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This Internet is starting to tighten up a bit and I don't like it. Mostly, I'm a little irritated that moves are being made that seek to pigeonhole our options as content producers and seekers. Call me the consummate conspiracy theoretician if you want to, but I say right at the head of this movement is eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY). The following scenario components may provide special interest to the fanciers of Microsoft Corp.(NASDAQ: MSFT). You may also be interested in these tidbits if you hold a chunk of Google Inc.(NASDAQ: GOOG). About two months ago the online auction proposition was dumped by Yahoo Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) They gave no real explanation as to why they were doing it. They just closed up shop. Now, they have entered into a joint venture regarding a Yahoo! search tool for eBay. Now that answers some questions, doesn't it.
Then, about a month ago I began having serious problems with image handling on the Internet. Any time the factors of Yahoo!, Internet Explorer and a digital image would converge, my Microsoft IE browser would instantly close. The only solution was to download and use the Firefox browser. Now image handling is a breeze again.
Earlier this month, eBay announced the release of a "Firefox / eBay version" . The browser is for users in the UK, France and Germany. This announcement takes place amid an aggressive push by Firefox for browser share.
Now we find out that the builders of Firefox have been "bought up" by Facebook under cover of a site called Parakey, which hasn't even launched yet. Oddly enough, there has arisen a Facebook / eBay search tool also.
So, while this happy little family seems to be quietly gathering under the umbrella of eBay, I'm getting increasing reports of Internet Explorer browsers being unable to successfully handle Internet hosted images. Perhaps it's a bit of a stretch, but could Firefox proponents have something to do with that?
I have nothing against honest competition. I'm all about blowing your competition out the door. However, I know the stench of potential monopolistic manipulation when I smell it, and from where I'm sitting, this particular situation is starting to stink pretty dang bad. When taken individually these little things mean nothing beyond business as usual. When joined, analyzed and projected upon, they could mean that your Internet is getting a whole lot smaller, and eBay just might be leading the charge while seeking to unseat Google in the process.
Earlier this month, eBay announced the release of a "Firefox / eBay version" . The browser is for users in the UK, France and Germany. This announcement takes place amid an aggressive push by Firefox for browser share.
Now we find out that the builders of Firefox have been "bought up" by Facebook under cover of a site called Parakey, which hasn't even launched yet. Oddly enough, there has arisen a Facebook / eBay search tool also.
So, while this happy little family seems to be quietly gathering under the umbrella of eBay, I'm getting increasing reports of Internet Explorer browsers being unable to successfully handle Internet hosted images. Perhaps it's a bit of a stretch, but could Firefox proponents have something to do with that?
I have nothing against honest competition. I'm all about blowing your competition out the door. However, I know the stench of potential monopolistic manipulation when I smell it, and from where I'm sitting, this particular situation is starting to stink pretty dang bad. When taken individually these little things mean nothing beyond business as usual. When joined, analyzed and projected upon, they could mean that your Internet is getting a whole lot smaller, and eBay just might be leading the charge while seeking to unseat Google in the process.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-20-2007 @ 11:15PM
Java said...
We avoid ebay and won't use it. NEVER RELIABLE and non-supportive when a sale goes wrong. If ebay persists in this effort we'll reduce our internet use. WE WILL NOT BE HELD HOSTAGE by ebay.
We will not bring ebay into our lives !
Java
7-20-2007 @ 11:16PM
firemeg said...
Wow! I think that theory blows my phantom bidding theory away by miles.
Could be true though. I still see people occasionally who say that eBay is placing bids on items incognito and that's why UID's are so numerous.
7-20-2007 @ 11:16PM
Anne said...
I STILL THINK IT IS GETTING ALL TOO COMPLICATED FOR US OVER 70 FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY BEGAN USING THE INTERNET,OVER 30 YEARS, JUST GIVE ME GOOGLE ANYTIME, THEY KNOW HOW DO IT ALL BEST, ANNE
7-20-2007 @ 11:18PM
Ben said...
I get you on the convergence subject, but I think you're barking up the wrong tree with the IE image display issues.
The only reason IE would stop displaying images properly across different domains is if MSFT releases a patch for it that mistakenly breaks the functionality. Since image display is a fairly basic element of browser rendering engine design, and is in a set of functionality that's pretty well regression tested, I can't possibly imagine that this is anything more than coincidence.
If you're suggesting that this is only happening when you visit a particular domain, then it's feasible, but still a long stretch. You'd have to do something like modify the way your HTTP servers respond to requests for files with common image extensions.
I don't really get why anyone would get in the way of image displaying in browsers, or what you're implying that they'd be up to in doing so.
7-20-2007 @ 11:25PM
aldo said...
check your PC: internet explorer supports plug-ins that internally links to the image display feature. The plug-in chain is often exploited by viruses and worms, and sometimes something remains damaged even if the virus is manually or automatically removed by your antivirus (internet explorer before displaying the image calls the plugin-virus that was removed and this may crash the application). Something like this is happened to a customer so I know (he didn't blame a intriguing conspiration like your idea, but our web software... that was innocent :) ).
7-23-2007 @ 11:32AM
Tyson said...
Your having imaging problems so you conjure up the conspiracy of eBay being some Wizard of Oz behind the curtain? Your a fool. NO WAIT! Second thought you may be onto something. My DVD drive hasn't been opening lately, it must be full of fatty foods... DAMN MCDONALDS... I'm on to you Ronald! Check your PC first next time Mr.Sattler and as you mention in your previous articles (why they give you a keyboard, I don't know) you need to get over your disdain for eBay just because you didn't make millions over night.
7-25-2007 @ 1:21AM
dick said...
so go ahead and avoid ebay (at all cost). where are you going to go? yahoo gave up because it was never a success. it was terrible. ebay may tick you off but it is your only venue that is proven and effective. and has made millionairs out of a lot of people that never would have had more than a minimum wage job the rest of there lives....
7-27-2007 @ 3:10AM
Fosnez said...
Internet Explorer not handeling images has nothing to do with Firefox, but rather everything to do with it not following bloody html standards!