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« Nokia Beta Labs Contributor of the Month, October 2007: Max Waterman | Main | Nokia Multimedia Transfer 1.2 Beta for Mac »
Carlo Longino wrote at MobHappy: Nokia’s An Internet Company… As Long As You Use Windows and IE
[Nokia] launched today one of its first major services ... But apparently the “Internet” means people using Windows and Internet Explorer — and that’s it. ... The reasoning isn’t particularly important; the issue is that Nokia’s taken a very narrow view of what constitutes the Internet and its users.
I don't want to comment about this particular case (it's still in beta), but I'm sure that nobody in Nokia thinks that Internet = Internet Explorer. Such a view, in my opinion, would be like committing a professional seppuku. Even if the majority of Internet users today do use Internet Explorer, the majority of early adopters and other influencers use Firefox or Safari. You don't want this group of people to hate, ignore, or ridicule you.
For example, here are some stats about the readers of this blog:
You'll do the math.
Carlo continues:
Perhaps the bigger issue, though, is that this sort of move calls into question just how seriously the whole organization takes this idea of openness, and understands that it truly must embrace it to be taken seriously as an internet and services company.
Individual people always change earlier than institutions do. But as soon as a critical mass of individuals changes, you'll witness a phase transition in the whole - and a radical change in the output. Interesting times ahead, I believe.
Comments
Whoa, you reduced the number of posts but the quality is still really good... I like the last comment...
Posted by: Reda | November 2, 2007 11:19 PMThe good about internet is that you don't have an "institution", a hierarchy as such. That's what brings the best idea, the best effort out in the open and adopted by the mass.
To me, an Internet company is the company that gives the power to the majority/community rather than giving this power to a small minority of people. Having the right tools in the right place is just a catalyst in this process.
MobHappy's comments might be a bit harsh but they make valid point. I was also shocked when I visited the site and it said that the only supported browser is IE. This is something we used to see on the web in 2001 but the browser market has changed since.
I'm sure that most of the people in Nokia fully understand the importance of openness and platform independence but it looks like there are still some who don't pay much attention to it.
How about having a group of people in Nokia, some kind of committee, who would have to give a green light before the project/website is launched?
Posted by: Jaro | November 3, 2007 01:09 PMWhere have al the posts gone? Deleting valing posts is a bit disingenuous.
Posted by: Chris P | November 3, 2007 02:26 PMWhen I hit that page, my response was similar to Carlo's and Jaro's. I am a huge Nokia fan, but it seems at times that the company doesn't get the software side of its business. At minimum, the decision to launch the beta as "IE Only" was a major PR blunder. It also makes me wonder: why didn't the creator of that error page bring up the IE only issue as a release showstopper and/or why didn't others see it that way?
With Nokia headed into a battle with Apple and Google for the hearts and wallets of mobile customers worldwide, it has to raise its competitive intensity and software quality to a new level. I hope Nokia uses this as a catalyst to do just that.
Posted by: bruceryI think it was just a PR blunder, and would be surprised if versions for other browsers were not already in development.
IE IS the "regular joe" market leader and the de facto solution also in most businesses, so realeasing the first Music Shop in the first country with IE was not a crucial mistake, IMHO.
Posted by: Viipottaja | November 5, 2007 04:49 PM> Where have al the posts gone? Deleting valing posts is a bit disingenuous.
I have no idea what you're talking about. Could you clarify?
Posted by: Tommi Vilkamo | November 6, 2007 11:16 AMAt our design company we usually orientate both at IE users and Firefox users. I think that it's an optimal solution.
Posted by: Design manager | November 12, 2007 06:35 PM