In the war of the Web, Microsoft makes gains on Netscape February 16, 1997 By JIM BROOKS For more than a year, two companies -- Netscape Communications and Microsoft -- have been locked in a battle for dominance of the World Wide Web. Netscape was first to develop its "browser" -- the software used to surf the Web -- and since 1994 has been the most widely used one, capturing an estimated 85 percent of the market. Software giant Microsoft entered the fray much later, but with its seemingly endless resources, began quickly making up lost ground. Both companies released new browsers within a week of each other last year; both added new features -- and hype -- to the escalation. And just as Netscape has begun to push its latest generation of browser into a preview release (called a "beta" release), there may be evidence the company's lead in the browser war is slipping. A study released recently by Jupiter Communications estimated that Netscape's market share has dropped to 59 percent -- down from 75 to 80 percent just a year ago. While the company's lead over software giant Microsoft's Internet Explorer is still commanding, Jupiter predicts Netscape's share will drop to 38 percent by the end of 1997. If Microsoft makes such gains in market share, it's probably due to the fact that all new Windows-based computers will now ship with the Internet Explorer software already installed, and gives it away at no cost to anyone. Netscape, on the other hand, offers free download trials of its Navigator software. But for support -- technical help -- from the company on the product, and you'll have to have the registered version. And you don't have a fully registered version of Navigator without paying for it (unless of course you're a school or other non-profit institution). The future Netscape Navigator Web software will no longer be a stand-alone product; it will be bundled into a software suite that offers greater functionality than Explorer. While the software giants slug it out in the continued battle for your computer's desktop, ultimately it's the users who have been the winners as new and improved products come our way. ONLINE SHOPPING SAFETY. C|Net recently covered the topic of safe shopping while surfing the Internet, and they covered some excellent points about avoiding online fraud and credit card abuse. While you may worry about security on the Internet, keeping your own PC secure can also be just as important. If you keep sensitive information on your computer -- credit card information, bank account balances or other information -- you may want to use passwords to limit access to your computer. Individual users could have their own passwords to protect their data from other users of the your computer. If you select a password for an online shopping account or software package, make it as many characters as are allowed; don't write it down or record it in a common or easy-to-spot area, and change it often. When selecting a password, combine letters and numbers to make guessing more difficult. Avoid answering chain e-mail letters. And as is the case in the "real" world, if a deal sounds too good to be true it probably is. If you have concerns about sending a Web site your credit card information, contact the company or the Better Business Bureau to answer your questions. CHEAPER COMPUTERS. Following the lead set by computer manufacturer Packard Bell, Compaq has announced its move to manufacture a line of low-cost computers. These won't be low-tech or stripped-down computers; Packard Bell's C115 -- priced at $999 -- will offer a 120-MHz Pentium PC with 16 megs of memory, a large hard disk, CD-ROM, modem and monitor. Compaq's new Presario 2000 will be priced in the same range, and use a new high-speed processor manufactured by Cyrix, rather than an Intel-manufactured Pentium. Will the average user notice a difference in performance between Cyrix and Pentium processors? Probably not when comparing the machines. The low prices will make computer ownership more affordable for the millions of American homes without PCs. The low-priced PCs will also give the new WebTV and similar Web-only appliances a run for their money. Manufacturers believe many households now without a computer and interested in buying a WebTV-like unit will consider investing more money and buying "up" to one of these less-expensive PCs. The low-priced PCs should also be attractive to owners of aging 486 computers, as well as households needed a second computer. PUTTING THE WEB TO WORK. If you're interested in one of the more successful business applications of the World Wide Web, you can look at what's going on with Bowling Green-based Fruit of the Loom. Fruit of the Loom has turned the Web into a way to give its distributors a chance to offer their customers better service. In essence, Fruit of the Loom's offered to put its larger distributors in business on the Web -- at not cost to the distributor. These Web sites would sell to retailers, not consumers. The advantages seem to be many. Fruit of the Loom's distributors get a tool to offer improved service to retailers. The retailers get 24-hour, instant ordering capability. And Fruit of the Loom believes it will give the company a competitive advantage. The Fruit of the Loom package permits a distributor to offer any of its competitor's products on the Web site it supplies. However, a built-in substitution rule means that Fruit of the Loom products are automatically substituted in online orders when competitor's products are out of stock. In the end, it's a potential win-win situation, providing Fruit of the Loom with a new tool to promote relations with its distributors, and allowing distributors to offer improved service to retailers. But the key word is potential -- the jury will be out on the success of the Web for the company until the end of 1997. ORECK ONLINE. If you're a regular radio listener, you've probably heard the commercials about the Oreck eight-pound hotel vacuum cleaner. More recently, the ads have promoted the company's Web site and prompted listeners to call a toll-free number to get "the code number" for the site. Actually, Oreck's Web site, at http://www.oreck.com, wasn't difficult to find. The request to call-in is one way for the company to see how many of its Web visitors are from listening to its radio commercials. I opted for a simpler solution -- I fired up my browser and discovered the "code" (or address) of the Web site on my first try at the Yahoo! Web index site. It's a very simple, but functional Web site, basically an online brochure. If you're interested in the products the company offers, you'll find more information here, as well as an online form to request details by mail. IN THE BLACK. According to a survey of online newspapers by the Newspaper Association of America, more than one-third of online newspapers made money last year. Analysts say the figure reflects the potential of online advertising -- not to mention the fact that most newspaper's online divisions have more than one source of revenue. In addition to advertising income from online ads, many newspapers are also operating as Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and offering additional services, including classified ads, virtual hosting, real estate and business directories and other premium Web-based products. In addition to those making money, another 24 percent expect to be in the black within four years. But will newspaper readers pay for their news online in the same way they subscribe to the printed product? USA Today's stab at online subscriptions fizzled long ago. But the Wall Street Journal recently reported it has more than 70,000 paying subscribers to its interactive service. But I think the Rule of the Three B's still applies here. "You can't easily take an online newspaper with you to the bathroom, bedroom or the boardroom." Take care of the Three B's, and the days of the printed newspaper may well be numbered. Comments and questions about this column may be sent to jbrooks@myoldkentuckyhome.com, or visit www.myoldkentuckyhome.com on the World Wide Web. | HOME |