TG Daily has a post condemning bind love in reviews of the new version of both Internet Explorer and Firefox. But let me tell you the real reason why I think one is better than the other.
Firefox is easier to upgrade, and practically forces users to upgrade. This means that if there are bugs in the current version, they will always be fixed in the newer version. Since Firefox is open source, any skilled developer can download the source code, hunt bugs, and contribute the fixed code for review.
Meanwhile, older versions of Internet Explorer do not force the user to upgrade, leaving old versions of the browser on unsuspecting users’ computers. Microsoft if not forcing the permeant beta culture on to users. The code is not open source, so the only eyes that can see the source code and possible bugs are the ones that Microsoft must allocate to that project.
The reason this matters is the non-compliant browsers make life difficult for web developers who need to test buggy, legacy versions of browser simply because users are not upgrading or cannot upgrade their browsers. This is really an innovation stopper. Web developers could be spending more time doing more useful things to make the web a better place. But they can’t.
I don’t trust Microsoft to force the updating of its browsers, probably because doing so means they were wrong in the past, not a good thing for old-style companies. Mozilla has no problem with this, and offers support and feedback on many platforms that goes to the developers.
We, the beta culture need to show users the way and keep them current. Microsoft will only do it if there is money in it for them, progress be damned.
I just listened to an Episode of This American Life about the originis of the State Secrets Privilege. This lets the government say that they will not cooperate with any judicial proceeding if doing so will reveal state secrets. The precedent was started with a case, United States vs. Reynolds where the Government would not hand over a report regarding an Army plane crash in 1948. They claimed it was a state secret. But when the docs were declassified in 2000, it was revealed that the secret was negligence on the part of the Army not properly maintaing a plane causing it to crash. And the secret project the Govrnemt cliamend it needed to kee secret was not even revealed in the report. Now, in cases where the Government is claiming state secrets, attorney are able to site this case as a being bogus. I am sure we all know about state secrets claims such as warrantless wiretapping of the Bush Administration. There is now a bill in the Senate, S.417, that will allow judges to decide what should be a state secret. However, there is a cluase that says the act “Applies this Act to civil cases pending on or after the enactment of this Act.” The Senate was reviewing this bill as recently as 6/25/09. EFF supports S.417. There is a link in that EFF post to take action on that page if you live in Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, or Wisconsin. I sent my a message to my Senator with the additional line:
I urge you to help remove this provision: “Applies this Act to civil cases pending on or after the enactment of this Act” so discovery of possible illegal activities of the Bush Administration’s warrantless surveillance controversy may begin.
Here is a Facebook group called Support the State Secrets Protection Act of 2009. There is a link by a member of that group that suggests that it is not even in the Obama Administrations powers to block war crimes proceeding from the Bush Administration, and anyone who does so or appears to do so is an accessroy to war cimes under international treaties.
As we move from the rigid, hierarchical organizations of the Industrial Age to the fluid, non-linear models of the Networked World, GameChangers have never been more important or essential. Whenever teamwork, creativity, flexibility and problem-solving skills are necessary for success, these players step up. They develop relationships that are good for business. They pay careful attention to details and at the same time have expansive worldviews. They are quick-on-their-feet, unflappable and in tune with their teammates, stakeholders and the marketplace. They are the top performers in any organization the best managers, the most resourceful employees, the culture-shapers. They play the game and make things happen. In short, GameChangers are masters of improvisation in business. Turn yourself and your brand into a GameChanger. All it takes is improvisation!
Disney’s refusal to not further explore the animation style of Tron in 1992 made them pay a premium to acquire Pixar in 2006. What might your organization be missing out on?
