The argument is over who should have control over Web pages: users or
content providers? I think most people, in the Web development community, at
least, believe that while the user, in most circumstances, can have some
control over the look & feel of the page (i.e. size/style of font, size
of window, etc.), the content of the page is owned by the provider.
Take this analogy: A person who buys a book will often highlight words,
write notes in the margins, etc. in order to make the information more
comprehensible and to remember major points. But, you may wonder, wouldn't
the SmartTags just be an extension of this? If the user can select the
words to highlight, as well as the resource to use in the link, etc., then
perhaps it would. I'm not sure that this is can be done. I'm still
investigating this. However, bringing in a third-party to highlight
the text and send users elsewhere could bring much conflict. What
about the sites that discuss delicate issues? If a site is trying to promote
one side, will its pages include links that send users to the opposing camp?
What about corporate sites? Will the links send users to their
competition?
MS has agreed to ship IE6 with the SmartTags turned off, as well as to
include recognition of a meta-tag that Web developers can incorporate into
their pages that turns SmartTags off, but some people have indicated that
the *user* has the ultimate control....Even if a page is downloaded with the
"turn SmartTags off" metatag, if the user has selected to "Always Show
SmartTags" feature in IE6, it will show SmartTags.
Furthermore, it is a Windows extension that can be used by any
developer. But most Web page designers are not going to know how to create a
SmartTag DLL.
However, maybe these links, being so noticeably different from standard
links, will just be ignored by users. But the issues surrounding it will not
go away and may be settled in court.
We may find out in the near future.
>>>
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 6/19/01 3:40:06 PM >>>
I could
well be mistaken, but based on the M$ Office XP info event I
attended a
couple of months ago, I belive the smart tags have to be
programmed into
the page. They can do some really neat things, but I don't
believe
a user can change the appearance of a page or put additional links
on a
page that the designer/coder didn't put in.
Can anyone set me
straight if I am wrong?
Loyd Campbell
"Billy
Cravens" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>@dfwcfug.org on
06/19/2001
03:33:12 PM
Please respond to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent by:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
cc:
Subject: OT: RE: Microsoft
SmartTags
I'm actually running Office XP and Beta 2 of
Windows XP at home. Yes,
the smart tags are in there.
However, they are easy to identify as
"different" links, and give you
several options, like company info,
stock quotes, etc. Of course,
all that info comes from MSN sites.
Easily ignored if you don't like
it. There's a number of third-party
products that do similar
things. Does it concern me? To some extent,
yes. Do I
believe it's part of Mr. Bill's evil plot to command the air,
land, and
ocean? No.
---
Billy Cravens
HR Systems,
Sabre
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----Original
Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
On
Behalf Of Seth Bienek
Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2001 1:45 PM
To:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: Microsoft SmartTags
> Has
anybody heard of this? Has anybody tested it? Has
anybody
> considered the impact this could have?
Yes, it's a
big mess. There are other new "features" in Windows XP that
are
raising some eyebrows in the legal & developer communities as
well:
Legal experts question Windows
XP
---------------------------------
The inclusion of smart tags
technology is "the latest way Microsoft
continues to use its market
monopoly power to give itself a unique
advantage over its competitors,"
[Black] said.
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2775911,00.htmlRegards,
Seth
-----------------------------------
Seth
Bienek
Digitaris Technologies, Inc.
tel (972) 690-4131, ext.
103
fax (972) 690-0617
icq
7673959
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