On Thu, Jan 15, 1998 at 10:09:09AM -0500, Declan McCullagh thoughtfully expounded:

What are the best metaphors to use when talking about a browser and an operating system? Is the combination like a car and an engine, or a car and a roofrack? A pair of gloves?

Or is it even useful to talk about a browser/OS metaphor in the case of Microsoft, since IE has been glued into the operating system in the form of .DLLs? Might that be more like the wheels of a car?

I might look at it like air conditioning in a car: If present, it requires significant alterations to the basic vehicle, and might be difficult to remove cleanly, _but_ air conditioning in no way affects the basic operation of the car, and cars can be bought without air conditioning. Hmmmmm, actually A/C does affect the car's operation: uses more gas and degrades performance! A better metaphor than I thought. -- Tom Porter txporter@mindspring.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "I do believe that where there is a choice only between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence." Mahatma Gandhi