Who wins with the browser wars? Options

[Ilan Silver]

Tonight I got to thinking about the browser wars. Microsoft is winning but other browsers like Firefox, and Safari are starting to catch up. Firefox is clearly the best browser because it's the most compatible. Safari appears to be the fastest at loading websites. Internet Explorer is the most widely used because it's built into Windows which is the numbers sold operating system for computers.

I know a lot about browsers and what they can do. But then I asked myself the question. Why? Why are all these different browsers at war with each other? Of course the answer has to be money. Money makes the world go round after all.

But then another though crossed my mind. How can it be worth it to invest to invest in making a browser? This question caused me to think some really crazy thoughts. But here is what I came up with.

1) Homepage - Some browsers probably make some money off of the default website that comes up when they first open their browser. How much money can be involved in this? I think Firefox's website on startup only has a google search engine. Google might pay them for that but then again they might not. Internet Explorer will probably have msn.com. They probably make a couple bucks on that but is it enough to support a browser?

2) Browser Compatibility sites - I remember in the late 90's - early 00's people used to make websites that would state if the site was compatible with it or not. It's form of advertising that would cause more people to go to your website (possible advertising). Although I'm seeing this compatibility advertisement less and less. I also try to visit browser sites and they usually don't have much advertising.

3) Licensing - This only occured to me after visiting the Firefox website. People might actual pay to use the browser. Although it's free to the public if a company wanted to offer it, you would have to get there permission. They can probably make a few bucks with that.

4) Bookmarks - Can you believe that people would pay a browser to actually have it's bookmark in the bookmark menu. I know the first thing I do when I install a browser is delete all the bookmarks. But most people out there probably don't. Especially those people just learning how the internet works. Although I can't imagine how much is involved with bookmarks. Internet Explorer's new browser does a really good job hiding it's favorites.

I'm sure their are more ways but it's late and my mind is starting to drift. When I started this article I couldn't think of one good reason why it is worth it to win the browser wars and I came up with 4 ways to make money. But is it enough? Can you think of other ways that browsers make money?

[DigitaLink]

Actually, the numbers that came out this week showed that Google is worth over 60 MILLION DOLLARS annually to Mozilla with their homepage/search deal. Don't know about you, but I'd take 60 million a year for setting Google as the default search engine in the search bar!

And North America is a different beast than Europe. In NA, IE might still have 85% of the market - in Europe (depending on region), it is down in the 55 - 60% range. Firefox (and free software in general like linux) are making HUGE inroads OUTSIDE of North America. Why? Because what North American business isn't bent over waiting for Microsoft to stick it to them again? There are SOME, but they're pretty hard to find.

[bytech]

I think something else to keep in mind is the open source business model. Look at phpBB: lots of folks came and went. They come on-board, make a name for themselves without collecting a penny, and get offered jobs at large corps due to their experience. But yes, deals like the one with Google definitely allow for paid developers, promos, etc.

[bytech]

So I suppose you peeps heard Netscape will be no more as of Feb2008? v9 dev was under way, but all support and further work on the browser will cease later this year. God, I already feel nostalgic!

[DigitaLink]

Can't say I'm surprised. It's been a dead browser for a few years now really.

[bytech]

0.6% is where the usage was estimated at - a dead browser indeed. Still, it's the psychological shock... My first website was tested under Netscape 2, and made with the HotDog HTML editor. That's how it all started for me.

[DigitaLink]

Heh ... I still remember pirating Hot Dog Pro back in the 90's on my 'borrowed' Win95. I think Netscape 4.x was the first real browser I remember using regularly though. Oh, those <blink > tags!!

[bytech]

Was there ever a Netscape 3? I think that's around the time things got funky with names: Navigator, Navigator Gold, and a few others I cannot recall.

I was so proud of that Hot Dog icon on my website. It was the kewlest graphic I had on the whole site.

Die <blink>. Die. Good - now stay very, very dead. Infact, when it comes to the blink tag, I almost wish there was a hell so we could stick it there for ever.

[DigitaLink]

It can't be THAT bad ... they added it in CSS. At least I'm pretty sure I saw it there ... yep. {text-decoration:blink} (http://www.htmlhelp.com/reference/css/all-properties.html#text-decoration)

It shall never die!! NEVER!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....!

[bytech]

There's a good retort to that one somewhere... let me think.

[bytech]

Aha: Evil, evil, Microsoft.
Argue with that Linky!

[DigitaLink]

What's to argue? Microsoft ... double evil ... spot on the money. <blink >

[bytech]

<blink> Microsoft </blink>
Ha!