microsoft
Report a problem

Microsoft Australia: Find $10,000 on the Internet using IE8

Sam Symons   on 17 June 2009 - 09:24 · 49 comments & 7374 views

Advertisement (Why?)
Here's an interesting way to promote your browser: The Australian division of Microsoft is running a competition in which you can 'find' $10,000 hidden somewhere on the Internet. As you can probably imagine, the only way to win at this is by using the latest addition to the Internet Explorer family, IE8.

Here's the steps Microsoft want you to go through in order to be up and running with this:

1) Ditch the web browser you're using. If you try to find the $10,000 with your current browser, you'll get nowhere.
2) Download Microsoft's best ever browser, Internet Explorer 8. It's the only browser capable of cracking all the clues.
3) Follow @tengrand_IE8 on Twitter for the daily clues. Clues will be released at random times from Friday 19th June.
4) Use the clue and your brilliance to deduce where the $10,000 is hidden.


Keep in mind these were the steps that were provided for someone using Firefox; they would quite possibly differ if you were on IE8. Once you've cracked all the clues, you will find a 'cleverly concealed' website, that can only be viewed on Microsoft's new browser; apparently it will be obvious to you that you've won.

So... what's the bad news? Well, you've hopefully noticed that this competition is being run by Microsoft Australia... yes, that means that it's only open to Australians. Regardless of this, it's still an rather unique way to push a browser, and it would be fascinating to know how much the download rate for the browser increases as a result of this.


Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 49 additional comments
(6 replies) #1 +macf13nd on 17 Jun 2009 - 12:42
They're pushing the release hard, aren't they...?
#1.1 Cartoondad on 17 Jun 2009 - 12:48
I also push hard when it wont come out on it's own...
#1.2 JoeC on 17 Jun 2009 - 14:20
You're doing it wrong then, you need to pull hard for that. No wonder it doesn't come out on its own.
#1.3 volvox on 18 Jun 2009 - 10:26
#1.4 Krome on 18 Jun 2009 - 21:08
lol.... pervs
#1.5 Lord Ba'al on 18 Jun 2009 - 22:20
All the pushing is futile if it is not hard
Just more dirty tricks to push that IE failure.
#1.6 FrozenEclipse on 19 Jun 2009 - 04:20
Lord Ba'al said,
All the pushing is futile if it is not hard
Just more dirty tricks to push that IE failure.


It still holds the majority of market share, hence it's not a failure. Your constant comments about things you don't like being failures, that's a failure.
(1 reply) #2 MrA on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:03
I wonder how much of their "It's the only browser capable of cracking all the clues." is to do with UA sniffing and how much of it's due to their single-platform, non-standard, proprietary crap like ActiveX.
#2.1 dr spock on 17 Jun 2009 - 19:51
Just spoof the IE8 user agent string, then have a look for any domain names recently registered to MS

Maybe it will be like an anti-acid3 test or something, and you will only see the hints and what not if your browser renders the page incorrectly -_-
#3 grewnd33 on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:06
OMG! I found the $10,000. Oh, nope . . . bubblegum wrapper. Damn it.
#4 KavazovAngel on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:08
So... what's the bad news? Well, you've hopefully noticed that this competition is being run by Microsoft Australia... yes, that means that it's only open to Australians.


Damn it.
#5 Thom on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:10
I found it!

Search Bing for "$10,000"
(3 replies) #6 Examinus on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:20
10,000 AUD..that's about £15, right?
#6.1 lee26 on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:24
haha..........not.

It's around £5000.
#6.2 jwjw1 on 17 Jun 2009 - 14:19
Examinus said,
10,000 AUD..that's about ?15, right?

after the EU gets it cut...its around £9
#6.3 LiquidSolstice on 19 Jun 2009 - 09:05
jwjw1 said,
after the EU gets it cut...its around £9


+1
(2 replies) #7 ryde or die on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:21
Im an Australian citizen, i wonder if i would be still eligible even if i dont currently live there...
#7.1 Twisted Chaz on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:28
Probably need to use an Australian Proxy
#7.2 soumyasch on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:33
I don't think they are limiting access to the competition by geo-locating your IP. More like you need a valid Australian address and may be some identity to claim the prize.
(7 replies) #8 soumyasch on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:28
http://localhostr.com/files/b1fc2a/IE8NoGo.png

Apparently, even IE8 isn't enough.


