The Linux, the Firefox and the Hotmail

[maverick77_uk]

Hiya,

What have Microsoft done? Thursday I feel Microsoft have struck a blow to the whole of computing and everything thats been worked on since the advent of the internet. Here's why I think this is the case.

Years ago, with the home computer, a number of competing companies made their machines and as a consumer, you chose one, and then had to stick with it. Compatibility was basically non-existant. Whether you chose the Spectrum, C64, Atari, Amiga, or PC of the time, you couldn't really communicate with the others, you just used what was available for that machine. This was the nature of the beast due to the limitations of the technology of the era.

Then came in the Internet.

At last, computers could REALLY communicate. By the use of software (browsers) and and commonly understood language (HTML), it no longer mattered what computer the user had, they could all look at the same webpages, and communicate. You could have any of the computers of the day, and as long as you had an OS for that computer, a browser for that computer and an internet connection, everything was great. Apple OS, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Unix, any OS. PC, Mac, Amiga, Atari, any computer. The internet was open.

On Thursday, After Mcrosoft gave Hotmail a flashy new look, I discovered that my modern PC running Ubuntu 8.04 Linux and Firefox 3.03 could no longer write or reply to messages on my 10 year old Hotmail account. I can view them, just not write new ones or reply to any. My Xubuntu 8.04 computer with Firefox 3.03 had a similar problem, and today, with a shiny new install of Ubuntu 8.10 it shares the same fate. My work computer, which is a pretty crusty Windows 2000 with Internet Explorer 6 works just fine. This is not a "new technology" thing. Ancient Microsoft OSes and browsers run the new Hotmail fine.

Is this the future of the open Internet? Although the whole thing is designed to be as transparent as possible, companies are going to start restricting access purely because you are not using THEIR OSes of browsers? Sure, Microsoft own hotmail, a free service, and so have the right to say who uses it. But I do think it a bit sad that a company as big as Microsoft has to start pressurising people that have been using their services for years just to try and push the ailing sales of Vista. Don't you?

[peterb]

Wopnder if it works with any Mac browsers (Safari etc). have tyou tried Opera - which can be configured to look as if it is IE? They could be using an MS proprietary protocol - not the first time MS have used such practices. If that is the case - its pretty shoddy. Time to migrate to a different freemail account perhaps!

[Brewster0101]

I hadb't logged into my hotmail account or messenger for a few weeks until yesterday. Noticed all the changed which look good, but for some reason I couldn't open my mail with attachments. I was using MS explorer with vista.... 'doh' to microsoft.

Not too bothered as only use it once in a blue moon

[Moby-Dick]

The interface is very similar to the exchange 2007 outlook web access one - I wonder if they'll do a "hotmail light" version in the same way they do for OWA.

At the end of the day its a free service, which you are not obliged to use however. There are other ways of accessing hotmail.