The Big Wave Blog

Here is the latest from Browserland (my new word of the day): What’s Google got to do with it, you ask? Hold that thought, and I will get back to answer it in a bit.

First, welcome to the world as viewed through IE8.

Here are some of its features:

• Full compliance with CSS 2.1, HTML 4.01, as well as steps toward implementing HTML 5. In simpler terms, Microsoft is putting support for established Web standards as its first page-rendering choice, and Microsoft-specific standards only after that. Simply put, they put themselves second..wow.

• Accelerators that allow you to take rapid action on any selected word or phrase on a website (ex: generate maps, directions) without leaving the page. Very nice.

• Browsing “InPrivate”- Microsoft IE8 feature that enables users to browse the web without leaving traces of browsing history, URLs visited, or search queries. Basically, it erases all signs of websites they viewed.

Ah, welcome to “Porno Mode”!

How convenient! Can you imagine the relief pornography surfers are about to experience?

Several tech magazines have dubbed InPrivate “Porno Mode.” However, jokes aside, Microsoft is not really trying to accommodate privacy nuts or porn connoisseurs. The real target here is Google. Now I’m coming back to my opening statement about arch-nemesis Google. Guess what else “InPrivate” browsing blocks? Answer: Google Analytics. This is a very well executed sneak attack on one of my favorite (free) analytics programs.

But wait… Google Chrome is here!

I mentioned in my previous post that Microsoft already has over 70% of the browser market. By blocking Google Analytics, they can now inflict some major pain on search engine marketing agencies and individuals using it to track performance of their campaigns.

IE 8 mission accomplished? Not really….

Google, the master of preemptive strikes, released a beta version of its own browser to rival Internet Explorer and Firefox. It’s called Chrome (Download here to take it for a spin).

On the surface, the main reason for launching Chrome may appear to be blocking Microsoft from gaining entry into the online advertising marketplace via IE 8. But if you think harder, it becomes clear that that the real pie in the sky for Google is to rid the world of the Windows operating system. Chrome has been hailed as a wonderful reader of a programming language called JavaScript.

Google thinks of Chrome as more than a plain web browser - it’s a platform for running web applications. They are on a clear mission here to end Microsoft’s world domination and establish their own.

Now the readers can see how deep the rabbit hole is when Alice tries to enter Browserland!