Download: True Story of the Internet
Browser War
Early 1990’s the Internet was an obscure research network.
Fall 1993
Marc Andreessen is the co-creator of the first browser Mosaic.
Mosaic was developed at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA, University of Illinois, beginning in late 1992. NCSA released the browser in 1993, and officially discontinued development and support on January 7, 1997.
Jim Clark is the co-founder of Netscape with Marc Andreessen, the first commercial browser.
Microsoft didn’t quite get the importance of “the Web.”
By 1993 about 90% of the world’s computers were running Microsoft Windows.
1994
October 13, 1994 Netscape launched its web browser Navigator.
The Internet age had begun and it had nothing to with Microsoft.
In 30 days, 90% of the people who were on the web had switched from Mosaic to Navigator.
Microsoft began to imagine (fear) a future where the browser could be an alternative platform to Windows.
1995
The Anti-Trust lawyer Gary Reback was hired by Netscape.
August 1995 Netscape went public (IPO) igniting the Internet boom for the rest of the decade.
Netscape violated one of the Silicon Valley’s cardinal rules, don’t moon the giant.
Microsoft created a web browser of its own, Internet Explorer.
1996
Microsoft’s plan was to analyze Netscape’s every move and imitate it.
Microsoft used certain sales tactics to keep manufacturers from installing any other browser besides Microsoft Internet Explorer. (IE)
1997
Netscape needed to make a profit, so Microsoft did something extraordinary, giving IE away for free, bundling it with its operating system.
By September 1997 the browser wars were over and Microsoft had won.
1998
U.S. Department of Justice launched an Anti-Trust lawsuit against Microsoft.
2000
June 2000, Federal Judge found Microsoft guilty recommending that Microsoft be split-up in two
A Federal Appeals Court decided the verdict was too harsh and reversed the order.