NETSCAPE VERSUS NAVIGATOR

NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR VERSUS MICROSOFT EXPLORER

The above title was the search term on Northern Light for articles concerning what was once known as the "browser" wars. That search listed more than 23,000 articles, many of them from 1997 concerning the gradual approaching, tying, and eventual conquering of Netscape Navigator by Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

The term "once known" used above is reflective of a fascinating survey published by NUA Internet Surveys on June 27, 2000 which was headlined "Microsoft Definitive Winners of Browser War" ("Microsoft Definitive" 2000).

The report quoted a survey conducted by WebSideStory's STATMarket Service that showed "A staggering 86.08 percent of Internet users worldwide use Internet Explorer, up from 64.06 percent in February 1999. Netscape's share of the market has plummeted from 33.43 percent in February 1999 to 13.90 percent in June 2000" ("Microsoft Definitive" 2000). Also pointed out by the survey were these figures:

* Only 0.02 percent of users use another browser

* 93.63 percent of Internet users worldwide now use a Windows OS product.

* 2.53 percent of users use Macintosh products while 0.36 percent use Unix.

Curiously, the survey did not mention developers' attitudes toward the two browsers. For if you enter any of the numerous web forums for developers, you will find the overall opinion that neither Explorer nor Navigator is fondly regarded. This paper will explore some of the potential reasons for this dis

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that physically resides on a machine thousands of miles away. Obviously, Web browsers will play a central role in this brave new world. Since there is the possibility that what we know today as "browsers" may be known tomorrow as "operating system," then the conclusion is that such a development will fall on the shoulders of the Web developers and architects. Consider Katz's (2000) comments in her review of the new Netscape product. Using Netscape 6 on a daily basis requires a lot of time, a lot of effort and a lot of waiting, no matter how much broadband you may have streaming into your home. However, if you have a lot of time and a lot of energy and don' t mind filling out forms, you'll love Netscape 6. If you don't mind sitting at your computer playing games and reading magazines while it tries to process the information you've just entered, this also is a great program for you (Katz 2000 1). If Katz finds Netscape 6 difficult to use, it's too bad she can't step behind the scenes and see how difficult it is to program for. One of the features of the "new" browser (to see what it looks like, click on AOL, since Netscape now belongs to that company that believes "more is better.") The left hand side of the screen is t

Category: Science - N