Rumor: IE7 in May-June 06 [Archive] - IDN Forums - Internationalized Domain Names

Rubber Duck

27th March 2006, 08:38 AM

It's august/september, i would expect another beta in may

We are already on Beta 2.5, how many Betas can Microsoft reasonably expect to get away with? I think the programme is more or less good now and could be patched to put right any short comings. My money is on a full release going live with Automatic Updates in May.

Clotho

27th March 2006, 02:16 PM

It's august/september, i would expect another beta in may

I understand that this is your opinion. If you can substantiate this further with fact or even outline your reasoning it would be helpful.

Myself, I would tend to believe in a more imminent release. They are bleeding marketshare to Firefox etc. and they are already in Beta 2.5 which seems to work quite well. Considering the rate at which the beta's were released and the urgency for the release itself I cannot imagine why they would wait till August let alone September.

Rubber Duck

27th March 2006, 02:33 PM

I understand that this is your opinion. If you can substantiate this further with fact or even outline your reasoning it would be helpful.

Myself, I would tend to believe in a more imminent release. They are bleeding marketshare to Firefox etc. and they are already in Beta 2.5 which seems to work quite well. Considering the rate at which the beta's were released and the urgency for the release itself I cannot imagine why they would wait till August let alone September.

With the PR disaster that is Windows Vista, Microsoft desperately need some good PR. Any other company in that kind of mess would be facing an aggressive takeover bid by now!

The talk of annual if not more frequent browser releases also led me to believe that they envisage IE 7.0 as a journey rather than a destination. I think we were being primed for a full release of a less than complete product. Even if they go to IE 12.0 now, I think the essential architecture of the programme will remain little changed, so everytime there is a major modification they will just up the number one. Don't expect all the whistles and bells but do expect a imminent release, could even be April!

rhys

27th March 2006, 06:04 PM

I understand that this is your opinion. If you can substantiate this further with fact or even outline your reasoning it would be helpful.

Myself, I would tend to believe in a more imminent release. They are bleeding marketshare to Firefox etc. and they are already in Beta 2.5 which seems to work quite well. Considering the rate at which the beta's were released and the urgency for the release itself I cannot imagine why they would wait till August let alone September.

Sorry, I understand that my comment is not helpful without some basis for that assertion. Unfortunately, I can only respond that there are some things that one person knows better than others. It is not a line of reasoning on my part, nor is it deduction from Microsoft's strategic situation, that leads me to my conclusion but something firmer. The clues as to why I assert so strongly are all here and discoverable to those who care to dig. I'd say a 15% chance that I may be wrong but if I am, it means IE is coming out later than I said not before.

For those who get what I am saying - your discretion is much appreciated - ie no posting about it - thanks.

Rubber Duck

27th March 2006, 06:18 PM

Sorry, I understand that my comment is not helpful without some basis for that assertion. Unfortunately, I can only respond that there are some things that one person knows better than others. It is not a line of reasoning on my part, nor is it deduction from Microsoft's strategic situation, that leads me to my conclusion but something firmer. The clues as to why I assert so strongly are all here and discoverable to those who care to dig. I'd say a 15% chance that I may be wrong but if I am, it means IE is coming out later than I said not before.

For those who get what I am saying - your discretion is much appreciated - ie no posting about it - thanks.

Well if it much later than that Microsoft stock will be worth cents to the dollar by Christmas. With Intel now supplying Macs with processors, we could actually be witnessing the demise of the IBM Compatibles!

sarcle

28th March 2006, 02:58 PM

Microsoft can't wait much longer.

They are in the middle of a never ending barage of negative publicity.

Hot of the news today :

Microsoft has urged consumers to be wary as three newly discovered bugs leave people open to attack while using the internet.
All three flaws affect the software giant's Internet Explorer browser

These new threats are pr nightmares especially when they are sitting on their hands on IE7. The consumer isn't going to just wait for Microsoft anymore. They will switch, they are switching.

The problem is Microsoft believes they can just rely on their market share. They can't. The only reason they have it is because there wasn't better alternatives, there are now. And consumers can see that.

