Microsoft to Mac users: Use Firefox, not Safari
Microsoft used to tell Mac visitors to its web pages to use Internet Explorer. When the company stopped developing IE for the Mac, it instead suggested that "Macintosh users migrate to more recent web browsing technologies such as Apple's Safari."
But now? As discovered by iTnews, Microsoft is now asking Mac and Windows users to use the open-source Mozilla Firefox browser, albeit a slightly outdated version (2.0).
Perhaps Microsoft doesn't want anyone using the uber-cool (and getting cooler all the time) AwesomeBar?
At least Microsoft is finally recognizing that there are technologies beyond those that it develops. It seems like a small thing to suggest that its site visitors could try something other than IE, but for me this marks a significant step forward for the software giant.
Matt Asay brings a decade of in-the-trenches open-source business and legal experience to The Open Road, with an emphasis on emerging open-source business strategies and opportunities. Matt is vice president of business development at Alfresco, a company that develops open-source software for content management. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure. You can follow Matt on Twitter @mjasay. 
A significant step would be to unweld IE from Windows so successful attacks don't give the attacker total ownership on the system.
A significant step would be to create a standards complaint, reasonably secure and stable browser.
A significant step is not to recommend to users of an OS that doesn't have a supported version of IE to use something else.
- by t26l August 3, 2008 6:04 PM PDT
- The comment that they could be just choosing the seems like a reasonable one... well except none of us ever consider MS reasonable do we ;-)
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(7 Comments)So rather than look at it as a step forward, consider it as a business decision. If choosing which enemies to keep close, I might choose Firefox 2.x as well.
Firefox already exists in the Windows space, so it really isn't a new competitor... just a few more Macs running it and well call it a day. Since it has a larger share of the browser market, it seems like the next best thing to focus development and testing effort on.
Safari though, which is found on those sexy iMacs, is new to the Windows space. It's goal is compatibility before standards, and has the Apple marketing machine and designers behind it. It will likely find converts from IE that didn't/wouldn't consider FireFox.
Also considering Safari's core, Webkit, is open source as well, is found on the iPhone, is moving to other platforms, and has some excitement around it...it's not going away and it's moving into some of those exciting new places.
So... it's not that I think they like FireFox, it's just a pragmatic decision - focus your testing efforts and do what you can to avoid supporting someone who is going to lob another chunk of fat off the Internet Explorer monopoly.
[http://Personally I like FireFox so by acknowledging Firefox then perhaps standards compliance has a fighting change... but I'm also excited for Webkit; any any time I see a quality, cross platform, opensource toolkit... I'm happy... because it means more competition, a healthier ecosystem, and MS having to make choices for themselves instead of for us|http://Personally I like FireFox so by acknowledging Firefox then perhaps standards compliance has a fighting change... but I'm also excited for Webkit; any any time I see a quality, cross platform, opensource toolkit... I'm happy... because it means more competition, a healthier ecosystem, and MS having to make choices for themselves instead of for us]