It’s hard to believe that 10 years have passed since Netscape released its first web browser. On October 13, 1994, Marc Andreesen made Netscape Mosaic available for download, and it quickly became the de facto web browser of choice, the first to include “image” tags for easy display of graphics and the first to use hyperlinks as we think of them today. I remember playing with earlier versions of Mosaic when Andreesen still worked at the NCSA, but it is the official dawning of the Netscape era that is being celebrated in a feature by CNet, and for good reason.
It still irks me that Micro$oft, using its operating system monopoly and predatory practices, was able to undercut Netscape with its inferior products to achieve its overwhelming browser market share. However, for the first time in many years, that share is shrinking now that browsers like Firefox and Opera are finally recognized as more innovative, useful, and perhaps most importantly, more secure that M$ IE. I hope that 10 years from now we can celebrate the beginning of the Mozilla era… 🙂
