AdamKB @ AOL.COM - Weblog

Friday, October 8, 2004
eWeek is reporting that AOL is preparing to release a web browser, dubbed AOL Browser, that is based on Internet Explorer but with a few differences and added features.

AOL Readies Standalone Browser
By Craig Newell
October 7, 2004

As the hubbub of alternative Web browsers keeps growing—from speculation over a so-called "Gbrowser" from search-engine leader Google Inc. to the many advances in the open-source Mozilla project—in the background, America Online Inc. has been quietly testing its own Web browser, dubbed "AOL Browser," for more than a month.

Departing from its past embedded strategy, the company has made the forthcoming AOL Browser a stand-alone piece of software and it will not need the America Online client software to be running to be used, sources familiar with the software said. In what could be considered a surprising move, AOL Browser is based on Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer and not on AOL's Netscape browser engine.

Sources said the AOL Browser contains many features missing from the current IE software, such as tabbed browsing and "tear-off tabs," where a tabbed window can be torn off into a new window. For privacy-conscious users, a "clear my footprints" feature allows for fast clearing of browser history, cookies, cache and recent searches. A pop-up blocker is also included.

Another useful interface element in the beta software is the "preview" of pages represented by buttons or tabs, sources said. The AOL Browser can display thumbnail images of pages as users hover over the back and forward buttons or over another browser tab.

...

Under the antitrust settlement between America Online and Microsoft, AOL has the option to use Internet Explorer technology royalty-free for six more years.

AOL declined to comment on the story.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has faced increased criticism for not incorporating any new features into Internet Explorer since releasing Version 6 in fall 2001. Microsoft does not plan on releasing any changes to Internet Explorer until the release of Windows Longhorn, not due out for several more years.

...

There's a lot of head-scratching here, because AOL of course already owns a web browser. I wonder if there was some technical reason for their choice to go with Internet Explorer over Mozilla. Something Mozilla wasn't extensible-enough to do? Or are they worried about web site compatibility?

I'm not anti-Internet Explorer, but I wholeheartedly agree with the criticism of Microsoft for sitting on the codebase for so many years. That's exactly why software competition is so important. It's arrogant to stop improving your software once you've won. It validates every argument in opposition of software monopolies.

Further Coverage:

CNET: http://news.com.com/2100-1032_3-5403658.html
Slashdot: http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/10/08/2015208

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