Ray Van Eng (09/03/96)
| Are we interested in the browser war between Netscape and Microsoft?
Tell you the truth, no. But we have to pay attention to it.
From the battle of the titans and the positions that they take, we just might have a rare glimpse of what the future of the Internet may bring and that's where our true interest lies. However, the latest Netscape-Microsoft saga has taken a somewhat entertaining turn. It seems a little ludicrous to see the current browser champ - Netscape - who has such a wide market lead accusing its challenger of using anti-competitive practices. Netscape charged that Microsoft is acting unfairly by packaging the IE 3.0 into the Win95 and WinNT platforms and making bundling deals with other vendors to offer the IE 3.0 to end-users. Netscape is so serious about going after the Redmond software giant that they are actually presenting the case to the Departmnent of Justice. This spells paranoia on Netscape's part. Of course, Microsoft has vehemently denied Netscape's allegations and called its opponent's tactics a publicity stunt. The Department of Justice meanwhile is mum about the matter and would only confirm that the anti-trust investigation of Microsoft's business practices is an on-going one. Well, all that may not matter much. It may only be a short few months before the browser as an independent tool as we know it will become a thing of the past. Microsoft is making sure that this will happen in time. In a short time that is, since Microsoft desperately wants to diminish the dominance enjoyed by Netscape now. Microsoft has openly stated that the next major upgrade to the Internet Explorer will be one that is an integral part of the operating system (OS). This would allow somone to use the IE 4.0 to search through his or her own local hard disk as easily as surfing around the world wide web. Under this scenario, the PC and the Internet would truly become one. While Microsoft is preparing to melt browser features into the Windows OSes and promising a public beta of the IE 4.0 (code named Nashville) sometime in October this year, Netscape is working diligently to break the Navigator apart, taking a modular approach so that users can pick and choose whichever features they like to customize their browsers to suit their needs. Not to be outdone by Microsoft, Netscape has also promised that future Navigators would also provide anyone with the ability to browse his or her own local hard disk. Although Netscape is not being specific about which part of their browser would be made into plug-in components, they are hoping that the Navigator's wide OS platform support (more than 15 in all) would still make their browser the people's choice. In any case, we shall find out by the end of this year when Netscape will post a beta of the Navigator 4.0. All in all, we have to give credit to Microsoft for playing the catch-up game so well. In the beginning of this year, they were being perceived as lagging so far behind in the Internet arena that some people were rejoicing the prospects of a diminished influence from a company who gave us a whole new dimension to the word 'Windows'. Well, welcome to fourth quarter of 1996. There is the increasing likelihood that we just might have to sleep with a even more mighty software giant from the rain-forest of the Pacific Northwest in the next millennium as the power of the Internet is making make such a paradigm shift that is affecting everything that we do, in our personal and professional lives. So what is Netscape going to do now that they are feeling the heat from their major competitor? Well, they are trying to leverage their expertise in Internet technologies, cultivate a brand new market and thereby changing the rules of the game. A smart move! Netscape has probably realized that you just can't win in a marketplace where your competitor is offering a similarly capable product for free. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has often been quoted as saying that the Internet Explorer is available at no charge now and at any time in the future while Netscape is still making a profit by selling their Navigator to users at about $49 a pop. In a market as shifty as the Internet, Netscape is quickly moving their resources into developing new technologies that may bear fruit in the future. These days, Netscape's corporate eyes are roaming onto new horizons. The Internet will still be the focal point, but the sight is set way beyond the PC as an Internet access medium. For example, the much touted Network Computers and consumer devices that are christening the union between the web, television and telecommunication are two of the hottest technologies around. Netscape is betting that these two new kids on the block will someday grow up to be a pair of Arnolds the Terminator capable of crippling the PC-Internet Twins who are running the show on earth right now. So how does Netscape intended to go about pursuing this goal? A new company known as the Navio Communications Inc. is formed and headed by Dr. Jim Clark, chairman of Netscape Inc. as the chairman of the new company and Dr. Wei Yen, former Silicon Graphics Inc.'s senior vice president of products and technologies as the president and CEO. With these two Californians heading up the new venture, we just might find ourselves entering an exciting new era in Internet communication. "We have a vision of what the Internet can become tomorrow," said Dr. Clark, "Navio will help us realize that vision by extending Netscape's cross-platform Internet software to a potential base of more than 500 million consumer and non-PC devices over the next five years. The Internet already is transforming the way people work... it will transform the way people live." Dr. Yen explained further, "Navio's mission is to enrich the lives of people by delivering Internet technology to the new universe of consumer and non-PC devices, including TVs, game devices, network computers, phones and cars... The focus of the Internet over the years is reflected in its popular suffixes: ...today it is the domain of businesses (.com); and tomorrow, it will be the domain of individuals (.idv)." Since Netscape has built a name for themselves as a leader in Internet technology conforming to open standards, many leading computer firms and big name players in the consumer electronics field such as Nintendo, Sony, Oracle, IBM, NEC and others are looking forward to incorporate the Navio technology. Navio plans to scale down the Netscape Navigator which is hardware independent, to make it into a more simple and easily adaptable unit to meet the requirements of various consumer computing devices. The new line of consumer-oriented products that these companies have envisioned could finally drive the reach of the Internet to those who may find the PC a little restricting and less suitable for fun, games and learning for the whole family. This would also mean that much of today's web content will have to undergo major changes in order to accommodate the requirements of these new users and new forms of expressions for entertainment, advertising, education and communication. So there you have it. Stay tuned and keep your eyes peeled. A new era of Internet interaction may be just around the corner and the current turf war of the browsers will be over before you realize who the winner is. It is an exciting time to be alive. |
