11 replies to this topic

[BCD]

Quote

We've buried $10,000 somewhere on the internet and the first one to find it, gets to keep it.

This is what Microsoft Australia is offering to its IE 8 users:
http://www.microsoft.com/australia/ie8/com...on/default.aspx I had to type that quote, since they have converted the text to image, how silly. May be they don't want to make that offer appear in search results.

So, talking about the ten grands offer, basically we need to read the clues posted on the twitter page, and search for those dollars MS has hidden. You can visit the twitter page here: http://twitter.com/tengrand_IE8.

I also heard it is giving one free windows installed laptop daily in Australia. This is just too much of promoting a product. I mean, Microsoft is so widely popular, why does it need publicity? Of course it has money to spend on such things and I am no one to tell them stop doing it. But what I think the reason may be, is that MS is trying to get back the users trust in their products by lots of catchy advertisements. What do you think? Firefox has been popular by its features and quality, not by large promotion banners.

Then today I saw this Browser comparison chart on Microsoft website. I don't know what would be your reaction, so I will leave it to you to comment on it after visiting that page.

[rvalkass]

BCD, on Jun 19 2009, 07:17 PM, said:

I mean, Microsoft is so widely popular, why does it need publicity? Of course it has money to spend on such things and I am no one to tell them stop doing it. But what I think the reason may be, is that MS is trying to get back the users trust in their products by lots of catchy advertisements. What do you think? Firefox has been popular by its features and quality, not by large promotion banners.

Microsoft has lost a colossal percentage of the browser market to Firefox recently, especially in Europe and Australia. Firefox has also been very successful in promoting not just their own browser, but the general fact that people have alternatives to Internet Explorer. Presumably Microsoft is also pushing IE very strongly because I believe they have integrated their Bing search with it, and that draws in revenue.

BCD, on Jun 19 2009, 07:17 PM, said:

Then today I saw this Browser comparison chart on Microsoft website. I don't know what would be your reaction, so I will leave it to you to comment on it after visiting that page.

was something fairly close to my initial reaction. Claiming that IE is the only browser to offer security is just ridiculous! Each of the points where IE "wins" are entirely biased decisions. IE draws where measurements and proper testing are involved. There are also plenty of areas not mentioned where other browsers beat IE hands down.

They also seem to still be pushing the idea that IE is "more compatible" with the Internet and most websites. Well, if Microsoft had bothered to follow the standards in the first place, this wouldn't really be an issue. Still, nice to see they've finally decided to follow the standards for CSS2 - only 11 years after they were released...

[truefusion]

BCD, on Jun 19 2009, 02:17 PM, said:

Then today I saw this Browser comparison chart on Microsoft website. I don't know what would be your reaction, so I will leave it to you to comment on it after visiting that page.

I saw this yesterday after coming across the following comment on another site:

Quote

I can't decide which of these IE comparison charts is funnier: http://www.saveie6.com/compare.php or http://tinyurl.com/mj38ly

I have to agree with this person, though. I can't decide either. I found them both to be equally funny. Microsoft's (recent) marketing schemes are exaggerating or giving the impression of being desperate.

[miladinoski]

truefusion, you are wrong my friend! This is the true IE8 comparison chart

http://kilianvalkhof.com/ie8fun/

Here's some busting of IE8's mythbusting:

http://www.geektechnica.com/2009/06/bustin...8s-mythbusting/

I, personally, have one word for this campaign and the campaign for finding buried treasure.

LAME!

[The Simpleton]

Since when did Microsoft not exaggerate their promotion schemes? It's been the same story since day one and it doesn't look like it's gonna change any soon.

I don't know MS is worrying so much. They already have a lot of innocent users using IE8 - users who know nothing about other browsers! And if those people are really that innocent, then these schemes won't have much effect on them. If anything, it might make them curious about other browsers, so this scheme may actually backfire on MS!

And coming to the people who are using other browsers....well some of them are brainwashed to believe that even running Google in IE can cause them to catch a virus...yes there are people like these! And the remaining small group of people are the only ones affected by this "charts". They will be left confused as to which way to go. Let's just hope they have the common sense to base their decision on a site which isn't in MS's pocket!

[Alex Cicala]

IE8 is the new IE6 in my view. Firefox has already dominated the browser scene, similar to the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray War. Anyone reading this topic please follow this link: http://www.mozilla.c...x/personal.html

And then enjoy yourself and don't bother with Microsoft's IE8.

Personally I think IE6 was the milestone, all the other versions after no.6 are all a waste of people's precious time.

[onscreen]

Microsoft may have badly done in their IE8 marketing but IE8 IMO is so far a better version despite all the "convenient" features which i find it not useful to useless. But its standard compatibility improved alot which its something i like the most.

[serverph]

if microsoft's http://tengrandisburiedHERE.com has got you frustrated, then you ought to check out http://tengrandisburiedTHERE.com (not by microsoft) and check if you'll have better luck.
seriously, with the global economic slowdown, it ain't really surprising that microsoft pounced on the idea of hiding a "treasure" out there to promote IE8. people are out for a quick and easy cash rainfall and any netizen (where promotion is valid) can be expected to grab the opportunity for so little requisite as an updated browser. not that i really know the mechanics of their promo (i can't be bothered to look at it this time ), but if it involves just a download and installation of IE8, it does not even translate to success with their browser in the long run. never mind the new features IE8 purportedly have, it may just gather dust in the system after the promo, especially for netizens who got other better alternatives like firefox, chrome and safari. IE8 can't claim back the users lost already... even with tengrandisburiedHERE.

[abby]

If they REALLY wanted to promote it and get more people to use it, they'd make IE available for Macs again. Then again, I don't know of any Mac users who would actually want to use IE, new version or not...

[Saint_Michael]

abby, on Jun 22 2009, 09:40 PM, said:

If they REALLY wanted to promote it and get more people to use it, they'd make IE available for Macs again. Then again, I don't know of any Mac users who would actually want to use IE, new version or not...

I think the Mac users would beat you on that statement, especially since Firefox and Safari are more standards compliant then IE8. Besides I think Mac users are more happy that IE is not available for them because of the problems that have plagued the browser for the last decade.

What is surprising is the fact people still use IE6 even though there hasn't been a update to browser in years and I would have to agree IE8 is the new IE6 just because of how bad IE7 was to everyone.