In the 1990s, almost every personal computer came pre-installed with the same browser, and its widespread popularity not only shaped the early Internet experience but also sparked a worldwide legal battle.
Getting Started and Bundling Strategies
In 1994, Microsoft launched its first web browser based on technology from Spyglass. It started as a standalone program, but it didn't take long for Microsoft to realize the potential of deeply integrating it with the operating system. Since Windows 95, this browser has been set as the default component of the system, and users can use it directly as soon as they turn on the computer.
This strategy greatly accelerated the popularity of browsers. At that time, the personal computer market was dominated by Microsoft's Windows. With this advantage, the browser quickly became the only window for most people to access the Internet. This deep binding also meant that for ordinary users, there was almost no incentive to find and install other browsers.
Browser Wars and Monopoly Lawsuits
The rapid expansion of browsers triggered fierce competition with Netscape. This competition was called the "First Browser War." Microsoft relied on its absolute advantage in the operating system market to gain an unshakable market share for its own browsers, which directly led to the U.S. Department of Justice launching an antitrust investigation.
In 1998, the U.S. government formally filed a lawsuit against Microsoft. One of the core accusations was that it illegally bundled its browser with Windows and set up technical obstacles to make it difficult for rival browsers to install and run. This lawsuit eventually ended with Microsoft's settlement, but you must know that the market structure has been determined, and Netscape finally declined.
Technology evolution and functional iteration
In subsequent versions, this browser introduced many important technologies one after another. It was the first to support the SSL security protocol and provided early encryption protection for online transactions. In addition, it also promoted the use of web page technologies such as dynamic HTML.
Although the functions of the early versions were relatively basic, Microsoft continued to update them. For example, one version began to support third-party plug-ins. In this case, users could add new functions by installing extensions. Although its overall architecture was later judged to be relatively outdated, it really promoted the advancement of web interactive experience at the time.
Peaks and worries
By the beginning of the 21st century, this browser's global market share once exceeded 90%, reaching the peak of its influence. However, the huge number of users also makes it a key target for network security attacks. Frequently disclosed security vulnerabilities become a significant problem.
Although security issues are not unique to this browser, due to its extremely large number of users, the impact of each vulnerability is particularly wide. Microsoft can only frequently release security patches to deal with it, which affects the user experience to some extent and consumes development resources.
Decline and the emergence of substitutes
Around 2004, a browser called Firefox came out. With its faster speed, better security, and rich extension ecosystem, it quickly won the favor of technical users. It became the browser's first influential challenger, which meant that its monopoly position began to loosen.
Google launched the Chrome browser in 2008. Chrome quickly dominated the market with its simple interface, excellent performance, and powerful developer tools. In response to the competition from these modern browsers, the gap between Microsoft's old browsers in terms of speed, standards support and user experience has become increasingly obvious.
The long farewell and legacy
Realizing that old browsers were no longer able to keep up with the times, Microsoft released a new browser with Windows 10 in 2015, with the aim of rejoining the competition. Immediately afterwards, the old browser stopped developing major functions and entered the maintenance phase.
However, given that there are still a large number of enterprises around the world with old systems that rely on this browser to run, Microsoft has no choice but to extend its support life until 2022. Finally, after serving users for 28 years, this iconic software completely withdrew from the stage of history. It saw the spread of the Internet, and it introduced many of the same basic technologies that are still in use today.
From occupying an exclusive and super powerful position to quietly leaving the stage, what is the most profound impression on you about the rise and fall of this browser? Is it the strong dominance it showed at the beginning, or the long farewell process it went through in the later stages?
