microsoft: it pays to use internet explorer 8

June 25th, 2009 comments (3) stumble it! digg it! by: lambert v.

This is how things are in the browser world: Opera never recovered from its commercial days, Safari is… okay I guess, Firefox is customizable, Chrome is speedy, and Internet Explorer is owned by a powerful company with lots of money. Case in point: the big M is giving away $10,000 (USD) to a lucky (?) surfer willing to use Internet Explorer 8. That’s how they flounder roll at Redmond.

Yes, Microsoft is willing to pay you to use their browser. That’s all there is to it. Of course you could say that IE 8 isn’t necessarily as bad as the previous versions; it’s just that the browser’s reputation is so tarnished that people have to be given a little encouragement to try the latest spawn. Also, the ad that The Gadget Blog took a shot of must be an earlier version, as it is slightly more specific in terms of identifying who the IE 8’s archenemy is:

So how about it? Are you willing to join the hunt? Start here if you’re game. What? You want some tips? Let’s see: the instructions say that the prize in hidden is “a cleverly concealed webpage that only Internet Explorer 8 can view.” Hmmm. Well then I bet the prize is hidden in something like this. Either that or a page within the Windows Update site.

One more thing: wouldn’t it be funny though if someone using the IE Tab extension on Firefox found the hidden webpage? Or if we find out that Windows 7 will be sold for $10,001? Or…nah I’m all out.

filed under:  computing just plain fun technology

June 25th, 2009 comments (3): stumble it! digg it! by: lambert v.