[Arkinsaw]

Boy this free software war is getting intense! Sombody's going to lose...well...nothing!

There is a lot to lose. Microsoft dominates the browser market, so it can have a huge influence on forcing standards that are favorable to it....and if it can't force a standard, it can just violate it and make it the default standard. If they lose the majority, that power goes away. Thats worth quite a lot.

[Doohickey]

In a market, goods and services are bought and sold. Opera is about the only outfit in the browser "market".

Sure, Microsoft makes standards, violates ("extends" them) or ignores them completely. Technological leaders always do, whether it's Microsoft, IBM or whoever. So, when (if) open source becomes the technology leader they'll call the shots and cycle starts anew. I don't see this as "forcing" anything. Its progress.

[Last Visible Dog]

There is a lot to lose. Microsoft dominates the browser market, so it can have a huge influence on forcing standards that are favorable to it....and if it can't force a standard, it can just violate it and make it the default standard. If they lose the majority, that power goes away. Thats worth quite a lot.

Microsoft dominates the browser "market"

Amount Microsoft makes off of IE (monthly - multiply by 12 for annual amount): $0.00

If FireFox takes over the world and nobody used IE ever again - amount Microsoft will lose: $0.00

The browser is nearly valueless - what is in the browser and what serves up the content for the browser is where the value lies.