14 August 2009
Netscape was once the most dominant internet browser, before Microsoft launched its first version of Internet Explorer in 1995 and initiated the original so-called 'browser war.'
Nearly fifteen years after his golden period, Netscape founder Marc Andreessen is backing a brand new browser developed by start-up company RockMelt. The New York Times reports that Mr. Andreessen is eager to gain a foothold in the increasingly competitive browser market that has seen Microsoft face tough competition from the likes of Google's Chrome browser and Mozilla's increasingly popular Firefox.
Firefox currently holds 23 per cent of the market compared to Microsoft's falling share of 68 per cent. When Microsoft defeated Netscape in the 1990s, it controlled more than 90 per cent of the browser market, but now the rivals of Internet Explorer are proving ever more popular with internet users.
Mr. Andreessen remains tight-lipped about his investment in RockMelt, but has asserted his confidence in the team and in the opportunity to launch a new, competitive browser that benefits from a comprehensive knowledge of the web's complex evolution over the last two decades. According to the New York Times, Mr. Andreessen observed: "There are all kinds of things that you would do differently if you are building a browser from scratch."
RockMelt co-founders Eric Vishria and Tim Howes are long-time associates of Mr. Andreessen, having worked at both Opsware and Netscape, and have declined to comment on the browser at such an early stage of development. The company's website previously included a privacy policy that indicated the browser was intended to be tied with Facebook, where Mr. Andreessen serves as a director. This notice was removed after a reporter made enquiries to Mr. Vishria.
Harvard Business School Professor David B. Yoffie views this alliance with Facebook as a promising marketing strategy, citing the difficulty of promoting and distributing a new web browser to users. Despite Google's heavy promotion of its Chrome browser, it has only managed to achieve two per cent of the market share.
Professor Yoffie states: "If anybody could do it today, one would image Google would be best positioned, and it is obvious they have made only meager gains.
"If you can get Facebook's millions of users to think that this is a better way to do what they do on Facebook, that would be an opportunity to take advantage of."
Netscape founder seeks rematch with Microsoft in new browser war
Netscape was once the most dominant internet browser, before Microsoft launched its first version of Internet Explorer in 1995 and initiated the original so-called 'browser war.'Nearly fifteen years after his golden period, Netscape founder Marc Andreessen is backing a brand new browser developed by start-up company RockMelt. The New York Times reports that Mr. Andreessen is eager to gain a foothold in the increasingly competitive browser market that has seen Microsoft face tough competition from the likes of Google's Chrome browser and Mozilla's increasingly popular Firefox.
Firefox currently holds 23 per cent of the market compared to Microsoft's falling share of 68 per cent. When Microsoft defeated Netscape in the 1990s, it controlled more than 90 per cent of the browser market, but now the rivals of Internet Explorer are proving ever more popular with internet users.
Mr. Andreessen remains tight-lipped about his investment in RockMelt, but has asserted his confidence in the team and in the opportunity to launch a new, competitive browser that benefits from a comprehensive knowledge of the web's complex evolution over the last two decades. According to the New York Times, Mr. Andreessen observed: "There are all kinds of things that you would do differently if you are building a browser from scratch."
RockMelt co-founders Eric Vishria and Tim Howes are long-time associates of Mr. Andreessen, having worked at both Opsware and Netscape, and have declined to comment on the browser at such an early stage of development. The company's website previously included a privacy policy that indicated the browser was intended to be tied with Facebook, where Mr. Andreessen serves as a director. This notice was removed after a reporter made enquiries to Mr. Vishria.
Harvard Business School Professor David B. Yoffie views this alliance with Facebook as a promising marketing strategy, citing the difficulty of promoting and distributing a new web browser to users. Despite Google's heavy promotion of its Chrome browser, it has only managed to achieve two per cent of the market share.
Professor Yoffie states: "If anybody could do it today, one would image Google would be best positioned, and it is obvious they have made only meager gains.
"If you can get Facebook's millions of users to think that this is a better way to do what they do on Facebook, that would be an opportunity to take advantage of."
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