But hey what's a hacker getting into your bank account and private information. Everyone will wait for Microsoft won't they. ;)

Rubber Duck

28th March 2006, 03:11 PM

Well, this is the Duck's take on Monday's Weekly Meeting:

9:30 BG Opens:

Right Gentlemen. We have a crisis. I want you all to present me with an achievable list of deliverables with milestones by this time next week. Those departments that fail to commit and deliver will be be dissolved and the best and most able staff reallocated to the Longhorn Project. The remainder will be referred to the generous severence clauses in their contracts.

9:31 Meeting Adjourned.

sarcle

28th March 2006, 03:15 PM

Rubber Duck

28th March 2006, 03:27 PM

Their answer to these new threats. "We will have a fix by April 11th." lol. Here's your fix. www.getfirefox.com (http://www.getfirefox.com)

Don't jest. The answer may be in the question!

sarcle

28th March 2006, 03:44 PM

Don't jest. The answer may be in the question!

Yes, I would love to hear the lead programmer on IE7 give that as an answer at a board meeting.

Rubber Duck

28th March 2006, 03:56 PM

Yes, I would love to hear the lead programmer on IE7 give that as an answer at a board meeting.

Well, it would solve the problem for Service Pack 2 users. Those without Service Pack 2 could just be told to get with the plot. I think they would now be justified in refusing to provide upgrades for Window's 98 on the grounds that it is obscelete. The tricky bit might be with Window's 2K users, but I would have thought the obvious solution would be to patch their rather desperate cashflow situation with a soft-upgrade to XP, since those with 2k machines really need to upgrade hardware anyway, which will take them to Vista a some point next year.

It would certainly solve the problem of wasting more time and effort repairing IE 6.0, which is neither going to earn them cash or quodos!

Do Microsoft have a business strategy department?

sarcle

28th March 2006, 08:00 PM

Do Microsoft have a business strategy department?

Yes, it's Billy going home and crying himself to sleep every night saying to himself over and over "My empire is crumbling! My empire is crumbling!"

I don't care what company it is. They can't keep allowing these big mishaps.

Xbox 360 didn't ship effeciently last Christmas.
IE6 is continuously getting racked with security leaks.
They can't even get out IE7 because of a bug in the downloading process.
Vista needs to be rewritten and won't ship this Christmas.

And these mishaps are just within the last couple months.

It's time for them to put the pooch down it's been screwed long enough!

Drewbert

28th March 2006, 08:21 PM

It's not like they can't afford to pay for top-notch programmers!

rhys

28th March 2006, 09:08 PM

Xbox 360 didn't ship effeciently last Christmas.
IE6 is continuously getting racked with security leaks.
They can't even get out IE7 because of a bug in the downloading process.
Vista needs to be rewritten and won't ship this Christmas.

Well, a different perspective and not to be an apologist for Microsoft by any means but let's inject a reasonable devil's advocate in this conversation:

1. The launch of Xbox 360 hardware is tied to some component shortage and PS2 had similar issues at launch, so does Nintendos DS Lite most recently in Japan.
2. Let's just say that as far as I know, IE7 is on schedule to ship. It isn't anything to do with a single bug.
3. Vista is too frickin' huge to be "rewritten" so this is hyperbole. I would believe the public statement that the slip is tied to the desire for a few more weeks of time to address known issues. Unfortunately, if you want to get a product into the retail channel for Holiday you have to be ready in Sept./Oct. Getting code complete in mid-November is not an option. Thus the slip to January for retail SKUs. Corporate SKUs still going out in November as planned, I believe.

And let's be real, MSFT's money comes from Windows and Office. Anyone want to take a guess as to what IE's P&L must look like. I believe it isn't hard to put together - zero dollars top line and a big negative bottom line - must serve a strategic purpose.

Rubber Duck

28th March 2006, 09:17 PM

Well, a different perspective and not to be an apologist for Microsoft by any means but let's inject a reasonable devil's advocate in this conversation:

1. The launch of Xbox 360 hardware is tied to some component shortage and PS2 had similar issues at launch, so does Nintendos DS Lite most recently in Japan.
2. Let's just say that as far as I know, IE7 is on schedule to ship. It isn't anything to do with a single bug.
3. Vista is too frickin' huge to be "rewritten" so this is hyperbole. I would believe the public statement that the slip is tied to the desire for a few more weeks of time to address known issues. Unfortunately, if you want to get a product into the retail channel for Holiday you have to be ready in Sept./Oct. Getting code complete in mid-November is not an option. Thus the slip to January for retail SKUs. Corporate SKUs still going out in November as planned, I believe.

