According to the project manager for Internet Explorer Microsoft will stop releasing IE outside of the operating system. This will apparently mean that users will have to upgrade their OS to get a new version of IE (and the impacts on Macintosh users is unclear). However it seems this same decision may also be a boon to other browser developers. Certainly Micro$oft will work to ensure their browser integrates tightly with the operating system. But shops who are slower to upgrade (my company for one is plenty happy with Windows 2000 and XP is not on the roadmap). Will this enable other browsers such as Opera to gain ground as they can be updated between OS updates?

Also as a frequent user of both Mac and Windows keyboards I want a way to easily switch the position of keys. The Control key is in the same position on both keyboards but it's function is different. As my main uses of Windows are light I'd rather have it where the ALT key is so that copy and paste work "properly" in my book.