Government action heats up Web browser wars
Dec.
21, 1997
By JIM BROOKS
The war for the top software for surfing the World Wide Web has
continued to heat up as the year draws to a close.
As the battle moves to the courtroom, its become increasingly a
war of words, claims and counterclaims.
The U.S. Department of Justice has been pursuing Microsoft for
forcing its Web browsing software, Internet Explorer, on computer
makers that install Windows 95 on new computers.
This week, Justice officials asked for contempt of court charges
against Microsoft for failing to abide by an earlier ruling requiring
the company of offer vendors Windows 95 without the Web browser.
Microsoft's choices offered to computer makers were a)current version
of Windows 95 with Internet Explorer; b)the two-year-old version
of Windows 95 minus the browser; and c)a copy of the current Windows
95 software with the Web browser files removed ( a version unlikely
to operate properly, vendors say).
Admittedly, these aren't real choices -- and Justice officials
this week sought to force Microsoft to better comply with the original
order or pay $1 million a day fine.
On top of the legal battles, the whole issue of tying Internet
Explorer to Windows 95 is made increasingly moot by Microsoft's
move to integrate the browser into the operating system.
Microsoft released a new version of Windows 95 to computer makers
this week that integrates Windows 95 and Internet Explorer 4.01.
It should be showing up on new computers in the next month or so.
Microsoft says the new release of Windows 95 -- known as OSR 2.5
-- doesn't violate court rulings because vendors still have a choice
of installing it or the two-year-old original release of Windows
95 that doesn't have an intergrated Web browser.
NETSCAPE FIRES BACK. Netscape Communications still has top
honors for the most popular Web browser with its Netscape Navigator.
And the company is working hard to keep its top spot, and is preparing
a "freedom of choice" campaign to promote Navigator as
the logical choice for Web surfers.
Besides promoting its products, the company will also advise customers
how they can remove Internet Explorer from their computers.
The company's Web site will prominently promote Navigator and detail
removal procedures for Microsoft's product.
One idea being considered is to replace the popular "Best
Viewed with Netscape Navigator" button found on thousands of
Web sites with a "customer choice" button promoting its
browser.
EXPLORING OPTIONS. I have used -- and preferred -- Netscape's
browser since its early days a couple of years ago. But that may
be changing.
I hadn't taken time to give Internet Explorer 4.0 (IE4.0) much
of a trial until I received a copy on a CD-ROM recently.
After installing it, I've been nothing short of amazed.
First, IE4.0 "feels" more integrated into Windows 95.
When you start the software, it seems to be a part of Windows,
rather than a separate software package that runs on it.
This "feeling" is aided by the use of its Active Desktop
feature, which makes your computer's desktop look like a Web page.
This is an option you can turn on or off.
Now I've heard all the hype in the reviews of IE4.0, but being
the skeptic that I am, I didn't put much stock in the claims.
I've discovered that the claims aren't just marketing hype; they're
really true.
In my book, Internet Explorer 4.0 is flat-out a better Web browser
than Netscape Navigator 3.03. It even tops Navigator 4.0 that's
part of Communicator.
The version of IE4.0 I installed included all the options -- nearly
50 Megs worth of hard drive space is necessary -- but boy does it
work well.
One part of both browsers that I've found little use for is the
"push" feature common to both.
That's Netscape Netcaster and Microsoft's Channels, and so far,
they just haven't become useful features.
APPLE DROPS. Apple Computer's market share slipped again
for the third quarter of 1997, according to new report.
The company has dropped from the fifth-largest U.S. computer maker
to the eigth-largest, according to a report by market researcher
International Data Corp.
Sales for the troubled company were 26 percent lower than a year
ago, the report said, reducing the company's U.S. market share from
7 percent to 4.4 this year.
FASTER MACS. The latest-and-greatest Mac processor, the
PowerPC 750 -- now dubbed the G3 -- will now be available soon for
users of older Power Macs.
Upgrade cards for a variety of older Power Macs (including the
6100, 7100 and 8100 models) will be available next year and will
add considerable speed and computing power.
Two versions will be available: an entry-level upgrade card, priced
about $500, will have a 225 MHz G3 chip; the second will have a
266 MHz G3 chip with a price of about $700.
Other upgrade products to add the G3 chip to older Power Macs are
being planned by a variety of vendors, according to a recent story
published by MacWeek.
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