Curious about the current state of Vista's slated features (it's hard to keep up with, really), I aimed Safari at Microsoft's Vista pages and came up with this hilarious little game of hide-and-seek. I have to commend Microsoft for giving me a hearty Monday chuckle -- the effect is the same on the "everyone" and "your home" pages, too, but with different people playing privacy fence -- but I have a feeling that was not their intention.
You'd think users of "alternate" operating systems like myself would be an important audience for Microsoft as they promote their upcoming software (especially now that Mac users can throw Windows on their Intel machines via Boot Camp), but apparently the product isn't quite fit for such eyes. Or perhaps someone just forgot to check their work across standards-compliant modern browsers.
Hugh says
Hilarious. Scroll down and back up slowly in safari and the background moves to the forground.
encro says
I'm more scared about the copy on that page screenshot. What does it really even mean?
vuong says
I don't think they can test their sites on Safari. Company policy forbids "alternate" OS and Safari isn't exactly cross-platform either. If the page performs bad on a Safari browser, would that make a dent in the lost of audience? To reprise: If a page crashes on a Safari and no one's there to see it, did it really happen?
On that note, I wonder why Apple doesn't throw away Safari and start adopting the real rebel: Firefox? At some 10 percent of the market share, Firefox is the real contender for the browser crown.
Brian says
I'm not trying to play devil's advocate, because you know on which side I fall when it comes to Mac versus Windows, but this is humorous nonetheless: Experts Successfully Install Windows on PC
Michelle Flynn says
I have to agree with Encro - when I read the intro text, whose ultimate purpose is to efficiently & clearly sum up where you are or what the page/site is about, I had NO idea what Vista was... Between copywriting and cross-browser testing, this site certainly leaves a lot to be desired. And you would think that this international computer technology corporation (with 2005 global annual sales of close to $40 billion USD mind you) would have all bases covered...
John Marstall says
encro, I can't make heads or tails of it either. It's almost like a self-parody.
vuong, let's just say that if that is Microsoft's policy then there are a lot of employees in noncompliance. ;) And not just in the Mac BU, either.
Josh Williams says
All I know is that this lady is DEFINITELY NOT a "switcher." Can we get Ellen Feiss on the line please?
Brian M. says
It works in Firefox, and that makes sense. But why would MS take the time to make this site work on Safari? How many Mac users do you know who are unsatisfied with their experience and looking to switch to Windows? Little to none. They're riding around with an Apple sticker on the back windshield (myself included, I admit it!).
Now what impressed me about the site was how well those people graphics were clipped out. Someone knows how to wield the pen tool. Sure, the people cover up the menu but they look good doing it!
John Marstall says
Probably they don't care about Safari. But if IE were more standards-compliant in how it rendered CSS, we might not be seeing this issue at all. That was my real point.
Bas says
If it works in Internet Explorer and Firefox, but not Safari. What does that tell you?
John Marstall says
That it's important to test sites across all modern browsers. ;)
Cassini says
We haven't even covered how the next version of Internet Explorer (that will be bundled with Windows Vista) has "new" features that already come with Safari (such as a RSS news reader, tabbed browsing, built-in search, and so on).
Microsoft's "new" features in the forthcoming IE7 have been around for quite some time...
Jacques Marneweck says
That lady looks more frightened that she would rather not use Windows Vista ;)
vuong says
I watched an interview of Google's CEO last night and realized that Microsoft is scared of them. We all know that Google endorsed Firefox, directly or not, when they gave Firefox its own page through the Google domain.
This interesting liason, plus Google's sudden rise, years of update tardies, and corporate Linux threat, put Microsoft in the corner.
For all intend purpose, I hope Microsft rediscover its niche that once gave it the edge against Netscape.
We as advanced, well informed consumers certainly take the joy of bashing MS, but I almost forgot that without IE 3.0, we might have to pay $30 just to use a browser and it was IE that first embraced CSS.
Indeed MS is no fallen Goliath overnight. But its dominating presence gave indie programmers a united theme to rally behind, to have a grudge of building better software similar to those MS already offered, to chip away the market share with open-source movement, to create Creative Common in light of MS's greedy tactics.
Goliath is bad, for sure. But remember that without it, hundreds of Davids won't get along.
Qleyo says
hahaha! I thought I was the only one who saw that. I mean the vista site is pretty and navigable, but accessibility fails! It almost kills my dear mini when I scroll, seriously and I don't think that was designed in house! So if little me bothers to test on 7 browsers why can't they!?!?!
See the problem with MS is that they are like that kid is school who just always wants to rebel. Teacher says 1+1 = 2 they refuse and try to make it = 3 :s and when they decide to keep to standards the world will be a better place! especially for us developers
I think we should emulate google and KISS
Jonathan says
And even worse, it's completely broken on Linux...
Since it uses a flash object as page background, and Flash plugin for linux doesn't support objects over it.
Griffin says
Don't cross the bridges before you come to them... Griffin
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