Browsers and the Modern Day Pirate

Browser Wars

The epic battle between Netscape Navigator and Microsoft has shaped the way we use the web. This David vs. Goliath type of tale shows that even in the online world, money is power.
I actually remember using Netscape Navigator. You actually had to insert the installation disc into the disk drive (located above infamous A: drive, the floppy disc) and install the program onto your hard drive. The presence of Netscape was threatening to Microsoft because Netscape was becoming the portal to this new and emerging media, the World Wide Web. To Microsoft it was like manufacturing a car and having someone else build the highway on which the car would drive. A company like Microsoft wouldn’t stand for such a concept. After putting some programmers on the case, Microsoft had a perfect mock of Netscape’s browser. The advantage of a browser made by Microsoft was that they could install the program on every machine. They made using their product simpler and in the end that’s what Netscape did not have the power to do.
Presently speaking, it’s funny how the “browser war” has shifted. Internet Explorer, although still leading in market share, is the bane of existence for many web developers. Older versions prove to be incompatible with many basic functions coded into websites, which for a leader in digital innovation should be embarrassing.  Better, faster browsers have proven to be strong competitors against Internet Explorer. Google Chrome has even released a line of laptops that are completely browser based. See video below:


I think this marks the slow death of the desktop interface and the move toward cloud computing.

People Power

Shawn Fanning, the father of online piracy. The Napster revolution has shaped an entire industry. Many argue that Fanning has cost the music industry billions of dollars, but has he? 
There is no way of knowing the state of the music industry had Fanning not made it so easy to get free music. One thing we do know, however, is that he has expanded the music library of the average human being. Whether you get your tunes on the online black market for free, download iTunes every now and then, or stream music on Pandora, your exposure to music has significantly increased.

Fanning could also be dubbed the father of the people power revolution. The Web 2.0 movement has allowed everyday Internet surfers to become content contributors to their own selected areas of expertise. The almost unfortunate consequence of this is that people have become slightly obsessed with themselves. It isn’t unlikely for a 12-year-old boy to host his own video web series with hundreds of followers.