Edit: Un-embed the image in the post.
#8.1 soumyasch on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:41
http://localhostr.com/files/44085a/WhyOpera.png

I wonder why they are so polite with Opera :p
#8.2 Marshalus on 17 Jun 2009 - 14:17
Probably because there isn't enough people using it to warrant a different image, so it's the "other" image
#8.3 rm20010 on 17 Jun 2009 - 19:12
Whoever did the marketing for this one is definitely being childish. Very classy there, giving those other browsers those names.
#8.4 +Chipshop on 18 Jun 2009 - 07:46
All in jest.
Maybe there just so fed up with Opera and it's constant legal nagging that they don't even want to speak it's name hence calling it 'the other browser' lol
#8.5 lexa000 on 18 Jun 2009 - 09:16
Wait, it says 'Old Firefox' what if I went and grabbed the latest build out there, it wouldn't be old then!
#8.6 +Ned on 19 Jun 2009 - 07:56
Yeah, you would get the 'other' page.
#8.7 lexa000 on 19 Jun 2009 - 08:28
Damn, was worth a shot...
(2 replies) #9 guruparan on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:32
why am i seeing the "iphone developer" picture attached in this article ???

Update: now it shows Ms ad..earlier i got the iphone developer image as the attached one...
#9.1 Vandalsquad on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:34
guruparan said,
why am i seeing the "iphone developer" picture attached in this article ???

Update: now it shows Ms ad..earlier i got the iphone developer image as the attached one...


Yes whats with the picture?.. I live in Australia use IE8. But im far to lazy :p
#9.2 Marshalus on 17 Jun 2009 - 14:20
Must be a replication issue between servers, I renamed the picture. Better?
(1 reply) #10 +Anarkii on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:44
cant see ppl ditching Chrome or Firefox from Australia to find this 10 grand...

Make it a mill, and i might consider it.
#10.1 Quikboy on 17 Jun 2009 - 23:44
I've heard a good number of people have switched to IE8 after trying it out a bit, from their old browser, whether it was Firefox or Chrome.
(1 reply) #11 +kraized on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:49
What's with the iPhone Developer picture for OS 3.0 Beta 5 doing here?
#11.1 Marshalus on 17 Jun 2009 - 14:20
Must be a replication issue between servers, I renamed the picture. Better?
(1 reply) #12 deuz on 17 Jun 2009 - 13:52
i think the main set back..is you have to use twitter...

**** that.
#13 Akaruz on 17 Jun 2009 - 14:18
Ms Australia should give the money to Ms America , so they can help feed some Americans that are in need


I do love the use of twitter for this Operation , nothing like a nice marketing operation
#14 Dannydeman on 17 Jun 2009 - 14:34
omg I fount it! I was on a website and it sed to me that I was the 1000000 viziter, and that I win 10000. I was in Ie8 so i think i won i am so great!!!
#15 WB3000 on 17 Jun 2009 - 14:44
1) I've already removed IE entirely from my machine, not putting it back.

2) Someone will use 1337 h4x and get it first anyway.
(1 reply) #16 vetneufuse on 17 Jun 2009 - 16:00
wow I read the topic to fast... I read it as "Microsoft Australia Fined $10,00 for using IE8"
#16.1 Jay Vey on 17 Jun 2009 - 16:46
neufuse said,
wow I read the topic to fast... I read it as "Microsoft Australia Fined $10,00 for using IE8"


That's exactly what I thought it said when I first glanced at it.
#17 Sparky Marky on 17 Jun 2009 - 17:51
First thing I thought of when I read this was wondering how many phishing scams are going to pop up due to this competition asking for your personal and bank details....
(2 replies) #18 lexa000 on 18 Jun 2009 - 09:09
Its really tempting to rally up all the Aussies I can and get them all to claim they were offended by being told to either get rid of the browser they use or get lost. It really isn't a nice way of telling someone to leave. I'm sure there's something shady there, forcing someone to install a particular browser just so they can participate in a competition... though I am still unable to find something solid.
#18.1 ChazZeromus on 18 Jun 2009 - 22:40
lexa000 said,
Its really tempting to rally up all the Aussies I can and get them all to claim they were offended by being told to either get rid of the browser they use or get lost. It really isn't a nice way of telling someone to leave. I'm sure there's something shady there, forcing someone to install a particular browser just so they can participate in a competition... though I am still unable to find something solid.

So? It's Ten...Grand...
#18.2 lexa000 on 18 Jun 2009 - 23:13
Really, I just think that Microsoft shouldn't discriminate against those that don't use IE8, hell, what about those poor souls who own a mac? As mac users cannot install IE8 w/o the use of OS virtualisation software, the competition is not fair.
For the record, no, I don't own a mac.
#19 Robin.B on 18 Jun 2009 - 14:46
Tried this on my G1 phone, it thinks it's Safari! FAIL!
#20 HalcyonX12 on 18 Jun 2009 - 16:46
That's a good way to make up a bunch of false hits on tons of web sites using IE8...
#21 LiquidSolstice on 19 Jun 2009 - 09:04
My god. When the EU finds out about this, they'll declare war.
#22 bjt on 02 Jul 2009 - 21:02
I found a cool contest Microsoft is running for Internet Explorer 8 - much better than their other videos promoting the browser. Users get to submit their own and the winner gets $2,500! http://www.brickfish.com/MSFTInternetExplorer8


Last edited by bjt on 02 Jul 2009 - 21:13

Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!

Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.

Advertisement (Why?)