Re: Microsoft bootlicker sues Netscape

[Sujal Shah <sujal@jhu.edu>]

On Mon, 27 Apr 1998, Linux Idiot wrote:

> The fact the the programmer used a string or variable called inferior is
> a reflection of the programmers belief, or sense of humor.  Either way,
> there's more to it then just identifying browsers.  We do it as well,
> but we don't label IE "piece_of_os_crashing_shit" although that does
> reflect my personal opinion.

But that doesn't equate it to racist distribution of content.  Here is a
situation in which there is an objective evaluation of features, not a
subjective issue, and not an issue of institutionalized hate.  

It IS a representation of the owners opinions, but MANY other sites use
scripts LIKE the one presented for beneficial purposes.  For example, you
woulnd't expect a blind person to be able to handle a normal Times
newspaper, would you?  You would adapt to their abilities.

> Sure it is, go check out the gaming zone.  It's MS sight that will tell
> you up fron that they don't support non MS OS or non MS browsers. 
> Equality my ass.

Yes, because they don't want to.  And that's equivalent to racism ("we
don't serve you even though you are an equal).  That would be the
equivalent of institutionalized racism.  And you should rail against MSFT
for doing that.

The script (and those like it) don't inherently have a purpose, just their
implementation of it.  My point was that just because people put scripts
lieke that into their pages doesn't mean that they are evil people with
some sort of agenda.  I use scripts like that to make sure my content
looks its best on everyone's browser.  I use Lynx, Opera, HotJava, and
several other "alternative" browsers in addition to Netscape and I like
having content look the same or at least as close to the same as possible.

> > > Another thing: As I understand it, a script like that is a set of
> > > instructions to the browser. It is executed on the user's machine,
> > > taking control from the consumer and giving it to the supplier.
> > >
[SNIP]
> You are totally wrong here.  This script segment is designed to identify
> the browser, therefore it must run on the client side.  It has nothing
> to do with processing power available.

You're ABSOLUTELY wrong.  There is nothing that requires the script to be
run on the client side for that purpose.  If you wanted to screen your
site, for example if you were Microsoft, you could have your ASP
technology take care of that on the server.  

Even a CGI program could take care of that since every connection by most
browsers reports what type of browser is making the connection.  I have
several older PERL scripts, and C/C++ CGI's which all take advantage fof
that feature.

There is NOTHING that requires it to be on the client side to make that
determination.  The reason they use JavaScript is so that they can ease
the load on their server (imagine spawning a process in addition to each
connection just to check the browser type).  There's just no need for that
overhead.

JavaScript in and of itself isn't there to take control "away from the
consumer" but instead is there to speed up the browsing experience for
EVERYONE (supplier and consumer alike).

> You need to be a bit more accurate when calling someone else paranoid.
> Some of your facts are just plain wrong.

Which facts are incorrect?  I've answered everything in your post. :)

Sujal

> 
> > 
> > Opera, Netscape, and competition forever.
> > 
> > Sujal
> > 
> > > Lynx forever.
> > >
> > > Daniel N. Strychalski                      dski@cameonet.cameo.com.tw
> > >
> > 
> > ------ Sujal Shah ---- sujal@jhu.edu
> > 
> >    http://dan.hcf.jhu.edu/sujal/
> > 
> > PGP Public Key: finger sujal@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
> >                             or
> >                 http://dan.hcf.jhu.edu/sujal/
> 
> -- 
> Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric@atlnet.com
> 
> NT is secure.... as long as you don't remove the shrink wrap.
> Want to speed up your NT box real cheap?  Replace NT with Linux...
> 

------ Sujal Shah ---- sujal@jhu.edu

   http://dan.hcf.jhu.edu/sujal/

PGP Public Key: finger sujal@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
		            or
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