Yes, we accept that and I would think everyone else would as well if it wasn't two year behind schedule already. Microsoft is software publisher that just isn't publishing.

The IBM compatible is an architecturally inferior machine to the Machintosh, but it has been maintain because of backward compatibility. I for one am starting to ask why we actually need that compatibility, if Microsoft doesn't start shipping a lot of other people are going to start asking why this backward compatibility is so important.

Microsoft was the reason that we have all been stuck with legacy technology for so long. Perhaps it is time for a change!

sarcle

28th March 2006, 09:34 PM

Microsoft is software publisher that just isn't publishing.

Yes, this is the bottom line.

rhys

28th March 2006, 09:38 PM

Yes, this is the bottom line.

Hey, I want IE7 release as much as you guys do. All my IDNs are so lonely until it comes out....

Rubber Duck

28th March 2006, 09:44 PM

Hey, I want IE7 release as much as you guys do. All my IDNs are so lonely until it comes out....

Of course, it possible that instead of stockpiling IBM Compatibles in the latter part of this year for the post-Christmas lull, it is always conceivable that someone at the Chinese production sites might cut a deal to start making Millions of Macs in time for Christmas! Perhaps Dell might even negotiate to produce a Mac compatible!

rhys

28th March 2006, 10:10 PM

Of course, it possible that instead of stockpiling IBM Compatibles in the latter part of this year for the post-Christmas lull, it is always conceivable that someone at the Chinese production sites might cut a deal to start making Millions of Macs in time for Christmas! Perhaps Dell might even negotiate to produce a Mac compatible!

It would be an interesting turn of events to be sure. But unlikely. One of the first things Jobs did when he regained the CEO title was to kill all clone deals for the Mac. As for millions of macs, I love Mac, used to have one. But let's all be real, software drives hardware guys. Go to a retail store and see what is available for a PC versus Mac. Then ask yourself if that is a real possibility.

Rubber Duck

28th March 2006, 10:17 PM

It would be an interesting turn of events to be sure. But unlikely. One of the first things Jobs did when he regained the CEO title was to kill all clone deals for the Mac. As for millions of macs, I love Mac, used to have one. But let's all be real, software drives hardware guys. Go to a retail store and see what is available for a PC versus Mac. Then ask yourself if that is a real possibility.

Thats just the point. Microsoft has been propping up the platform for years to maintain its monopoly. Jobs may have been right to do what he did then, but this could be an opportunity that won't come around again. Apple use to make their own Chips. If they could get a tie up somehow with another big player, then the Games producers would take them seriously. How long do you think a commercial competitive software house is going to take to bring their stuff out for a different platform if that is what it takes. Hell between them they could buy up some of the top Games writers!

rhys

28th March 2006, 10:57 PM

Thats just the point. Microsoft has been propping up the platform for years to maintain its monopoly. Jobs may have been right to do what he did then, but this could be an opportunity that won't come around again. Apple use to make their own Chips. If they could get a tie up somehow with another big player, then the Games producers would take them seriously. How long do you think a commercial competitive software house is going to take to bring their stuff out for a different platform if that is what it takes. Hell between them they could buy up some of the top Games writers!

Well, let's be clear that Motorola made their chips and now Intel does. Also Jobs is all about Brand and industrial design - a deal with Dell is antithetical to Jobs modus operandi. Won't happen unless Jobs dies of a stroke.

Final nail in the coffin. Software makers go where the installed base is, for them to make ports requires them to see the market potential. That is, no growth in hardware market penetration without more software title availability and no growth in software title availability without more hardware market penetration. Pretty vicious but so is life.

Drewbert

28th March 2006, 11:28 PM

Yes and those verbal "you do a Mac version and we'll produce a competing product for your Windows version" contracts with Microsoft are a real killer too.

rhys

29th March 2006, 12:53 AM

Yes and those verbal "you do a Mac version and we'll produce a competing product for your Windows version" contracts with Microsoft are a real killer too.

I could imagine a time that such things might have happened but honestly, Microsoft these days is run by its legal department - flexing market muscle like that is pure fantasy. Only Microsoft competitors can do things like that these days....