 97, and stuck IE 4 in it to create Outlook 98. Outlook 98 will, without choice, automatically install IE 4. If IE 4 is removed, Outlook 98 will refuse to run. Many companies have adopted Microsoft Exchange Servers as their e-mail solution. This is unfortunate, because there are very few client program that I know of that are available for Exchange Server (unlike POP3). The result, companies must use Outlook 98 and therefore IE 4 to access their e-mail.
The really sad part about this is that Outlook 98 hardly requires IE 4. Outlook 98 uses IE 4 for a summery page of messages, tasks, and calendar events called "Outlook Today". An interesting idea, but it adds little and this could have DEFINITELY been done without IE 4! It wasn't in Outlook 97, so I certainly would not have missed it if it had been an option. Outlook 97 was capable of viewing HTML messages. Microsoft extended this ability by replacing Outlook 97s viewer with IE 4. Considering Outlook's default message type is Rich Text, it doesn't really seem worth it.
If anybody cares, Outlook 98 almost runs fine without IE! After uninstalling IE I tricked Outlook 98 in to thinking IE 4 was still installed by editing the IE version information in the registry (3.0 was present after uninstalling). Outlook 98 started right up! Clicking on the "Outlook Today" icon caused it to crash, but I could read e-mail and view my calendar! I did notice several essential property and option dialogs refused to display. This gave it only an "almost" usable status. Still, the concept of reading e-mail without Microsoft's Browser was almost mind blowing. (ha ha).
Here is screen shot of Outlook 98 running without IE 4. As proof IE 4 is not present, note the IE 3 icon is present and that the two can not co-exist. Click the screen shot for the large picture. (The lady in the e-mail message was having problems because someone installed IE 4 on her computer)
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The NT "Option" Pack
Servers are the least likely to be upgraded because system administrators
usually don't care about bells and whistles or new features as long as
the existing system works. For them, Microsoft created the aptly named
"Option" pack that installs IE4 as a mandatory part of an update to Internet
Information Server. Fortunately, most system administrators are smart enough
to throw this CD away, but if you want or need the latest version of IIS,
you must install IE 4.
Microsoft is bent on making new programs that require IE4, so no matter what you do eventually you will be required to install IE 4.
