Wednesday 19 December 2007

A reason why IE truly sucks

I have Hotmail (sorry, Windows Live mail) open and am composing a message to a friend, a response to an invite to his for beers and televisual entertainment. The email includes various examples of 'Oooh! I'll put that in.' because a few noteworthy things have happened in the last couple of days.

I need an image for a project at work, so I have another instance of Explorer running with a pageful of Google image results, several of which look quite promising and useful.

Now I need to figure out how to pass GET variables from a Flash movie to a PHP script. So I spawn another instance of IE and Google an appropriate phrase then follow a link to Adobe's website. Which must have dodgy Flash or Javascript on it, because IE promptly hangs.

Ok, I'll just go away and leave it to it. Let it clear its mind enough to — horror of horrors — render a web page.

I go back to Firefox (which I use for casual — read serious — browsing at work) and do digg for a short while. Heading back over to IE, I give up and close Adobe's window and click the End Now in response to IE having soiled its underwear.

I simultaneously, and without warning, lose my email message, my Google images and of course the Adobe page.

Imagine if those three windows had had several tabs each open, as well? And what's with locking the whole of IE, even if only one of the tabs is in the grips of some awful modal dialogue?

Internet Explorer SEVEN.

How many times does Microsoft insist on overlooking these awful problems with one of the worst web browsers on the market?

Monday 3 December 2007

Gillian Gibbons — Free

I can't imagine what would have happened if a British child had named a teddy bear (named — don't forget — after Theodore Roosevelt) Jesus.

I know that there are different and lesser issues at stake. This is after all about Christianity vs Muslim.

But why should it have to be about anything vs anything? I think an important step towards a larger community has been taken by Sudan's president today. I just hope this gesture of goodwill isn't forgotten in a hurry.

However, the naming of a teddy bear (as in the context of a child's fluffy comfort toy) should hardly be the subject of international outrage, let alone calls for the poor teacher's execution. I am sure that there were no malicious political or religious motives behind the naming (by the class, don't forget) of the toy and I am more hopeful after hearing news of the pardon that such an incident will not appear as reprehensible to Sudan's future generations.

Here's to a smaller world!