Evolution of Vital Software – The Internet Browser
Internet browsers are software applications that are like a hole that opens up and gives you the exposure to access the information present in the global network called the Internet. Without them, the Internet cannot be accessed, as they are the only means of transferring data at the node level, also known as the client level. To use Google or Yahoo or any other website, you have to go through the tunnel called internet browser, so this use makes this an essential application.
The first Internet browser made its appearance in front of this world around 1991. When Tim-Berners Lee introduced the first browser called Worldwide Web, it became the starting threshold for several new technologies. They had used the NeXT computer developed by NeXT which later morphed into Apple’s famous Macintosh series. This NeXT’s computer became the world’s first web server. The Worldwide Web used hypertext to transfer and share information.
Then the next to arrive was NCSA Mosaic, which ushered in the era of graphical browsers. But Mosaic didn’t go too far, instead it morphed into a famous company called Netscape. Netscape introduced the browser called Netscape Navigator in 1994 and it became a huge success. Seeing the buzz, how could Microsoft sit back and watch the drama? Microsoft introduced its ace called Internet Explorer in 1995. This introduction started the browser wars.
As Microsoft, which enjoyed something of a monopoly on the operating system market during this period, introduced Internet Explorer as a free tool along with its operating system, Microsoft Windows 95, and thus began the famous arch-rival between Microsoft and Netscape. Both Internet browsers introduced version after version to capture maximum market share. Then came the year 1998 that led from this famous rivalry to the famous Microsoft antitrust case in the United States after which everything changed. Netscape was taken off the market and Internet Explorer became the new definition of a web browser.
More than 94% of the people who surf the Internet used Internet Explorer until 2004, when the open source Internet browser called Mozilla Firefox entered the market and trouble began for Microsoft. Microsoft’s market share was greatly reduced and Firefox began to spread like wildfire. Even Opera adapted to current web browsing practices and entered the market. And the newest to enter was Google’s answer, Chrome. Chrome is also an open source web browser and there are several strong competitors in the browser market now. Firefox and Chrome are providing a considerable fight for Internet Explorer.
Therefore, at present, only time can predict which browser will emerge victorious from this browser war. We as consumers need to keep an eye on all updated versions and the updates provided in them so that we can get the best out of their competition.
Leave a Reply