AMO tells why IE vs Netscape
09/06/2000 12:00:00 AM MDT Albuquerque, Nm
By Dustin D. Brand; Owner AMO
We've reviewed the reasons why Microsoft's Internet Explorer over the years since the WWW/Internet
became mainstream is now the choice of 9 out of 10 internet users for Web Browsing.
Back in 1994 Netscape was the browser of choice for most, mainly
because it was first on the scene, not based on their own technology, but the technology that's still in use today. This technology
"Based on NCSA Mosaic. NCSA Mosaic(TM); was developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign." is still
the workhorse behind all internet browsers; even in year 2000. Netscape saw trouble when Microsoft decided to release Internet Explorer; their browser; for FREE, thus
eliminating the idea of paying $39.95 to Netscape just to browse the WWW, notably the worlds largest Library of information. This decision was key in the demise of Netscape's
Browser Market share 70% at the time of this Microsoft Decision.
This single step, brings us to today, where Microsoft is said to be a Monopoly, with Monopoly power. In fact
the Antitrust case against Microsoft is based on this single decision Microsoft made, with many others thrown around it. Microsoft again exercised it's intelligence in the Software
market, and it's vision of the Internet as a whole. This speaks volumes to Microsoft's dominance as a company today. Nonetheless, Internet Explorer today, in our case studies, represents
9 out of 10 Web Browsers. Is this because MS crushed Netscape by making IE free? No.
Internet Explorer is not only free, but superior to any other Web Browser technology out there today. This fundamentaly is the #1 reason IE maintains this market share over any and
all other Web Browsers period. Since 1998, Netscape hadn't released a single upgrade to Netscape, and actually just recently jumped directly from version 4.5 to version 6. Let's explain this
decline in Netscape's deveopment in detail.
Netscape Communications Inc. saw a steep decline in their UserBase and Market share immediately following the loss of the #1 revenue stream, the sale of their Browser Netscape, just after
making it FREE...like Microsoft Internet Explorer. They assembled a mass of programmers to compete against MS, and started the race that ended their life as a company. Imagine 40 programmers, all
working on the same goal..."A better web browser", and all 40 of them doing different aspects, at a different time, without the consistency of a development team which works "together". Now imagine
the stress of this on the team of programmers, the company as a whole, all while Netscapes' Stock drops. Looking for a buyer, Netscape gets bought. AOL announces to purchase Netscape for $5.6Billion
and Netscapes' stock doubles.
By this time that AOL owns Netscape, Netscape released their source code to the public, attempting to get the help of roague programmers worldwide, also known as the "Mozilla" project.
Meanwhile, keep in mind, AOL now owns Netscape. AOL uses Internet Explorer and is in contract with Microsoft to use Internet Explorer so long as they want Windows shipped with an AOL icon on the desktop.
The Netscape employees are not stupid, and realize this. This is BAD for company morale, even worse for some. This is where Jamie Zawinski comes in.
Jamie (we'll call him Z), is the main programmer for Netscape. He's the man behind the install, the magic button, the man who uploads the final product to the server, the best programmer
Netscape has, and he hates AOL. So on April 1st, Year 2000, Jamie quits Netscape/AOL. By this time, he's already ammased a small fortune, and now he's running his own Night Club in San Fransisco. Z; keep in touch my friend.
So now Netscape has lost it's #1 programmer, and AOL now owns Netscape, and AOL uses Internet Explorer and is the largest ISP in the world. You do the math.
A final note. AOL is big, very big. They've ammassed a large audience, every new technology they can buy out, and has the majority Instant Messaging market.
Hopefully you'll start realizing how Microsoft is a great company, full of great programmers, with unique vision like my friend Bill Gates. So let me leave you with a prediction of fact. Microsoft will not be
broken into multiple companies ever. AOL on the other hand has a pending merger with Time Warner contingent upon their not being monopolistic. AOL has purchased/aquired the following companies as well as Netscape recently...
ICQ (giving them the once hottest download)
Nullsoft (giving them the biggest MP3 player)
Go figure.