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Mozilla and Google’s plans to develop a Metro-style version of their browsers for Windows 8 were dealt a major blow this week after it was revealed that Microsoft will restrict third-party browsers like Firefox and Chrome from accessing certain APIs on its ARM devices.
Asa Dotzler, community coordinator for several Mozilla projects and product director for the Firefox desktop browser, explained the situation on his blog: On x86 Windows 8 PCs, there are three kinds of software programs - Classic programs that access the win32 API that Windows 7 applications use, programs that are limited to the Metro environment, and Metro style desktop enabled programs which have access to the cool new features of Metro but also to the underlying win32 API that classic desktop applications use.
The problem is Microsoft has made it clear that the third category won't exist for Windows on ARM, otherwise known as Windows RT (stands for runtime), and that neither will the first category -- unless you're Microsoft, of course.
There are some potential advantages to this approach. In a Building Windows 8 post from February, Microsoft explained that the requirement for Metro-only apps on Windows RT eliminates many of the programming tricks used by Win32 app developers, including background processes, registry changes, admin rights, add-ins, and a host of other common techniques that could result in unreliable, memory-hogging apps.
Forcing all third-party apps to run in the sandboxed Metro environment will deliver a new level of security for Windows on ARM products. But it also means that browsers like Firefox and Chrome will be locked out from using certain APIs necessary for building a modern browser. According to Dotzler, there’s no way another browser can possibly compete with IE in terms of features or performance due to this restriction.
He goes on to point out Microsoft's troubled legal history with Internet Explorer and the promise the company made to developers, users, and OEMs about browser choice after its anti-trust ruling expired.
In a statement to Cnet, Google expressed its solidarity with “the concerns Mozilla has raised regarding the Windows 8 environment restricting user choice and innovation.” It’s unclear at this point, however, if either company will be elevating their concerns into a formal antitrust complaint.
User Comments: 45
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It may not be completely fair looking at it from competition, but Apple did the same thing initially.
It will depend if MS eventually elevates some of those API to the Windows RT envirnment to help give developers the access that is closer to Win32 functionality on ARM.
MS made those agree ments in light of User freedom on PC... I don't consider tables PC espcially when using iPad as the model device. It is a computing device, but a walled garden and full of restrictions. MS should be allowe to do this too. If users want more control then they can use the Intel based table devices. That is pretty much what I intend to get after the OS matures to my liking.
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if I have to use internet explorer or a really buggy slow version of a different browser in windows 8,Well now Ike, that's not really getting with the program now, is it? What will your friends think? If that gets out on Facebook, you might be denied a technology job because of making rash, anti-theistic statements like that.
Im staying at windows 7.
Actually, I probably was anyway, so windows can have fun destroying their own OS.
Although, Newegg had a sale on Win 7 Pro 64 bit last week, for a buck ten, free shipping. Not only that, I manged to score a free 1 year, one person copy of Kaspersky AV in the process. (I waited until the sale was about a half hour from being over, and the new promo was in place).. I probably won't use the AV, but it's the gaming aspect of shopping I enjoy winning.
With that said, I can't wait until Windows 8 is released, so I can buy the rest of the parts, and build a brand new Windows 7 box........
In the past I was shouted down when I came out against Vista. I suppose in Hindsight, I "got the bear" there too.
(My only Vista machine is a close out $300.00 Toshiba laptop).
I'm quite sure the general opinion is that windows 8 is bad. So everything you said is quite the opposite.
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(My only Vista machine is a close out $300.00 Toshiba laptop).
lol
(never had a Vista machine myself, it's a pride thing)
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Also, we still don't have Google Chrome browser on Android phones running Gingerbread... at all. Is Google losing sales because of it? Doesn't look that way considering their market share. Is Apple failing even though they don't allow certain browsers at all? Not even close.Just on purely philosophical principles, I could live easily in a world without either Andriod phones, or Google "Chrome". I'm certain Google would find another methodology to ram ads down my throat.
HAHAHA so true!!
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both sides have valid points. however, I don't like the idea of Mozilla disappearing in the near future. they are protecting our online freedom since a while and I admire them for that. we would have a lot more to worry about without them.
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I'm quite sure the general opinion is that windows 8 is bad. So everything you said is quite the opposite.Well Chazz, that's why they call it "sarcasm".lol
(never had a Vista machine myself, it's a pride thing)
Well, Vista basic (in the lappy) isn't much different from XP Home, and Toshiba got their drivers to work. So basically, no difference. I use it once every six months or so, and charge the battery every three. Plus, it's shiny as hell, that means a great deal in tech circles.
both sides have valid points. however, I don't like the idea of Mozilla disappearing in the near future. they are protecting our online freedom since a while and I admire them for that. we would have a lot more to worry about without them.Nobody wants to see Mozilla disappear. Just watching the soap opera between them and Google is entertainment elevated to a fine art.Google giving Mozilla money to operate and keep them as their home page, while trying to destroy them through their Chrome browser, is dysfunctional to the point of incestuousness.
It strikes me as similar to tossing the keys to your teen aged daughter's bedroom to your second husband, then telling him you're going to spend the night out with the girls.
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Who cares? Does anyone buy Microsoft products anymore?
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Who cares? Does anyone buy Microsoft products anymore?Well yes, but not you it would seem.
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Who cares? Does anyone buy Microsoft products anymore?
I do, as well as 99% of everyone around me.
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This is what happens when you make software work a certain way but in reality it's only used to be show off then to never be used again. In other words just a key feature to sell the OS however not developed at all to grow.
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This is what happens when you make software work a certain way but in reality it's only used to be show off then to never be used again. In other words just a key feature to sell the OS however not developed at all to grow.You need to polish the concept and syntax in this statement quite a bit. It might even be on topic, but there's no way to tell for sure.......
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I don't know if it's a glitch or an intended behavior.Our users should can choose the browsers we like.Not everyone enjoys using IE after all. I currently have chrome,firefox, avant in my win7, I hope I can still keep using these browsers in win8.
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If your in the EU cry foul to the commisioner at comp-market-information@ec.europa.eu who after a number of "citizens" complain may feel forced to act.
Its another case of Microsoft trying to get a commercial advantage - the ARM platform will be subsidized initially anyhow by the established users, so Microsoft should not be allowed to act this way
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Boycott Microsoft, no more upgrade of its products!
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ZOMG, THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!
Seriously guys, if Chrome or FF fail it is because THEY fail, not because MS limits their deployment.
It amuses me to watch people get all spun up by things like this. Don't like what a company does? Then don't buy their products, but don't say they don't have the right to make the product they want so long as they're not killing or causing someone bodily harm.
The whole antitrust lawsuit in the beginning was a sad and pathetic attempt by Netscape, et al. to not work harder to educate consumers why they should use their product over the one that came installed on their computers.
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The whole antitrust lawsuit in the beginning was a sad and pathetic attempt by Netscape, et al. to not work harder to educate consumers why they should use their product over the one that came installed on their computers.As you may have heard in the news tuitions are going up all over. In other words "an education" these days, costs both more to give and more to get. In yet other words, small companies can't afford to give out the "education" you're advocating.
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spydercanopus said:
The "for security" argument doesn't work for Internet Explorer. What an awful browser. And don't visit internetexplorer.com for god's sake. It's blacklisted with Spybot Search and Destory.
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Another reason to use open source software...
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I don't really know what they are worried about, it's not like Vista 2.0 is going to sell very well.
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Just like Netscape. So why do you do this? So even more people will hate you? I don't get it. Just give the people what they want and you will make money... Everyone's Happy.
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