Topic awaiting preservation: Is this the end of Netscape?

http://www.nytimes.com/cnet/CNET_2100-1032_3-1011356.html

can't get to the story because we aren't members


.::. cEll .::. 513

Its syndicated, It originally came from here.

Here is more about the settlement.

AOL made out pretty well on this, and I certainly won't miss netscape.

--tiki

p.s. Ramm you only have to register a NYT, It doesn't cost anything.



[This message has been edited by tikigod (edited 05-30-2003).]

I was watching the ABC news this eveing and they where talking about this settlement. But there was also a note at the end of the story which said that AOL Time Warner & Microsoft are looking forward to working together. Does this simple little statement mean that AOL is going to be invading our next computer purchases? Asuming we buy a Windows based system Me personally, I'm switching to MAC, but I'm sure it won't be long before Mircosoft and AOL invade that area too. Any thoughts on this anyone?

I thought AOhelL had already invaded our computer purchases... Just about every new computer I've had my hands on in the last few years has had some free AOL service incorporated into the setup in Online Services...

It's not at all surprising that the 2 are starting to work together now... If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!


Bodhi - Cell 617

Holy cow do you know what that could mean??!!??! Crap. Could have ment....two years ago. If it was two years ago it could have ment we would all be using the same browser, boy what alot of headaches that would have saved.



- Face the Present
- AIM: MASKKKK

01001101011000010111001101101011011010110110101101101011

*sigh*

I'm guess I'm the only one that kinda liked Netscape. In fact I've been using NS 7 quite exclusively lately.




-Chesta

The mozilla project will continue though right?

Did AOL actually own Mozilla or just Netscape?... I was never really quite to sure what the deal was here but I was under the impression that Mozilla was a free open source project, or do they recieve funding from AOL? I've never seen any AOL branding on any of the Mozilla sites, just Netscape.

If that's the case then I honestly couldn't care less weather or not Netscape survives. I always used Mozilla / Firebird because I couldn't stand all the extra crap that came with Netscape.

This is bad, though, in that it gives people one more reason to use IE over Netscape/Mozilla.

*pees on Nutscrape's grave*

quote:

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we would all be using the same browser, boy what alot of headaches that would have saved.

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Nowhere near as many as it would cause...

one browser is *not* what we want...especially with MS at the wheel...

I doubt this will change things very much. AOL-TimeWarner has neglected the entire Netscape suite since purchasing them. The company could have easily revived the browser war and brought back Navigator as a contender. They didn't and now Microsoft dominates the field.

Navigator's demise won't effect the Mozilla project. Those currently using Navigator won't be switching back to Internet Explorer, they'll opt for Mozilla, Opera, etc.

Netscape went under when AOL-TimeWarner purchesed them.

Jestah

heh, so now maybe IE will hit the shitter, although doubtful.

Jestah - I agree completely, but I think it was at least hopeful that they would have kept Netscape strong and made a more competitive market.

It's not important what would have developed in NN, but the effect it would have had on the browser market would have been positive. MS having yet more control is just bad. =(

Ah well.

Nah, MS doesn't want to keep a competitive markt in that respect. Think about it: you have x millions of AOL users all using one browser plus x millions of people using the same. Now, with DRM becoming a big topic, most of the contents on the net 'll go commercial. Who do you think is going to profit from this? The company with the largest share in total browser usage, because they will be controlling direct access to the content (via the browser).

Netscape is dead already. The mozilla project may continue if free programmers take over (right now, netscape programmers still make up the majority). Opera is a very good alternative (great browser), but will they be able to stand up against MS? I don't think so. The whole issue will (again) be left up to the Linux / Open Source community. However, THESE people are AGAINST using one tool for one purpose. You won't find a collection of efforts in just one browser in that community.

What this means is: MS has one the great browser war. May Netscape rest in peace and may the net gods have mercy on us all!

Sniggy the Cat

PS: Personally, I think one browser ruling / dominating without any opponents is bad, too. Just look at VML: the W3 consortium has ditched both VML and PGML and created SVG as a standard for the Web. However, MS went on and implemented their proposal (VML) for the Internet Explorer. Now, how stupid is that? SVG is far better than VML, yet MS wanted to go ahead, thinking "oh well, our browser is the most popular anyway. so we'll just create a de facto standard" This is what sucks MOST about MS politics. They don't like to play with all the other guys on the field...

[This message has been edited by Sniggy (edited 06-01-2003).]

quote:

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Nah, MS doesn't want to keep a competitive markt in that respect

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Well, obviously.
Didn't say anything about what MS wants...

My point is that whoever owns the rival to the monopolizing browser should feel an obligation to keep it strong to ensure competition, and in turn open the door for smaller browsers to make more of an impact.

Microsoft have now said that they wont be making any more standalone versions of IE:

quote:

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Q: when / will there be the next version of IE?

A: As part of the OS, IE will continue to evolve, but there will be no future standalone installations. IE6 SP1 is the final standalone installation.

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http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/itcommunity/chats/trans/ie/ie0507.asp
This leaves Mozilla/Firebird a much greater opportunity to make inroads, this seems like a strange move for MS...

I just installed Netscape 7. Why? Well for one reason. I recently had a hard drive crash, and after getting everything up and running again, come to find that XP no long supports Java in some form, and a bunch of sites where giving me the Virtual Java Machine error. But the problem was that every time I went to download it, I got a nice page from Microsoft saying they no longer support Java, or something like that. I figured seeing as Netscape is hooked up nicely with Sun systems down the road somewhere, that I should install Netscape, the newest version and see how it goes. So far so good, but you can really see the AOHell stronghold all over the place. And why does AOHell insist on installing a trial membership? I really hate that part. I don't want AOHell, I don't want it I tell you. I'm going to give Netscape a go for a few days and see how it feels. Hey maybe it'll be good. Who knows.

Will MS continue IE for the Mac?...

I remember the day that AOL purchased Netscape and someone said that put the final nail in Netscape's coffin. It would seem that was a very accurate statement. AOL never supported it properly and it was already in trouble when they got it. Oh well. Without competition against MS, I echo DL's concerns that this could be a turn for the worse in the world of browsers.

. . : slicePuzzle

Possibly, but browsers will still need to comply with what designers want, let's just hope the w3C standards push holds up. And with the growing list of web enabled personal devices, there are still many many reasons not to go against the standards.

MS will likely release proprietary technologies pimping them as standards, but they've been doing that since IE3 so honestly, what's likely to change all of a sudden?

Besides, most Mac users that don't currently use IE will either switch to Opera, Mozilla or Safari. *nix users will keep using Mozilla or that god awfull KDE browser and the PC useres that currently use Netscape instead of Mozilla might switch to IE. Probably a grand smacking 2-3%. Weather AOL could revive netscape or not, it doesn't really change the fact that IE has had more than a 90% market share for the past 2 years.

Netscape died when IE 5 came out. Then it's grave was shat on when IE 5.5 PC and 5.1 Mac was released. By the time Netscape 6 came around everyone had moved on. I just honestly don't see how this actually changes anything. Forcing a bunch of AOL users to use Netscape wouldn't have been a serious threat and hardly anyone actually uses NS7 anyways. The way I see it, we were already in a crappy situation.

quote:

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but browsers will still need to comply with what designers want

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That's a nice thought...but if someone doesn't offer some serious competition to IE, it's not going to be the case.

Look at MS' track record on doing what "people want" of them so far...

There are obviously plenty of *good* browsers available...the problem is that to the average joe they're not all that *available* in that they are not promoted much outside of the web-savvy or design communities.