Comments on: Microsoft offers helping hand to Firefox

Mozilla welcomes Redmond's efforts to ensure interoperability between Firefox and the Vista operating system.

[michcool125]

I'm not so sure....

About Microsoft's "help"

Everytime they help they either steal the design and maek their own propietry version of it (java, among others) or try to run them to the ground.

[Tanjore]

May not be true anymore

Vista's networking or security stack is a complete rewrite. Other software vendors benifit in learning from the new infrastructure. Anyways, Firefox code is available to take a look at, by everyone!! so where is the point of stealing. Firefox would benefit with the knowledge about vista. Unfortunately, previous microsoft behaviour is making it a suspect.

Remember the new guy out there is Ray Ozzie!!! and he has developed applications for non micorosft platforms!!

[qazwiz]

don't deny they steal ideas

micro$oft was build on reappropriated (stolen) ideas. after Gates melped Apple with their new Mac gui lo and behold, Windows was born

In fact, i am not trying to redirect the subject, but I would be interested in knowing if MicroSoft has EVER come up with a unique idea! it seems like their "steal an idea, and get it out ASAP" attitude is the problem with all these patches and repatches

[annanemas]

Good For Vista PC Sales

Firefox users are more tech-oriented than the average consumer and some of the PC industry's best customers. These are also people most likely to buy or upgrade systems in response to the Windows Vista release, as long as it gets good reviews. You'll also find a lot of Firefox users among the tech journalists who will be writing and publishing the first reviews when Vista comes out. Keeping Firefox users happy will help Microsoft's bottom line.

[javierlopezroman]

"a new trend for the company": reduce lawsuits

"This recent move by Microsoft to openly welcome Mozilla and its browser, even though Firefox is the principle competition for its own Internet Explorer, appears to be part of a new trend for the company."

$500 million here, $500 million there. It adds up when the future is inevitably difficult.



previous story:
http://news.com.com/Microsoft+reaches+out+to+Firefox+developers/2100-7344_3-6108221.html?tag=nefd.pulse

previous comment:
Killing Netscape Twice!!
Reader post by: javierlopezroman
Posted on: August 24, 2006, 12:29 PM PDT
Story: Microsoft reaches out to Firefox developers
It occured to me that it would look REALLY bad if Microsoft were to lose significant marketshare to a legitimate and strong open source effort, and suddenly have the [competition's] entire application function/perform significantly differently (worse) on thier new OS.

As Microsoft has been nearly-convicted several times (they settle often, don't they) of altering thier codebase to cripple/disable 3rd party applications while improving thier own, it could be argued that such degrading changes have occured yet again to Firefox.

Combined with the Netscape and antitrust history (all of it blurs together), they may be fearing the legitimacy of ANOTHER case against them, a very strong case given the prior legally-acknowledged evidence against them.

[qprize]

Don't fall for it

If you think this is anything other than a way for Microsoft to steal
knowledge from the Mozilla programmers, I got land to sell you in
Florida. My expectation is they will tap the brains of these dupes to
rewrite huge chunks of Vista that don't work well with the Internet,
and they'll give back nothing in return. Just ask IBM about co-
developing Win95 - oops, I mean OS/2.

[aziansn4k3]

I agree

Bill Gates used to work for Apple and this is what i think he did

Bill: hey guys
apple ppl: hey
Bill: can i see how u make all ur product and how u make ur macintosh system
apple ppl: sure *lets him see it*
Bill: THX well guys I QUIT

few years l8r Windows is born