Should Microsoft Switch To WebKit?

[wraggster]

Although IE remains the one of the top browsers on desktops (http://netmarketshare.com/browser-market-share.aspx?qprid=0&qpcustomd=0), it's being trounced on tablets and smartphones by browsers based on WebKit (http://www.webkit.org/), including Safari, the Android Browser, and Google Chrome. Faced with this uphill battle on handheld mobile devices, Microsoft MVP Bill Reiss has suggested (http://www.billreiss.com/its-time-for-microsoft-to-switch-to-webkit-for-ie/) that it might be time for Microsoft to throw in the towel on Trident (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trident_(layout_engine)) and switch to WebKit (though Reiss later decided he was wrong (http://www.billreiss.com/follow-up-to-webkit-for-ie-hint-i-was-wrong/)). But although there are lots of points in favor of doing so, there are also some good reasons not to (http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/mobile-applications/should-microsoft-switch-internet-explore/240145971), including security and a need for healthy competition to avoid having mobile developers begin to target WebKit (http://www.glazman.org/weblog/dotclear/index.php?post/2012/02/09/CALL-FOR-ACTION%3A-THE-OPEN-WEB-NEEDS-YOU-NOW) rather than standards.

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/13/01/12/0347256/should-microsoft-switch-to-webkit