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Last Updated:
2024-09-22 08:20:01

Browser Wars

Competition for dominance in web browsers
Competition for dominance in web browsers

Browser wars have evolved from Internet Explorer vs Netscape Navigator to include Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. The introduction of HTML5 and CSS3 sparked a new era of browser wars with the rise of mobile browsing.

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1990
Mosaic Becomes the New Face of the Internet

Thirty years ago, Mosaic was hailed as the new face of the internet, marking the beginning of World Wide Web dominance and the decline of online service providers like CompuServe and Prodigy.

1992
Introduction of Lynx

In 1992, Lynx was introduced as a text-based browser, primarily used for locating, reading, and downloading text-based articles. It continues to be used today for these purposes.

1993
Introduction of Mosaic

In 1993, Mosaic was introduced as an early version of Netscape Navigator, becoming the first web browser with a graphical user interface. This innovation made the web more accessible to the masses.

1994-12
Release of Netscape Navigator

Netscape Navigator was released in December 1994, quickly becoming the most popular browser at the time. It marked the beginning of the 'Browser Wars' between Netscape and Microsoft.

1995-05-05
The Internet Tidal Wave

Bill Gates wrote a memo titled 'The Internet Tidal Wave' where he emphasized the importance of the internet and its potential impact on Microsoft's business.

1995-08-09
Netscape Stock Soars

By the end of the day of its IPO, Netscape shares surged to over $70 per share, leading to a market value close to $2 billion. This marked a significant milestone in the history of Wall Street as Netscape's IPO became the largest at that time.

1995-12-07
Launch of Internet Explorer Version 2

On December 7, 1995, Bill Gates held a press conference to launch Internet Explorer version 2, aiming to dominate the web browser market rather than just enter it. This event marked a significant move by Microsoft in the Browser Wars against Netscape.

1996
Netscape Dominance

In 1996, Netscape Navigator was the dominant web browser in the market, solidifying its position as the leading browser during the early stages of the browser wars.

1997-10-01
Microsoft Celebrates IE 4 Release

On October 1, 1997, Microsoft employees celebrated the release of Internet Explorer 4 by placing a giant IE logo in Netscape's corporate office fountain. This event symbolized Microsoft's aggressive push to dominate the browser market.

1997-10-07
Release of Internet Explorer 4.0

On October 7, 1997, Microsoft launched Internet Explorer 4.0, marking a significant shift in the browser wars. This version aimed to challenge Netscape's dominance in the web browsing market.

1997-11-11
Microsoft vs. Netscape: The Border War Heats Up

John Markoff discussed the intensifying competition between Microsoft and Netscape in the browser wars.

1998-10-10
Microsoft Disputes Netscape Meeting Account

Joel Brinkley reported on Microsoft disputing Netscape's account of a meeting, highlighting the tensions between the two companies during the browser wars.

1999-12-12
A Brief History of Microsoft on the Web

Dave Kramer provided a brief history of Microsoft's presence on the web, reflecting on the company's role in the browser wars.

2001
End of First Browser War

Internet Explorer 6.0 reached a peak usage share of ninety-six percent, marking the end of the first browser war. Netscape Navigator, the main competitor, never recovered from the dominance of Internet Explorer.

2002
Mozilla releases Firefox

Netscape open sourced its codebase to create Mozilla, which later released Firefox in 2002 as an alternative to Internet Explorer.

2003-04-04
Victor: Software empire pays high price

John Borland discussed the consequences faced by a software empire, possibly referring to the aftermath of the browser wars.

2003-06-13
Discontinuation of Internet Explorer on Mac platform

Microsoft announced the discontinuation of Internet Explorer on the Mac platform on June 13, 2003.

2004-11
Release of Firefox 1.0

Version 1.0 of the Firefox browser was released in November 2004, after undergoing name changes from 'Phoenix' to 'Firebird' to 'Firefox'.

2005-02-15
Release of Internet Explorer 7

Microsoft unveiled Internet Explorer 7, positioning it as a significant upgrade over IE 6 SP1, with features like tabbed browsing, search bar, and enhanced web standards support.

2006-06-20
Release of Opera 9

On June 20, 2006, Opera Software released Opera 9, the first Windows browser to pass the Acid2 test, including an integrated source viewer, a BitTorrent client implementation, and widgets.

2006-10-18
Launch of Internet Explorer 7

Microsoft launched Internet Explorer 7 with tabbed browsing, a search bar, phishing filter, and improved web standards support, catching up with features already present in Opera and Firefox.

2006-10-24
Release of Mozilla Firefox 2.0

Mozilla released Mozilla Firefox 2.0 on October 24, 2006, with features like reopening recently closed tabs, session restore after a crash, a phishing filter, and a spell-checker.

