Non-news and real-news in the industry.

In the non-news category we have this totally incorrect but sure to be talked about blog....

http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/15/facebook-project-spartan/

The idea that this is some kind of end-run of one giant around another is entertaining, but also complete and utter bollocks. Anyone who actually researched and thought about the situation could see that.

Jobs is no fool. There is a reason why Apple allows HTML5 on their
platform but does not allow web Flash content.

HTML 5 is played under the control of the browser, which means they
have total control and can chose to block anything that interferes
with their business. Flash on the web is played by the Flash plugin,
and is under the control of Adobe and *not* apple. The Flash plugin
could be used to load arbitrary third party content onto the iOS
device and there is nothing they could do about it.

Jobs relented as far as allowing Adobe AIR apps because they cannot be
used to load third party content onto the phone and thus are not a
threat to Apple's control.

Microsoft taught the industry that the key to ultimate power is in
the hands of he who controls access to the user. Jobs learned that
lesson well.

Now in the real news department we have this salvo by Microsoft:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/microsoft-calls-graphics-technology-in-chrome-and-firefox-harmful/3470#comments

Make no mistakes, this is total FUD. The two "independent" reports cited in the article were released on the same day, less then 2 hours apart from each other (the writer acknowledges this correction in the comments below his article.) But it is important because it marks Microsoft's first offensive on a very real battlefield. Microsoft fought long and hard to kill OpenGL on Windows because they could not control it. And they had just about succeeded in getting the entire industry to relent and use the APi they *do* control, D3D.

But the unlikely partnership of Apple and Google have re-opened the entire fight for the desktop with HTML5. And a critical part of this is WebGL. So critical that IE9, while supporting much of HTML5, is conspicuously lacking this feature. This is a battle Microsoft could lose, they are losing market share as is to Chrome. The perception that they lag behind in features could accelerate that loss.
http://www.techspot.com/news/44078-ie-losing-share-firefox-gains-a-bit-chrome-used-by-1-in-8.html

Microsoft is responding true to form. What they don't want to do, they attack with misinformation and fear tactics to scare customers and try to kill the market for. They did this relentlessly with Java. I'm sure they have done it many other times.

Expect their next move to be an "alternative" WebD3D based on the "industry standard" (in the sense that they own the industry currently) Direct3D API for desktop apps.

What happens after that will be up to consumers.