9/1999

Since the start of the "browser war" back around 95 and 96 there have only been 2 browsers to get serious corporate backing and end user support: Netscape Navigator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Both of these browsers are designed with browser and even operating system specific features which fly in the face of the values of most serious website developers. Neither browser is anywhere near as close to being fully W3C compliant as Opera. Unlike the past few years where Microsoft and Netscape could scream at each other about standards and not live up to their own demands, with Opera becoming a major player now, both Microsoft and Netscape will have to become compliant or risk losing significant marketshare.

Now that Opera accounts for about 8%-9% of the browser market there will be more and more pressure to make websites compliant with the standards set by the W3C. Since OperaSoftware has no vested interest in making proprietary additions to HTML and JavaScript, they will be able to continue their tradition of building a browser that is fully compliant to the established standards. Because Microsoft controls the majority of the desktop operating system market, it is very necessary for them to add as many Windows specific features in Internet Explorer as possible. If they can tie down as many sites and developers to Windows as possible they can keep their monopoly and make even more money. With Netscape it is a different story because they have to make their browser stand out since Microsoft now controls about 60%-70% of the browser market. However Opera has many advantages going for it that allow it to stick strictly to adding support for only new W3C approved features to its browser.

While Microsoft and Netscape center their development mainly around Windows, MacOS and a small handful of Unix variants, Opera has contracted several companies to port Opera to BeOS, MacOS, AmigaOS, Linux, EPOCH and OS/2. This has an immediate advantage for Opera because it allows them to gain marketshare and support in the early days of new operating systems. Also because Opera is moving to QT for the development of Opera 4.0, they will be able to release versions for Linux and Windows simultaneously. The switch to QT could possibly hurt Opera since QT isn't available for BeOS, MacOS, EPOCH, OS/2 and AmigaOS which would make it difficult for Opera to release versions for all supported OS's simultaneously. If QT is ported to these OS's then Opera will have a truly significant advantage over Netscape and Microsoft. Even if QT isn't ported to these OS's it should not hinder the growth of Opera because QT is only an interface toolkit.

Opera for BeOS will be very important for Opera because over the next few years BeOS will be a very strong player in the Internet appliance market. If Opera makes a strong name for itself on BeOS then it could end up replacing Net Positive as the default web browser for BeOS. Since Opera for BeOS already has full JavaScript support it will play a big role in helping to get BeOS into the mainstream where it belongs. Currently the two largest competitors that BeOS faces are Windows CE and the NG AmigaOS... but since AmigaOS is based off of the Linux kernel it won't pose a serious threat for long because the Linux+X-server combo is much less efficient compared to BeOS. Before you pass me off as flamebait let me just say that I have used Mandrake and RedHat Linux and I am very much against a Microsoft monopoly.

Opera is the only mainstream browser that you actually have to pay for, but the $35 pricetag is actually very reasonable. Ask yourself why Netscape and Microsoft are giving away their browsers. It isn't because they are run by a bunch of philanthropists. The reason why they give them away is because they can afford to give them away so they can gain marketshare to fulfill broader and more long-term plans. Netscape is no longer really a player now since it has been torn in half, with the browser half belong to AOL and the server half belonging to Sun. Microsoft however is a totally different story. Their goal is to make Internet Explorer the defacto standard so that they can extend their Windows monopoly ever deeper into the server market. By having total control over the client and server they will have nearly total power over how we use the net. Because Opera has only its browser, and not a sever product to fall back on it must charge for its browser. Unlike Microsoft and Netscape, it is in Opera's best interest to develop the highest quality product and be a leader in innovation.

The browser war all boils down to one thing, he who controls the client can have a terrible amount of power over the way the web grows and develops. Netscape's odds of winning are slim because of a declining commitment from AOL. The one area where Microsoft is redeeming itself for its mutilation of Netscape Communicator through the IE 4/Win98 integration is the fact that they are at least openly supporting W3C standards. Even though they will continue to support Windows only technologies like ActiveX, they claim that they will have full compliance with W3C standards by IE 6. However that is not enough. Only Opera has made a commitment to implementing only technologies approved of by the W3C. That is why they will continue to gain developer support and thus eventually win the browser war.