The site authors denounced the claim that the UNIX versus NT Organization was “an anti-Microsoft movement”, stating that “this would be a poor description of what we are about.” We share this sentiment — if Windows is the best option for you, then you have the freedom to choose to use it. Obviously, we also believe that Windows is rarely the “best” option, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion, no? Our main concern is that Linux is being given a bad name unfairly and strive to expose when, why and by whom.

The Kirch Paper itself is far from being an academic masterpiece. For the most part, it is a collection of quotes from published magazines and journals, press releases and other sources. There does appear to be some original work, but it is difficult to determine where it ends and the quotes begin. Citation is spotty. Perhaps “a compilation of research notes” would be a more accurate title. While not a scientific study, it does provide an empirical view of the Unix-Windows debates based on the literature of the period.

Only an archive of the site remains, available via the Wayback Machine. The site was active between January 1999 and July 2001. After that, no archives were made for almost three years; however, archives spanning from March 2004 to January 2008 display a blank page. At the time of this writing, a WHOIS lookup shows that the domain is currently owned by a Maria Markarova of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, who reportedly owns approximately 150 other domain names.

I’m talking about IE7.

It was released on October 18, 2006. It will be deployed through automatic updates starting November 1, 2006. I’ve been testing this new version since its early beta stages…

I don’t call that atrocity a browser, even in its final version.

To me, a browser is something that will — at the same time as allow normal web surfing — enhance my web-browsing experience. A browser should be customizable. IE7 is not even close to being customizable. And the ironic thing is, Microsoft boasts in big letters on the IE page that “they heard us” and that “we wanted it easier”.

Well, guess what, Microsoft? You didn’t f!#$ng hear us, otherwise I would be able to move toolbars/buttons around. I would be able to add buttons. I would be able to put the tabs at the bottom of the window. If you would have heard us, you wouldn’t have permanently separated the navigation buttons with the un-moveable address bar.

If you would have listened, I’d be able to decide (on my own) if I want the search bar or not. And I don’t want it… so why can’t I remove it?? I don’t need it… I have the wonderful Google toolbar – which, by the way, is customizable! Who knew??

Easy?? It’s not easy! It’s restricted. There’s a BIG difference! When the hell did we ask for THAT specific GUI to be forced on us?? Show me the multiple posts in forums or blogs or reviews where we specifically asked you to force your idea of a browser GUI down our throats and I’ll shut the hell up. I sincerely doubt that any of us “users” have asked for these restrictions…

“Hmmm, Mr. Microsoft… I think we all want the refresh button and stop button totally separated from the other navigational buttons with the address bar… oh! And don’t forget to restrict us from changing that! We wouldn’t want to have too much control! And while you’re at it, we all want you to permanently place the address bar, the search bar, and the navigational buttons above anything else in the window and totally restrict any kind of personalization. No one wants the Main Menu Bar at the topmost like all other applications in Windows.”

During your Research and Development, did you even take a look at Firefox and Opera (among others) and try to understand why these browsers are extremely popular? Did you?? You may have, but you didn’t care… You didn’t care about your users, only about yourself… Nothing has changed. Did you realize that we are in 2006 and not 1998?

I remember back around that time when Netscape ruled the browser world because IE4 was way behind and Netscape offered more to their users. I never looked at IE4 again until IE5 came out, which seemed like years later.

Then Firefox showed up and it has been my main browser for a few years now without any complaints. Now, I feel like I’m in 1998 again and I seriously don’t see IE7 making any kind of progress (except for better security, more standard-compliancy, and RSS integration) from the previous version.

I also don’t see any reason for any users of other browsers like Firefox or Opera to switch back to Internet Explorer.

People reading this post may complain that I’m complaining too much and tell me to just “not use it”. Well, sometimes you HAVE to use it because it’s a Microsoft-run world and it is forced onto our systems!

You want to hear us, Microsoft? Then hear this: IF WE ARE FORCED TO HAVE THIS “SOFTWARE” ON OUR SYSTEMS, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL OUR BROWSER AND CUSTOMIZE IT THE WAY WE LIKE IT AND NOT BE FORCED BY YOUR “IDEAL” BROWSING EXPERIENCE!

I predict that Internet Explorer 7 will be the biggest flop for Microsoft this year and the next. More reason to stay with Ubuntu – or any flavour of Linux for that matter — as a main OS.

Where’s my beer?