Browser Wars Argumentative Analysis

Microsoft has their dominance of the industry at stake. They could potentially come out on top if left to continue their current tactics. They are masterfully “marketing their products” and it is paying off for them (Love, 1997).

that Microsoft could bundle their web browser with its operating system but would also have to

In a highly competitive and dynamically changing market it has become imperative for the leading

According to the plaintiff, however, the anticompetitive behavior extended beyond the OEMs and into its agreements with IAPs and independent software vendors (ISVs). Microsoft's exclusive agreements with 14 of the 15 leading providers (e.g. America Online), for example, effectively cut off one of two major distribution channels for competing browsers (United States v Microsoft, 2001). “By ensuring that the majority of all IAP subscribers are offered IE either as the default browser or as the only browser, Microsoft’s deals with the IAPs clearly have a significant effect in preserving its monopoly” (United States v Microsoft, 2001). With respect to ISVs, Microsoft promised preferential treatment and support for ISVs that agreed to use IE as the default browser in any hypertext-based program user-interface and use its “HTML Help” file, (which was only found in IE) to implement the

First, Microsoft ‘encouraged’ Compaq, Apple, and other computer manufacturers to promote only Internet Explorer, and to make that the default browser on their PC. This encouragement came in the way of threats to eliminate or delay licensing of operating systems, providing the browser for free to internet access providers, and bundling the software with the operating system under the guise of interactive ease for the consumer. This manipulation led to an increase in the browser’s sales by 45 to 50%, which paralleled the decline Netscape experienced in their market sales in 1998.6

In return, these companies must give preferential treatment in promotion and the like to Microsoft. One example is AOL's new 4.0 browser is specially designed to work best with the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 browser. Much of the increase in AOL's clientele base can be attributed to the combined efforts of Microsoft and AOL. Microsoft is not only working with ISP's, but also with companies that build and maintain web pages and servers.

If you’re a member of a company or organization still hobbling along on IE8, it’s time to start asking IT some hard questions: Why are we still using antiquated software? Did you know internet browsers are free to download and use? Are you aware of how dangerous the continued use of this browser will be to the security if this company’s proprietary information? Did my call wake you?

But when we got to the end of that, we really started hitting a roadblock. This was the Internet bubble era. And most people wanted to go completely outside of our box; they wanted to start an Internet company. We had our first breakthrough. We said this is great, we don 't want to overcontrol this, but we need to bound it. So we made this very simple fundamental decision: You could work on anything you want, but it has to be within the scope of our brands. It brought a boundary to our people.

Microsoft has been fighting competitors in the Operating System fields as well as the Search field for many years. After Apple launched its new Macintosh computer, Microsoft came out with its first production of Windows which had a graphic user interface. Microsoft had 95% of all OS on individual PC’s in the 2000’s where apple only had about 2%-3% (Rivkin 2). A new venture that Microsoft was working toward was application software where the produced Microsoft Word and Excel. At first these two applications where not very popular on PC computers because WordPerfect and Lotus 1-2-3 where the main applications being run. Microsoft’s solution to this competition was

As Microsoft and the software industry grew, the computer hardware manufacturers no longer saw the opportunity to exploit Bill Gates= company, as they had done initially with BASIC, one of the first programs Microsoft

Jim Collins and his research team of 20 compared and contrasted how many companies made the leap to greatness and how other companies didn’t. Based on bundles of evidence and a large quantity of data, he and his team uncovered how

Microsoft (MS) is a multinational computer technology corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices. In the mid 1990’s, Microsoft held the monopoly in the production of Operating Systems (OS) for personal computers (PC). When their monopoly was threatened by Netscape, MS began bundling the Internet Explorer (IE) web browser with Windows, using cross-promotional deals with internet service providers (ISP), and prevented PC makers from customizing the opening screen showing Microsoft. These actions, which some view as illegal and unethical, dissolved any competition, raised the barriers of entry and inhibited

Christensen argues that disruptive innovations can hurt successful, well managed companies that are responsive to their customers and have excellent research and development. These companies tend to ignore the markets most susceptible to disruptive innovations, because the markets have very tight profit margins and are too small to provide a good growth rate to an established (sizable) firm

The world is ever changing, businesses are constantly trying to find ways to improve and stay ahead in their respective markets. One must be the very best at what one does in order to survive.

Over $3 billion of US federal aviations administrations advanced automation system for national air traffic control gave in to graves due to software disaster, still browser battles went in-between Netscape and Microsoft due to changes responded on the critical technical success. However they have their own thesis on this.