The new Microsoft (MSN) web site, released in conjunction with
the Windows XP launch, has been subjected to criticism after it
blocked access to several non-MSN browsers. Some users of Mozilla
and Opera browsers found on Thursday that they could not access the
MSN site and were instead given the option of downloading MSN’s
Internet Explorer (IE).
After fielding several complaints, MSN did a u-turn on this
position and, the MSN Marketing Director said instead “we are going
to support the latest versions of Opera and Mozilla so people will
be able to get the MSN experience.” He added, however “the
experience may be slightly degraded simply because they don’t
support the standards we support closely, as far as the HTML
standard in those browsers.” The World Wide Web Consortium (WC3) is
the body responsible for developing universal web standards and MSN
considers that browsers not supporting WC3 standards may render a
second class experience of the MSN web site. Microsoft maintains
that any problems with access are due to the fact that it wants to
encourage people to use standard-compliant browsers.
The spurned browsers are frustrated that they run into trouble
while MSN’s own IE easily reaches the web site, the increased
dominance of IE would undoubtedly be beneficial to MSN at a time
when the company hopes to expand in to the world of web services
through its .Net software as a service strategy.