2007-06-06
Release of Safari for Microsoft Windows

Apple released a beta version of Safari for Microsoft Windows on June 6, 2007.

2007-12-19
Passing of Acid2 CSS Test by Internet Explorer 8

Microsoft announced that an internal build of Internet Explorer 8 had passed the Acid2 CSS test in 'IE8 standards mode,' making it the last major browser to do so.

2007-12-28
Discontinuation of Netscape Navigator

Netscape announced the discontinuation of support for its Mozilla-derived Netscape Navigator on February 1, 2008, advising users to switch to Mozilla Firefox.

2008-01-28
Extension of Support by Netscape

Netscape extended support for Netscape Navigator to March 1, 2008, and recommended Flock and Firefox as alternative browsers for its users.

2008-02-01
AOL stops supporting Netscape Navigator

AOL ceased its support for Netscape Navigator on February 1, 2008, leading to the gradual demise of the once popular web browser. This decision effectively marked the end of an era for Netscape Navigator.

2008-06-17
Release of Mozilla Firefox 3.0

Mozilla released Firefox 3.0 on June 17, 2008, with performance improvements and new features.

2008-09-01
Release of Google Chrome

Google released the Chrome browser on September 1, 2008, using the WebKit rendering engine and a faster JavaScript engine called V8.

2009-03-19
Release of Internet Explorer 8

Internet Explorer 8 was released with new features like accelerators, enhanced privacy protection, compatibility mode for older pages, and improved web standards support.

2010-01-21
Release of Mozilla Firefox 3.6 with 'Personas'

On January 21, 2010, Mozilla launched Firefox 3.6, introducing 'Personas' for theme customization and enhancing browser performance.

2010-04-29
Steve Jobs's Thoughts on Flash

Steve Jobs wrote an open letter on April 29, 2010, regarding his Thoughts on Flash and its place on Apple's iOS devices and web browsers.

2011-02-03
Release of Google Chrome 9 with WebGL Support

Google unveiled Chrome 9 on February 3, 2011, featuring WebGL support, Chrome Instant, and the Chrome Web Store.

2011-03-14
Release of Internet Explorer 9

Microsoft released Internet Explorer 9 on March 14, 2011, featuring a revamped interface, support for basic SVG features, partial HTML5 video support, and dropping support for Windows XP.

2011-06-21
Launch of Firefox 5.0 with Rapid Release Cycle

Mozilla adopted rapid releases with Firefox 5.0 on June 21, 2011, setting a trend for quicker browser updates.

2011-12-15
Release of Google Chrome 16

Google concluded 2011 with Chrome 16 on December 15, after launching multiple versions throughout the year.

2012-01-31
Mozilla Firefox 10 Extended Support Release

Mozilla offered Firefox 10 as an Extended Support Release on January 31, 2012, providing long-term security updates and features.

2012-02-15
Release of Google Chrome 17

Google introduced Chrome 17 on February 15, 2012, further expanding its browser features.

2012-03-15
Automatic Update to Firefox 11

Users of Firefox's rapid release cycle were automatically updated to Firefox 11 on March 15, 2012, ensuring they had the latest features and security patches.

2013-02
Discontinuation of Opera's Presto engine

Opera Software discontinued its Presto engine in February 2013 due to the popularity of WebKit for mobile browsers. The Opera 12 series of browsers were the last to use Presto with its successors using WebKit instead.

2013-07
Current Browser Market Share

As of July 2013, Google Chrome emerged as the winner in the Browser Wars with a dominant market share. Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari were trailing behind in terms of usage.

2015
Shift from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge

Starting in 2015 with the release of Windows 10, Microsoft shifted from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge.

2017-05-25
Google Chrome wins the Second Browser War

On May 25, 2017, Andreas Gal, former Mozilla CTO, publicly announced that Google Chrome emerged victorious in the Second Browser War, as usage shares of Opera, Firefox, and Internet Explorer fell below 5% each.

2018-12
Microsoft announces new version of Edge based on Chromium

In December 2018, Microsoft revealed plans to develop a new version of Edge based on Chromium and powered by Google's rendering engine, Blink, shifting away from their own EdgeHTML rendering engine.

2019-07
Current Usage Share of Google Chrome

As of July 2019, Google Chrome holds over seventy-one percent of the usage share, solidifying its dominance in the web browser market.

2020-01-15
Release of new Microsoft Edge browser

The new Microsoft Edge browser, based on Chromium and Blink, was officially launched on January 15, 2020, marking a significant shift in Microsoft's browser strategy.

2022-06
Microsoft retires Internet Explorer in favor of Microsoft Edge

In June 2022, Microsoft permanently phased out Internet Explorer in favor of Microsoft Edge as their primary browser, reflecting the evolving landscape of web browsers.

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Browser Wars
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