Netscape and Mac Users Unite!
Advocates of both find themselves
fighting against a common foe
By Bob Schmitt
April 26, 1996
After several years of being at the forefront of an industry, Netscape and its devoted band of followers find themselves threatened by a beast bent on their destruction — Microsoft. Just as Microsoft swallowed up the computer world, it now has its sights set on the Internet.
Ironically, loyal Netscape users now find themselves in the same unenviable position Macintosh users have been in for the past 12 years. Hoping desperately to stave off the advance of the monolithic juggernaut that threatens to mold the Internet in its own image.
Fifteen years ago, at the beginning of 1981, Apple computer was the reigning heavy-weight champion of the personal computer industry. There simply was no competition. The venerable Apple II flew off the shelves of computer stores in record numbers as more and more businessmen, students, and home users discovered the joys of computing. Then, on a dark August day of that year, another monolith awoke from its slumber and raised its head.
What International Business Machines saw that day — based on the proof of concept carved out by the toils of small companies like Apple — was a burgeoning market for the personal computer. A market they could exploit. On Aug. 12, 1981, IBM released their first personal computer, a machine far inferior to the Apple II in quality and computing power.
Within two years IBM was outselling Apple, and the Apple II was relegated to the position of a niche machine, selling mostly to students and home enthusiasts. Apparently, quality and value held no sway with businesses. The cheap price and reputation of IBM was all that mattered to many corporate buyers.
Does anything about this story sound familiar?
Fast-forward to January 1984. During the Super Bowl Apple unveils a stunning ad, directed by Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Alien) which depicts IBM as an Orwellian oppressor, sucking the joy and individuality out of "personal" computing. The ad ran once and was never seen again, but its effect was astounding — just as the introduction of the Macintosh was later that year. The year 1984 marked the beginning of putting the "personal" back into computing. Just under two years later, Microsoft released Windows. Though Windows didn't catch on immediately (in fact it took nearly four more years for it to equal sales of DOS) the results to Apple were just as devastating as IBM's foray into the PC market had been.
Once again businesses passed on quality and value and flocked to an inferior product — based on the reputation of Microsoft, the world's largest software company, inventors of DOS. One could hardly blame the button-down, pin-striped, corporate-types for choosing Microsoft over the upstart Macintosh. One could hardly praise them either.
Through this all, Macintosh has developed a devoted (some may say, rabid) band of followers. Men and women who believe religiously in their product, because it is more than a product. It is something that has changed the world, the way people think, and the way people work and play.
Netscape is similar in many ways to Apple. It was started by a very young man with a vision, and rose quickly to the forefront of its industry. Just as the Macintosh was only a few years old when Windows was introduced, Netscape, still in its infancy, now faces a similar threat from Microsoft.
At this critical time in history, when the Internet is just now permeating the consciousness of the average person, Microsoft has an incredible advantage over Netscape. Every new computer user who chooses Windows 95 will find MSIE conveniently available on their desktop. Soon, every AOL newbie to the Net will find MSIE conveniently integrated into their service. Just as Apple has been relegated to a 10% marketshare, will all of us current Netscape devotees become the "Netscape 10%"? As more and more newbies enter the Internet with MSIE handed to them, will they know enough to switch? Should they switch?
Consider this: Is the computer world a better place because of the advent of Macintosh? I think, yes. Would it be a better place without it? I think not. Is the Web a better place because of Netscape? Would the Web be the same without it? You decide.
Copyright © 2012 Robert Schmitt. All rights reserved.