When Tim Berners-Lee introduced the first web client application on Christmas Day 15 years ago (December 25, 1990), he aimed to provide a creative tool that would help people organize and share information in a lively, whimsical, and innovative way.
The Browser Turns 15
What surprises Berners-Lee about the development of browser technology is not that a single company – Microsoft – dominates 85% of the market, but rather that so many people use browsers despite their limitations.
The director of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) proudly states that browsers have evolved from an academic technological phenomenon into an indispensable tool in the lives of millions of people around the globe. Nevertheless, he believes that current software still restricts people’s ability to input and utilize information.
“We are living in 2005 and witnessing the daily transformation of a somewhat rebellious trend through blogs and wikis, which allow people to edit right on the page,” Berners-Lee said. “In some ways, it is similar to my original idea of wanting people to be able to edit and create, having the ability to write as well as read.”
The W3C leader asserts his support for the technology wave of “self-publishing” such as personal web pages, RSS feeds, and wikis, in contrast to the tightly controlled and corporately-owned browser and site systems prevalent today.
“It would be a mistake to think that browsers are something completely defined and unchanging. We will witness many significant shifts in the near future,” Berners-Lee emphasized.
Firefox Establishes Itself
Enhancing user agency over content has significantly impacted the browser world in 2005, particularly with the rise of open-source technology.
Firefox is perhaps the most quintessential example of the innovative trend that observers believe the future market will gravitate towards. Released at the end of 2004 by the open-source organization Mozilla, the browser has garnered considerable attention this year.
With over 100 million downloads, Firefox has impressed users and compelled Microsoft to adapt by introducing tabbed browsing in updates to Internet Explorer 6 and focusing more on security in the limited testing phase of Internet Explorer 7.
Brendan Eich, the creator of the popular web programming language JavaScript, recalls many events from his early days coding for Netscape, the former browser champion that has since been acquired by Internet service provider America Online.
The technical director at Mozilla believes that the positive response to Firefox stems from its status not just as an alternative to Microsoft’s products, but also its alignment with Berners-Lee’s initial proposals.
“A new playground that has never appeared on any media is becoming clearer through tools like wikis and blogs. The web is also becoming an affordable means for people to search and exchange through systems like eBay,” Eich commented.
Eich also suggested that Microsoft has been intentionally slowing down the development of the browser market through its proprietary Windows operating system and Internet Explorer, which is the default browser on most computers worldwide. However, the American software giant has begun to support some similar open standards in Mozilla’s products.
Another player in the commercial browser market is Apple’s Safari, launched in January 2003, but it still only holds 3% of the market share. Despite its relatively small customer base, Chris Bourdon, Apple’s production director, asserts that they will soon attract a larger customer base by using new browser application standards that enhance interactivity and prevent the browser from becoming overly dependent on the manufacturer.
Entering the Mobile World
One of the biggest trends in the browser industry in the coming years is the shift to mobile devices, including smartphones.
Microsoft has created a dedicated version of Windows Mobile, and Apple has also registered several patents for technology appearing in Nokia’s handheld products.
Nate Root, an analyst at the American research firm Forrester, believes that the crown in the browser industry may not belong to new players, but the future of companies like Macromedia (now part of Adobe) will depend on wireless networks.
“Flash has proven useful for loading content and building websites. But Flash and Macromedia’s Flex platform can also be effective in creating interactive applications suitable for small screen sizes,” Root asserted.
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