MS and AOL

[Mark Miller]

I can't believe these guys made peace with each other.
http://msn-cnet.com.com/2100-1012_3-1011296.html?type=pt&part=msn&tag=cdf&form=base&su bj=cn_fd
My take is that they are getting very worried about the telcos and cable companies eating their lunch.
Mark
Also looks bad for aol not to promote Netscape. What's with that?

[Budfred]

Bye bye Netscape... MS just bought it....

This isn't a settlement, it is a outright bribe/deal to let Netscape go. I am really glad Mozilla and Opera are still around, but you can bet M$ will do everything it can to sabotage these products too, like they already did to Opera...:(

[Mark Miller]

You know Bud I was reading more about what was going on and it seems very little of it was focused on Netscape [aol screwed that up]. Ms just got out of a major lawsuit [yes about netscape] and now will be able to start moving wmp9 tech onto aol [slowly I am sure] That's where the money is going to be. All the downloads of music and dvd's. For 750 million they got a foothole also into sharing im services, which they have wanted forever.
It does seem like the end is near for Netscape though
Mark:(

[Budfred]

They are saying that M$ will be promoting AOL and that AOL has unfettered license to use IE... To me that says Netscape is DEAD....

[mjc]

Blah...

[Mark Miller]

I agree with both of you but MS didn't do in Netscape, AOL did. Ms got rid of a lawsuit [getting ready to fight Sun] and will eventually kill Real with wmp9. In my opinion they see services as the next big revenue source not software.
Just my opinion.
Mark

[Budfred]

And I agree with you, except that I think M$ and AOHell colluded in destroying Netscape... I suspect that AOHell originally bought Netscape as a bargaining chip rather than with any intention of truly supporting and promoting it. They used it as leverage to get some of what they want from M$ and now they are dumping it. M$ wanted the history of how it co-opted Netscape with IE to be expunged from the record, so they were probably delighted that AOHell was willing to work with them on that...... Enough ranting for now, I am getting myself mad:mad:

[Eutychus]

So much for Netscape 8.0.

That's one upshot of Thursday's settlement between Microsoft and AOL Time Warner, according to industry analysts who predict that the Netscape browser--currently at version 7.02--will now move from a neglected orphan of AOL Time Warner to a candidate for euthanasia.

"For the most part, it means Netscape is pretty much gone," said Rob Enderle, an analyst for research firm Giga Information Group. "AOL is going to continue indefinitely now on IE (Internet Explorer) and has no justification really to continue funding Netscape."

In the settlement, AOL Time Warner inked a seven-year contract to use IE in its flagship service. Company CEO Richard Parsons was vague about the future of Netscape, beyond maintaining it as a subsidiary. He said the media giant is continuing to evaluate Netscape for its value, but pledged the company's support for IE.

Former Netscape CEO Jim Barksdale remains on the board of AOL Time Warner.

"We extended the license around (Microsoft's) browser in the AOL client because, frankly, it's worked very well," Parsons said.

Full Story:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-1011356.html

[Budfred]

The answer is YES, this is the end of Netscape....

See this thread (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22775) for more discussion of the same issue.

[mjc]

Damn.....just when it was starting to look promising.

If you want me to I can merge both of these, just let me know.

[Mark Miller]

Hi Mjc,
might be a good idea, since I think it's really a bigger issue than Netscape. I see Real Player in trouble from this also. also the fact the possible merge of im's.
Ms is really everywhere, I just saw a piece on cnbc where they are now the 5th biggest player in voice recognition software.
M

[mjc]

Also how is WinAMP going to fare...it is also an AOL piece of software now. :(

I am glad that WV is still holding out on settling...maybe they can start up another anti-trust proceding? (yeah riiiiight.....)

[Mark Miller]

The problem with the suits against MS is they have more money than anybody else [40 billion yes billion] and their legal guys are better than anyone eles. They just wear you down. I bet whay happens is that MS is really not so interested in making MSN more than just a portal that they really get behind aol for as long as possible then swing over to whoever the biggest cable or dsl provider left.
MS is everywhere and it will only get stronger as more and more of the net providers consolidate. The key is services in the future not software or hard ware. Same way as the direction of the American economy.
My rant for the nite.
Mark:eek: