SmartTags: Threat, or Disaster?
-
I've been reading a bit about Microsoft's new SmartTags feature in their next version of IE, and while I'm not as terrified of it as some seem to be, it does cause me concern. Apparently it will automatically add hyperlinks to some other web sites, determined by Microsoft, to any web page. Does this mean that some competitor could purchase generic terms (such as "sequencer", "MIDI", etc.) and then potentially hijack customers from my website? Kind of looks that way. Other than barring access to my site by IE6 users, is there any way around this?
-
I've been reading a bit about Microsoft's new SmartTags feature in their next version of IE, and while I'm not as terrified of it as some seem to be, it does cause me concern. Apparently it will automatically add hyperlinks to some other web sites, determined by Microsoft, to any web page. Does this mean that some competitor could purchase generic terms (such as "sequencer", "MIDI", etc.) and then potentially hijack customers from my website? Kind of looks that way. Other than barring access to my site by IE6 users, is there any way around this?
Well, it all depends on the way it's been implemented. I only recently discovered this 'feature' but when a site is able to change this list for its own pages there should be no problem. But when its a static set of smartlinks, (which are set my MS alone) there should be a problem, since microsoft in essence is controling what you read next and in fact steers you to 'where do you want to go to today' - as long as it's our way ;) Programming is an art
-
I've been reading a bit about Microsoft's new SmartTags feature in their next version of IE, and while I'm not as terrified of it as some seem to be, it does cause me concern. Apparently it will automatically add hyperlinks to some other web sites, determined by Microsoft, to any web page. Does this mean that some competitor could purchase generic terms (such as "sequencer", "MIDI", etc.) and then potentially hijack customers from my website? Kind of looks that way. Other than barring access to my site by IE6 users, is there any way around this?
There should be a meta-tag you can include in the HTML file, so IE don't use those smarttags on that page... - Anders Money talks, but all mine ever says is "Goodbye!"
-
I've been reading a bit about Microsoft's new SmartTags feature in their next version of IE, and while I'm not as terrified of it as some seem to be, it does cause me concern. Apparently it will automatically add hyperlinks to some other web sites, determined by Microsoft, to any web page. Does this mean that some competitor could purchase generic terms (such as "sequencer", "MIDI", etc.) and then potentially hijack customers from my website? Kind of looks that way. Other than barring access to my site by IE6 users, is there any way around this?
-
.. why not go the whole hog (worked for stac way back when) ? Sue for breach of copyright IE is publishing a derived document without authority by changing your html. Only 99% joking. ATL Student :rolleyes:
-
There should be a meta-tag you can include in the HTML file, so IE don't use those smarttags on that page... - Anders Money talks, but all mine ever says is "Goodbye!"
> There should be a meta-tag you can include in the HTML > file, so IE don't use those smarttags on that page... It seems that there's one already. From the www.activewin.com site: "Web masters will be able to turn off SmartTags. They will do that by using a metatag and users will no longer be able to override the "turn off SmartTag" metatag" Tomasz Sowinski -- http://www.shooltz.com.pl
-
Which means that you have to put a Copyright first. Should be good for start, then wait (for IE to smart-tag your page...) and sue! :)
-
Everything you write has an implicit copyright. They can't change it without your permission.
Hang on. X| X| X| Shouldn't it be a meta tag to turn them ON!! Otherwise in 10 years time we will have to have 10k of metatags to switch off all these new + future features!! Take care, Davy http://www.scottishcatholic.com
-
Hang on. X| X| X| Shouldn't it be a meta tag to turn them ON!! Otherwise in 10 years time we will have to have 10k of metatags to switch off all these new + future features!! Take care, Davy http://www.scottishcatholic.com
Exactly! There should be a metatag to turn it on. What good would it be then, though? Who would want to turn that on? It would be like flipping channels on tv so you can just watch commercials. If I want to find something, I'll just go to google and search for it -- it isn't very hard. "das leid schlaft in der maschine" -Einstürzende Neubauten
-
I've been reading a bit about Microsoft's new SmartTags feature in their next version of IE, and while I'm not as terrified of it as some seem to be, it does cause me concern. Apparently it will automatically add hyperlinks to some other web sites, determined by Microsoft, to any web page. Does this mean that some competitor could purchase generic terms (such as "sequencer", "MIDI", etc.) and then potentially hijack customers from my website? Kind of looks that way. Other than barring access to my site by IE6 users, is there any way around this?
generic terms (such as "sequencer", "MIDI", etc.) Interesting. To me, a sequencer is something you dump a sample of amplified DNA into and get a sequence of bases out of. MIDI is a type of sample preparation for genetic analysis. If I click on a link from "sequencer" or MIDI on the Methods for DNA sequencing page and get some electronic music dingus, I would be pretty annoyed. Of course, it might actually be appropriate for Todd Barton's Music of the Human Genome. I can see some really fun "Dumb smart tags" postings cropping up when they release this technology! He was allying himself to science, for what was science but the absence of prejudice backed by the presence of money? --- Henry James, The Golden Bowl
-
I've been reading a bit about Microsoft's new SmartTags feature in their next version of IE, and while I'm not as terrified of it as some seem to be, it does cause me concern. Apparently it will automatically add hyperlinks to some other web sites, determined by Microsoft, to any web page. Does this mean that some competitor could purchase generic terms (such as "sequencer", "MIDI", etc.) and then potentially hijack customers from my website? Kind of looks that way. Other than barring access to my site by IE6 users, is there any way around this?
I really don't get the problem here. Smart Tags are not all that different from the Netscape "What's related" feature which has been there since at least NS4.5 came out several years ago. It doesn't add new hyperlinks per say. It adds a squiggly line under certain words which, when you hover the mouse over it, produces a button that you can click on to create a popup which will show links. It operates in a manner that is very different from regular hyperlinks and cannot be confused with author supplied links because they don't act the same way. Additionally, Smart Tags can add more than just links. It can add graphics, summaries, links to objects, etc... Its very powerful actually. MS doesn't monitor where you go, its entirely client-side, and unlike Netscapes "What's related" the user can modify the Smart Tags on their own system.
