And $2 your change, and we thank you
Microsoft settles browser suit with AOL. AOL gets $750 million as well as a seven-year royalty-free license of Internet Explorer. I wonder how long before Netscape is declared dead (again). I assume this also probably means that embedding Gecko in AOL software has been scrapped. It never seemed like they were all that serious about that anyway.
Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg is quoted in this c|net article as saying,
As for AOL's license of Internet Explorer, Gartenberg said the impact will be minimal. "There isn't anyone else in the browser market. I guess the Opera guys are sort of left out."
Isn't anyone else in the browser market? In due time, Mozilla Firebird will rise. Rise from the ashes of Netscape and Mozilla Application Suite (pre 1.4 Moz). Oh, if only there was some sort of word in the English dictionary for a bird rising from ashes, I would use it now.
In future news, AOL will blow $750 million faster than any company in the history of the world.
Comments
> In future news, AOL will blow $750 million faster than any company in the history of the world.
Not faster than MS they won't :p
What I'm wondering is if AOL for Mac OS X will start using Mac IE rather than Gecko ?
> > In future news, AOL will blow $750 million faster
> > than any company in the history of the world.
>
> Not faster than MS they won't :p
I'd say no. MS has about $40 billion in cash, AOL/TW has about $23 billion in debt.
I realize your point is that MS just blew a load of cash quick. But MS is in a position where they cant find ways to spend it fast enough, and AOL/TW is losing is left and right.
Rise from the ashes of Mozilla?! What is wrong with Mozilla 1.4? It is a GREAT browser?! :)
I hope you were joking!
Kevin
The concern I have is that AOLTW will cut back on the number of developers that they fund to develop the Mozilla core source code.
Also, their support of Netscape releases increases the number of people using non-IE browsers and hence increases the incentive for web sites to test their web pages against non-IE browsers.
This latest announcement really does matter and is unfortunate.
its frustrating that more people don't use Moz simply because they don't know anything about it. its frustrating that even "analysts" that are interviewed aren't even aware of Mozilla's existence. its frustrating that people still thing Mozilla is Netscape.
i love all things Mozilla :) yes, Moz 1.4 is a great browser. but its biggest drawback was its "bloat" for a lot of people. thats why i have really high hopes for Firebird.
Best case, Netscape gets increased funding out of the deal and continues independant development making the best damn Internet technology ever seen. Worst case, well read up:
First off, I question whether going through with Firebird as the main browser for development after 1.4 is the best idea right now in light of the recent events which have the potential to compromise the future of Mozilla and the Web more than many know. If you've been around the project for a while you know Mozilla without Netscape is next to nothing, and Netscape looks like it could very well be on the way out by the hand of execs waaay up in AOLTW who don't know the difference and would pull the plug on their people after cutting a deal that renders them more or less useless in the grand scheme. In other words, if something happens to Netscape soon (which I fear quite a bit), Phoenix and the App Suite will basically become orphaned in terms of development. Sure, new themes and extensions will come for a while, and a group of people may form to add to the code, but that would be sporadic and disorganized and eventually cease. The Netscape people are the heart of the project and a great group of people. I hope someone up high realizes what is at stake by closing the door on Netscape and Internet development in AOLTW.
What people don't realize is the gigantic hole AOLTW is in. This was predictable years ago, but there's nothing that can be done now. They are making money moves now, cutting losses, and trying to regroup.
I hope dbaron can finish his css/layout improvements before netscape disappears ;-)
I think the word you're looking for is pheoni-- *dowingba never sees the light of day again*
Amongst all the other highly qualified concerns mentioned here, this spells the end of hope that people might wake up to the fact that MS Java isn't the be-all and end-all :(
"Oh, if only there was some sort of word in the English dictionary for a bird rising from ashes, I would use it now."
:)
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