Related Story: "Gates Under Fire" #101a _follow-up to 60-Second Window #101 Views and Comments gathered from the User Group Network "Members" list... Last week when the actual news about the AOL buy-out hit the streets I asked the readers of the User Group Network's exclusive UG Officer's list what they thought about the news. Here are random comments in no particular order... "I think the purchase of Netscape by AOL would be a mistake. As far as I'm concerned AOL is a piece of crap. Too slow, and too amatuer.I don't know the specifics, but I'm sure the man that started Netscape is just tired, wants to get out and sees the money. Money talks." "I do not wish to start a flame war but you could not be more wrong in your assessment. AOL is intended to be used by the more than 90% of internet that are newbies, not by the 10% of knowledgeable users who know what they are doing. AOL is a simplified ISP." "Possibly tired of fighting Microsoft. Who knows." "Jim Barksdale is worth two billion dollars. I doubt that he has any use for more money. He is taking AOL stock for his company, not cash. Barksdale does want Netscape to prevail over Microsoft and just about everyone else is on his side. His joining with AOL is a brilliant move. If only they can switch AOL's 13 million users to Netscape from MSIE . . ." "...I think this means there is hope for Netscape to stay in the race as a choice for a web browser. I hate the idea that Microsoft can just assimilate everything in its path." "I for one do not want to see the end of competition for good web browsers. I have both IE and Netscape. Sometimes I have them both running at the same time. Strangely, if I have trouble reading a webpage with one, the other might just work great." "It wouldn't bother me a bit to see a few more web browsers on the market or in the running. Why should we only have 2 choices?" "I don't understand the animosity toward AOL. Their service is pretty solid. Occasionally, have to automatically redial, but I've never hit 5 redials before I've been connected. I can access any of my 5 available screen names from anywhere in the USA, maybe the world. (Amazingly, they know if one account name is signed on - from anywhere - and will block others until the on-line one logs off.) Their e-mail is the easiest to use of any I've seen. And their on-line services are the best organized, most easily accessed of any I've seen. Their one weak link has been Internet access, which everyone claims is slow and stumbling. Why shouldn't they go back to a Netscape access port rather than MS IE and improve that? I say - More power to them!" "There is a God. Gates' & Balmer's nightmare may finally be coming true - factor in that Sun is an interested party and that pure Java will be adopted by AOL/Netscape and you have a very interesting situation." "Now, if only 50-100 other companies (including Apple) would join in they could really give Microsoft's lawyer's something to howl about." "FRED, Please check the MacInTouch page ASAP and look at the incredable subarticle [a letter to the DOJ] detailing how Microsoft Front Page 1.0 changes all of the HTML code on your site without notifying you as soon as you open it. You will only be able to visit sites with a MS server thereafter. Cordially," "I don't know how Netscape Navigator works on the PC but I know that I like it on my Mac. For AOL users, I expect that NN will take the place of Internet Explorer as browser of choice. I am sure you will be able to open IE as you presently can open Netscape. So what is the difference?" "At 14 Million or so AOL users, it will take a lot of influence out of the hands of Microsoft (so sorry). If AOL is planning on moving to a WWW base provider, this will make a significant difference." "With the latest PC version of AOL relatively new and the Beta version of Mac 4.0 still being worked on, It will be some time before the browser switch will take place." "Where the browser war may make a significant difference is in JavaScript. With the present base of Netscape users and the predicted AOL additions, more people will be creating and running Netscapes original version of JavaScript than ever before. With Microsoft hoping that their adulterated version of JavaScript would become the standard over the original (something they have tried in the past), this should take some of the wind out of Microsoft's sails." "I see a win, win for AOL, Netscape and Sun Microsystems and a very big loss for Old Bill." "I tend to agree...AOL is extremely frustrating for experienced users...it is just TOO slow. But for newbies, AOL provides easy entry into the world of the Internet. AOL uses a hybrid of MSIE as its browser. It stinks." "Netscape Communicator is vastly improved over Navigator, regardless, Netscape, as a company is/was really in trouble. Their arguments in the DOJ Hearings were pathetic. In fact, the principals of many of these companies that I have seen appear were lackluster at best. One wonders HOW they ever rose to the level of leadership they hold. . . . AOL is NOT in trouble...if you watched Steve Case on Charlie Rose recently you saw a CEO who is taking his company in a new direction. AOL will continue to grow, and may become involved in cable. Check Steve Berst's recent column on the "Last Mile." . . . None of this REALLY answers your question, I know. I do not have an immediate answer. Netscape may have something that AOL needs. SyQuest has/had some nice technology but their poor marketing scuttled their market share. Now we wait to see if their purchaser chooses to reintroduce their products. . . . The strong will acquire the weak. The outcome of a given acquisition is NOT always positive. . . . Netscape should consider itself, lucky, IMO." "Hi Fred... The purchase, as the deal is reported, is more evidence that Microsoft is difficult to compete with. Netscape had only a limited number of product lines to draw from, whereas Microsoft could subsidize the rapid development of competing products (sometimes superior, sometimes inferior), and used that leverage to undercut Netscape. In the end, the consumer loses because now there will be basically one browser. Where's the incentive to develop it further?" "Hopefully the part that will go to Sun can give the consumer a choice, at least for those product lines; what AOL will do is anyone's guess, since they seem to be widening their focus." "In the end, Netscape fought the good fight, but was overcome by superior forces. Even the big lead Netscape brought to the table couldn't overcome that." "I think it's a good deal for AOL, Sun, NetScape, etc. Microsoft needs a good, sound spanking! It should improve the AOL browser, and develop better browser access, in general. It will be interesting to see what else AOL gets involved in, but the bottom line will be a win-win-win, but not for MicroSoft. Java- down, Bill Gates. "In spite of the general thougth in this thread that AOL's going to incorporate Navigator into it's on-line software, I believe that's not the case. . . . As I understand things, Microsoft is paying AOL bucks to use Internet Explorer, and will continue to include it in the AOL software (according to the story I was reading in the paper, here)." "What AOL wants is Netscape's web-site business (possibly so it doesn't become a major competitor???). AOL's turning to Sun as a channel for marketing Netscape's business related server software. So, what are the possibilities, here? One is that the browser gets the shaft! Hope it doesn't happen, but you never can tell... can you?" We'd like to hear from you and your members. Fred Showker Referenced above: The Fruit of Monopoly: AOL to Renew MS IE Contract Related Stories: #102 Gates Under Fire Check out the "AOL/Netscape FUN PAGE" in the News department! Fred Showker is a designer, consultant, writer and speaker. He has published 60-Second Window and DT&G Magazine online since 1990, and is director of The Graphic Design Network which includes The Design & Publishing Center at www.Graphic-Design.com. (1994) He was a co-founder of both The User Group Forum on America Online (1987), The User Group Network at www.User-Groups.net, (1994) and the Designers' Bookshelf (1996) He originally founded Showker Graphic Arts & Design in 1972, has been an avid computer activist and supporter since 1984. Got Comments??? back to the 60-Second Window Index, 60-Second Lobby . . . or: The Design & Publishing Center. / . The User Group Network. / . Design University. / . 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