2 March 2010

“Coding error leads to uneven EU browser ballot distribution”

So there’s a very good chance that the issue here is an honest error. What is remarkable, though, is that it exists. This browser ballot, as simple as it is, has been months in the making. The decision to do the randomization client-side, where it depends on the web browser, rather than server-side, where it would be consistent for all users, is a little surprising. But most remarkable at all is that no one responsible for signing off and saying "that’s an acceptable response to the Competition Commission’s complaint" bothered to do this testing.

Or it would be remarkable if we weren’t talking about Microsoft.