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  • From: "Michael D. Thomas" <mdthomas AT mindspring.com>
  • To: "InterNetWorkers" <internetworkers AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: AOL And The New Browser Wars (link)
  • Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2002 15:46:12 -0400


Article takes the stance, "why should AOL bother using Mozilla," which
mystifies me a bit. Maybe the AOL spokespeople had hangover tongue. Seems
pretty straightforward to use a comparative technology that you own vs. one of
a competitor.

Regardless, I find this positive for the web client space b/c it makes it
harder for MS to push things in to the consumer web market via IE extensions
that are tied to .NET servers on the back end -- thus, leveraging a monopoly
in one market to unfairly compete in another...

The recent announcement of .NET Speech is an example of this, IMHO. .NET
Speech includes IE extensions that recognize speech and can use your speech
for UI purposes, but the extensions require a .NET server on the back end for
web sites to leverage the client side technology. The speech extensions can
pervade the client space b/c of MS desktop dominance. Then, when/if (big if)
speech becomes an important interface to the web, every web site that wishes
to be "speakeasy" must throw a .NET server on the back room rack to handle it.

http://www.wired.com/news/ebiz/0,1272,52873,00.html

<snip/>

Analysts who follow both companies seem at a loss to find a strategic
advantage to the pending switch. "AOL may just like throwing money at ways to
rid itself of any ties to Microsoft," said Kenneth Smiley, director of
research for Giga Information Group. "But, in this instance, AOL has been
unable to articulate a reason why it is in the best interest of AOL
subscribers and AOL itself to make this move."

<snip/>
But even if AOL keeps Microsoft from taking over the Internet, Steve Case
shouldn't expect too many warm fuzzies for it. "I'm all for megacorps making
use of open standards and open source," said Mozilla project founder Jamie
Zawinski, who resigned after AOL's takeover in 1999. "But I'm supposed to be
rooting for (AOL-Time Warner) over Microsoft? What's up next, Union Carbide
versus Philip Morris?"


















  • AOL And The New Browser Wars (link), Michael D. Thomas, 06/02/2002

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