In Pictures: B is for browser - a homage to 12 Web greats

In honor of Mosaic's 20th birthday, join us for an alphabetical appreciation of 12 of history's great windows on the Web.

A is for AOL, whose browser spread like fire Its dial-up access made us mad; its browser stoked our ire

It's easy to forget today, but in 1995 Web browsing was far from the dominant online experience. People used CompuServe, Prodigy and America Online, with their proprietary interfaces and closed-off forums, and got charged by the minute for the privilege.

Then AOL opened access to Usenet and then to the Web at large. Sure, its built-in browser (shown here in 1999) handled HTML features clumsily (or not at all), but AOL's fierce marketing and new flat monthly fee cemented its popularity.

It was a victim of its own success, with busy lines, dropped connections and a backlash against all the AOL newbies cluttering up the Web. But thousands of AOL-ers just stuck with what they knew -- until something better came along.

8 of 13
VIEW ALL THUMBNAILS

Most Popular

What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
Samsung’s 2013 Smart TVs: everything you need to know
How do I connect my TV to the Internet?
Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?
Windows 7 Home Premium vs. Windows 7 Professional

Best Deals on PCWorld

NotebooksView all »
TabletsView all »
Mobile PhonesView all »
Printers & ScannersView all »
Networking, Wireless & VoIPView all »

Compare & Save

« 1 of 14 »
Deals powered by WhistleOut
Use WhistleOut's technology to compare:
Mobile phone plans & deals
Mobile phone models
Mobile phone carriers
Broadband plans & deals
Broadband providers
Deals powered by WhistleOut
Guides and Articles
National Broadband Network NBN 100Mbps Plans
Visualising Mobile Phone Plans
SIM Only Mobile Phone Plans
National Broadband Network NBN 25Mbps Plans
iPhone 5, 4S & iPhone 4 Plans - Compare Deals &...
Deals powered by WhistleOut
WhistleOut

rhs_login_lockSign up to PC World Today for the latest news, reviews and galleries from PC World Australia.