Fw: Opera Comments against Micro$oft

[jeffrey l koehn]

Begin forwarded message:

Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 14:49:53 +0200
From: Kathy Barrios <kathy@opera.no>
To: Joe <joe@pjprimer.com>
Subject: Opera Comments against Microsoft



Opera Comments against Microsoft:
Opera acknowledges Microsoft's decision to allow access for
standard-compliant browsers

OSLO, Norway - Oct. 26, 2001 - Opera Software ASA today welcomed
Microsoft's quick about face on denying millions of Opera users 
access to
their main Web portal, MSN. Microsoft's abrupt change of mind came 
after
hostile reactions were reported in the media from many Opera users 
who had
tried to access the site. 

Microsoft claimed that Opera users were denied entry  because the 
Opera
browser "doesn't support the latest XHTML standard," according to 
Bob
Visse, MSN's director of marketing. 

"Opera's XHTML standard is of the highest quality," says Jon S. von
Tetzchner, CEO of Opera Software ASA. "In fact, Opera is 
internationally
acclaimed and renowned for its strict compliance with all 
international
Internet standards. Maybe Microsoft should take a look at its lack 
of
respect for the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C)  international 
Internet
standards before bad-mouthing others."   

The W3C is the international body created to ensure interoperability
between technologies (specifications, guidelines, software, and 
tools) to
lead the Web to its full potential.

The irony of Microsoft's claim to standards support is complete 
when you
check the MSN.com site for compliance with the XHTML standard. 
Anyone can
go to the W3C's standards validation service at 
http://validator.w3.org/
and type in www.msn.com. The returned document demonstrates clearly 
that
not a single document on their site adheres to W3C specifications, 
and
many of their documents do not use XHTML at all, e.g.
http://careers.msn.com/. 

This is not the first time Microsoft has tried to deny Opera users 
entry.
Before, Microsoft has tried to keep Opera users out from its 
IIS-servers
by excluding Opera from the browsercap.ini set-up files. That would
exclude Opera users from any Web sites running on Microsoft's server
solutions. 

Opera Software sees Microsoft's latest behavior as a sign of their
acknowledgement of Opera as a valid threat to its dominance. In the 
last
year, over 6 million copies of the Opera browser for Windows has 
been
successfully downloaded and installed from Opera's Web site by 
users all
over the world looking for a better Internet experience.

On non-PC devices, the industry leaders in the market are joining 
forces
with Opera, and the Opera family of browsers  is currently the 
leading
browser choice for embedded devices.

"I would like to use this opportunity to applaud all the vigilant 
Opera
users around the world who immediately reacted to this abominable 
act from
Microsoft. Opera fervently believes that the Internet only will 
thrive if
it remains a structure where human innovation can prosper to the 
benefit
of everyone," continues Jon S. von Tetzchner, CEO of Opera Software 
ASA.
"All users will benefit from a dynamic marketplace where users can 
choose
from several browser alternatives."

About Opera Software
Opera Software ASA is an industry leader in the development of Web
browsers for the desktop and device markets, partnering with 
companies
such as IBM, AMD, Symbian, Canal+ Technologies, Ericsson and Lineo. 
The 
Opera browser has received international recognition from end-users 
and
the industry press for being faster, smaller and more 
standards-compliant
than other browsers. Opera Software ASA is a privately held company
headquartered in Oslo, Norway. Learn more about Opera at 
www.opera.com.   


Note: To demonstrate that Opera does not lag behind Microsoft’s IE 
in
anyway, this press release will also be available on www.opera.com 
as
XHTML in a few moments.  Now everyone can judge for themselves which
browser best supports standards. 

Contacts:
 
Katherine Barrios
PR Manager Americas & Asia/Pacific
Telephone: +47 48 19 72 73
<uspress@opera.com>


--

Cheers!
Katherine Barrios
PR Manager Americas & Asia/Pacific
Opera Software ASA
Oslo, Norway
Tel: +47 24 16 44 03
Mobile: +47 48 19 72 73
Email: Kathy@opera.com
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