[svlug] Microsoft Again?

[Derek J. Balling]

At 5:44 PM +0000 1/18/01, Drew Bertola wrote:
>> For example, if you know of a way to seamlessly integrate Yahoo!Companion
>> with "whichever version of Netscape is installed" on your linux box (e.g.,
>> without compiling it in from Mozilla code) please feel free to pipe up.
>
>Are you saying that the source for Yahoo!Companion is available to be
>compiled into mozilla.  That I did not know.  Where can I find it?

No, what I meant by that was to NOT require it to be compiled in. e.g.,
right now, as it stands, Yahoo can distribute a binary/DLL which just
"merges" with netscape or IE, whichever version happens to be running and
not have to worry about anything.... with Linux, the only way to get that
functionality into the browser would be to distribute source, and let
people compile it in. (which won't happen I don't suspect)

>> Likewise, the integration between browser and streaming content that
>> Windows Media Player permits.
>
>What are they doing that's different from what Real does?  I've never
>looked into it.

The integration is such that Windows Media Player lets you include URL's in
the stream, and they act as cue-cards for specified browser panels.

>Why port IE to Solaris?  It can't be that big (20%) share of the market.

As you'll no doubt have already seen from my stats. It isn't even close to
that. I (personally) think they were just trying to scare Netscape. :)

>I still point out that the Yahoo philosophy has changed.  They've
>gotten more wrong in those 1+ years than they've gotten right.  I like
>the fact that they switched search engines, but that doesn't drive me
>to their sight.  Heck, I just use Google straight off my own links
>page.

Remember that Yahoo isn't a search engine, it's a directory. If we can't
find what you're looking for in the directory, we kick it over to our
search engine partner (currently Google, although Inktomi and AltaVista
have both filled that role in the past) to see if they can find what you're
looking for.

Directories and search engines both serve distinct types of markets... one
is better for "literal string matches" and the other is better for
contextual searches.

D

-- 
+---------------------+-----------------------------------------+
| dredd at megacity.org  | "Conan! What is best in life?"          |
|  Derek J. Balling   | "To crush your enemies, see them        |
|                     |    driven before you, and to hear the   |
|                     |    lamentation of their women!"         |
+---------------------+-----------------------------------------+