Evolution of a Vital Software - The Internet Browser

Internet browsers are software applications which are like an orifice which opens up and gives you the exposure to access the information present on the global network called Internet. Without them one cannot access Internet as they are the only means to transfer data at node level aka the client level. To use Google or Yahoo or any other websites you need to go through the tunnel called Internet browser so, this utilization that makes this an essential application.

First Internet browser made its appearance in front of this world around 1991. When Tim-Berners Lee introduced the first browser called Worldwide Web, it became the threshold of inception for several new technologies. They had used the NeXT computer developed by NeXT which later transformed into Apple's famous Macintosh series. This NeXT's computer became world's first web server. Worldwide Web used hypertext to transfer and share information.

Then next to come was the NCSA Mosaic which began the era of graphical browsers. But Mosaic didn't get too far instead it got transformed into a famous company called Netscape. Netscape introduced the browser called Netscape Navigator in 1994 and it became a wildfire success. Seeing the buzz how could Microsoft sit back and watch the drama. Microsoft introduced its ace called Internet Explorer in 1995. This introduction initiated the browser wars.

As Microsoft, who enjoyed a sort of a monopoly over the operating systems market during that period, introduced Internet Explorer as a free tool along with its Operating system, Microsoft Windows 95 and thus the famous arch-rivalry started between Microsoft and Netscape. Versions after versions were introduced by both the Internet browsers to capture the maximum market share. Then came the year 1998 which led this famous rivalry to the famous United States Microsoft antitrust case after which everything changed. Netscape was washed out of market and Internet Explorer became the new definition of Web browser.

Over 94% of people surfing Internet used Internet Explorer until 2004 when the open source Internet browser named Mozilla Firefox entered the market and problems began for Microsoft. Microsoft's market share reduced to a great extent and Firefox started spreading like wildfire. Even Opera retooled itself to the current web surfing practices and entered the market. And the newest one to enter was Google's answer, Chrome. Chrome too is an open source web browser and now there are several strong contenders in the browser market. Firefox and Chrome are providing a considerable fight to Internet Explorer.

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