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Signified files complaint - an open letter to the Web community

Posted by Robert Love on December 14, 2007 in Articles, HTML, XHTML, Web Standards

Yesterday, Håkon Wium Lie, Chief Technology Officer for Opera Software released his open letter to the Web community in which he states:

Today we have taken a stand. Opera has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission to force Microsoft to support open Web standards in its Web browser, Internet Explorer. We believe that Microsoft has harmed Web standards by refusing to support them; Microsoft often participates in creating Web standards, promoting them, and even promising to implement them. Despite their talent, however, they refuse to support Web standards correctly. For example, Internet Explorer is the only modern Web browser that does not support Acid2.

Now, unlike Chris Wilson, I’m not employed as a Microsoft apologist. Yes, Internet Explorer is rubbish, if you don’t like it, don’t use it, move on! However, I have to take issue with Håkon when he asserts Internet Explorer is the only modern Web browser that does not support Acid2.

I’m writing this post using Firefox version 2.0.0.11 - A “modern Web browser” I would think (It is the latest version!). I also have both Internet Explorer 6 and Opera 9 living in Program Files for just such an occasion.

Let’s see if the statement holds water. OK Opera 9, put your money where Håkon’s mouth is:

Impressive! Just like the Acid2 reference rendering.

Next, Let’s see if Håkon is on the money when it comes to Internet Explorer 6:

Ouch! It’s like a train wreck. It’s horrible but I can’t look away.

I must say, Håkon has certainly earned his money so far. I suppose it’s just a formality that we get the Firefox 2 rendering out of the way, I mean, It is an ultra-modern standards-compliant web browser and, like Håkon said, Internet Explorer is the only modern Web browser that does not support Acid2. Firefox 2 is gonna shit this in!

Oops!

Look out Mozilla, you’re about to get hit with an antitrust. The folk at Opera don’t take kindly to browser manufacturers fucking up their Internet, and I’m certainly not going to continue my relationship with you if your browser can’t even display a smiley face properly.

Yes, yes, I know. Acid2 contains an invalid doctype, multiple empty elements and validates only tentatively as HTML 4.01 Strict. Go tell someone who cares.

My point is; Acid2 is not a modern web page and hence should not be used as a benchmark for “modern web browsers” - the likes of which I would not consider Internet Explorer 6 to be a member (if you think a dog year is short, you should live a year in a browser’s shoes!).

Dobbers wear nappies Opera. We don’t need you to look after our rights on the web - especially when it comes to whining about a competitor and leaving you with as much credibility as a Big Brother contestant. How much (anti)trust do you think that stirs up?