News19,135 Articles

December 7, 2007

Gates hammered over IE 8.0 secrecy

Web developers want Internet Explorer updates

Gregg Keizer, Computerworld US

A web standards advocate has told Bill Gates that Microsoft's secrecy over the next version of Internet Explorer has alienated web developers.

Relations between developers and designers, and the team working on the upgrade to Internet Explorer (IE) 7.0 have become increasingly rocky, but developers' simmering discontent has recently boiled over. In comments attached to posts on the Microsoft blog dedicated to the browser, developers have chastised Microsoft for not following through on browser upgrade promises, for not supporting crucial web standards, and most of all, for not keeping them in the loop.

Molly Holzschlag, one of 10 influential bloggers who met with the Microsoft chairman this week, pressed the company's chairman to explain why the IE information spigot had been turned off. "Something seems to have changed where there is no messaging now for the last six months to a year going out on the IE team," Holzschlag said, according to a transcript she posted on her blog. "They seem to have lost the transparency that they had. "This conversation [between web developers and the IE team] seems to have been pretty much shut down, and I'm very concerned as to why that is."

"I'll have to ask [IE general manager] Dean [Hachamovitch] what the hell is going on," Gates replied. "I mean, we're not, there's not like some deep secret about what we're doing with IE."

"But they're not letting people talk about it," Holzschlag continued. "I do realise that there is a new engine, there is some other information, and this information is not being made public. We are being asked not to talk about it. So, I'm concerned about that."

"He was clearly surprised by the news," said Holzschlag. "You could see that from his reaction. And yes, he was angry. To me, he seemed very concerned that the message [between Microsoft and web developers] got broken."

Gates defended Hachamovitch as the dialogue between he and Holzschlag went on. "There's a paradox about disclosure, which is when you're far away from doing something you're super open; when you're very close to doing something you're open; when you're making your cut list of what you can do and not do, then particularly because - well..."

Continued...
1 | 2 | NEXT >

<<newer story | back to index | older story>>

Comments received


stevey said on Friday, 07 December 2007

so when's it out?

The truth! You won't Like this .... said on Saturday, 08 December 2007

There is no IE8!
The developement teams have been working on Vista sp1 all year, all further developement on IE was put on hold. The employees were told to insinuate things just to keep interest going. But, now these people expect something solid when there is only air.
Like I said, you wouldn't like it!

fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com

What is this?

Subscribe to PC Advisor now and claim your FREE gift

Keep up to date by adding PC Advisor News to your iGoogle home page or Google Reader


Question of the day!

Does your smartphone replace your need for a laptop when on the move?

Question of the day!

Does your smartphone replace your need for a laptop when on the move?

% of PC Advisor readers agree with you

Yes
TBC
No
TBC

What tasks can your smartphone do that would have traditionally been done on a laptop?

119 characters remaining

Follow the conversation at @SmartphoneFocus

web browsing, search facilities, voip, email, word processing everything RT @Graham_D_C

Mainly email but getting better at spreadsheets etc, RT @IDGdan
Google


Recent reviews

Reviews index


Latest reader comments

Latest reader comments


Top news

News index


Latest blog entries

Blogs index


 Our RSS feeds

Sponsored Content

  • Take the internet to new places with the Nokia N800
    Communicate how you want to, where you want to with instant messaging, email and internet calling. View movies, browse the internet wirelessly and watch TV on the high-resolution screen and listen through high-quality stereo speakers with headphone jack.
    Buy now