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Microsoft Greases Palms, Kills Netscape? |
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 Microsoft yesterday settled a lawsuit with AOL/Netscape by agreeing to pay $750 million. You remember that lawsuit don't ya? The one where Netscape claimed Microsoft used it's monopoly of the market to force it's crappy web browser (I think it's called Internet Explorer) on everyone, thus almost driving Netscape into extinction?
It's good to know that a big company can use it's leverage and money to force other people out of the market and then use the money they make to settle any disputes afterwards. Ah, the wheels of capitalism. I don't sound cynical do I?
Anyway, AOL gets some other perks out of the settlement, including a "seven-year royalty-free license of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser", use of Microsoft's Windows Media 9 software, plus MS will also use it's massive power to cluster bomb the entire world with AOL CD's. Ah well, at least people in third-world countries will have coasters now.
Meanwhile, what MS gets out of the deal is that it will expand it's Windows Media format by pushing it on unsuspecting AOL users, and AOL will also play nice and work on ways for the AOL and MSN instant messanger clients to interoperate (something that MS has been wanting for years).
The unfortuante side-effect of all this is that Netscape will be all but forgotten about. With Internet Explorer as it's main browser, it's hard to think that AOL will devote any time or money to developing Netscape.
The afore-linked CNN article talks a little about the fate of Netscape, but people at AOL are kind of dodgy about the topic. AOL Time Warner's CEO, Richard Parsons, "was vague about the future of Netscape beyond maintaining it as a subsidiary under AOL." Parsons said during a conference call that, "AOL Time Warner had no plans to shut down or get rid of the unit."
However many analysts, including David Hilal of Billings Ramsey software, think it's a foregone conclusion that this is the final nail in Netscape's coffin. Hilal pontificated that "Netscape is less and less of a priority for AOL Time Warner, and this is just another step in the slow sun-setting process of Netscape Navigator."
Whatever happens to Netscape, we as Mac users luckily have such things as Safari and Chimera. Whether you use Netscape or not though, it's will be kind of sad to see the Grandfather of all browsers (I consider Mosaic to be the Grandmother) fade into oblivion.
<tear> |
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May 30 2003, 9:17 AM EDT, by
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Comments:
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| klasseng |
5/30/03, 12:07 PM EDT |
Alternate Headline:
Microsoft Pays AOL to use Microsoft products: Windows Media Player. MSN IM and WMP.
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| Dr. Triffid |
5/30/03, 12:42 PM EDT |
Alternate Headline:
Microsoft Meets Its Original Goal for Pocket Change
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| iKen |
5/30/03, 3:16 PM EDT |
Didn't I read something lately about AOL going with quicktime in a future release?
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| stickman67 |
5/30/03, 9:24 PM EDT |
So Bill Gates plays "Taps" over the corpse of yet another fallen soldier. Should the 21-gun salute be aimed at the chest of the bugler?
Requiescat in pace, Netscape! You fought the good fight ...
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| rlhamon |
5/30/03, 10:39 PM EDT |
Odd as this lawsuit was AOL doesn't use Netscape on their software package. This is just a sad ending to AOL fubar buyouts the past 3 years. Face it Microsoft bought AOL for 750 million. good buy Bill.
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| Fred Waters |
5/30/03, 10:59 PM EDT |
I like the fact that they're doing this. It will just add more to the big picture of how Microsoft operates. Then one day when another antitrust trial is held, perhaps there will be some justice.
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| HTML Samurai |
6/2/03, 10:30 AM EDT |
Looks like I'll be going back to mozilla!
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