The Internet Browser Business...A Browser is a Browser?

Ok,
Perhaps a little Marketing 101 and a little Tech 101 but a couple of questions regarding Internet Browser and The Browser War.
First,
How does IE, Netscape, Opera, etc make money from this? I would think that is the major reason Netscape was upset about MS's Browser clone. (Principal? yeah right when it comes down to it, it's all about $$$$). Is it by advertisers? But how so? I don't see any advertisements on MS's applet. The only advertising is the internet itself. I would think the same would hold true for all others. Just because I have Netscape does that force me to go to thier site to view advertisements? I would think not. So how does distributing a free product bring them money. MS I could perhaps see because it is throwing thier name out (like it really needs more promotion j/k). I am not 100% on this but I am thinking that initially Netscape was planning on selling but then MS came along and just started giving away a product for free that another company was intending to sell. True or not?

Also what advantages do browsers hold over another other than perhaps Security (which I understand is important) and Interface? Just curious as to what you use and why? Personally I use IE and patched up and it works for me. However I have been considering changing because I think MS tries to track more than others.

Have a great Day!

Netscape made money by selling it's commercial products (server). Opera makes money by selling a registered version of it's software. Microsoft makes money hand over fist.

The big thing in the browser wars has to do with the underlying HTML standards. If a company can create it's own standards like MS has with ActiveX for example, the developers who make ActiveX controls have to pay MS for the right to make them.

And not every broswer displays the same HTML code identically. See <a href="http://www.w3c.org" target="_blank">www.w3c.org</a> for more info.

Diffrent browsers just have a little diffrent feel. Some are ez others are not. The biggest thing for me would have to be speed and security.

On my Linux box I use galeon very nice browser and very fast (it does use Mozilla but doesnt have all the crap mozilla has)

Opera is one I think AOL should take over. Opera is one that is very confusing. I do not like how they made multi windows go into the same MIDI application.

Netscape I was a big fan until 6.0 and when AOL bough them.

IE I use at work and on all windows machines, y? cause its there already installed.

I also use Lynx alot. When I connect to my boxes remotly, or if I feel like getting information from a page quickly.

how do they make money off the browser?

take IE6 for example...

Microsoft sets msn.com as the home page and your parents and grand parents don't know how to change that setting, so they have huge traffic to their site, and can charge advertisers more for ads.

the media button on IE6 points to msn and the other .net sites owned by Microsoft offering you the easy way to click on the song you like and buy the album from Microsoft.and can charge advertisers more for ads.


Plenty of MSN related links in the Favorites. (and they mysteriously keep reappearing on my machine?!?) and they can charge advertisers more for ads.

download security updates from windows update off the tools menu and there's a link to msn right there.

Are you a software maker that wants to put a navigation button like real player trys to do in the browser? No problem, but it will cost you.

Wanna write a program that uses IE components like Morpheus does? Fine it will cost you.

etc. etc. etc.

At the beginning of the browser "war", both Microsoft and Netscape were selling retail boxes with the browser software. At that time, I think, Netscape had a virtual monopoly on browsers. Microsoft didn't like this so they coupled IE into Windows. Netscape, almost over night, had a hard time even giving away their browser.

"I've already got a browser on my machine. Why would I want to spend several hours to download another one?"

You asked how they are making money. Netscape isn't making money anymore. That's why they sold out to AOL. Microsoft is making money with the tricks documented before me and every copy of Windows they sell has IE in it. So in effect you are paying for IE when you get that new machine or buy that upgrade to Windows whatever. Did you also know that IE as we know it was actually made by another company and purchased with future royalties going to that company. Imagine that company's surprise when IE was being "given" away (read: no buy, no royalties). Microsoft got sued and settled for an undisclosed amount. I believe the company's name was Spyglass. :cool: