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.

I is for IE, which sounds kind of like a scream Depending on the version, it's a good or a bad dream

Netscape and AOL stoked the furnaces of the Web, and every forward-thinking tech company wanted a piece of the action. Enter Microsoft in the summer of 1995 with its own browser.

Based on a Mosaic clone, Internet Explorer started out as a weak competitor to Netscape, but for the next few years, the two browsers leapfrogged each other in stability and support for new -- often proprietary, standard-breaking -- technologies. (Shown here: 1999's IE5.)

Meanwhile, a copy of IE was bundled into every Windows computer sold, and the 1998 U.S. v. Microsoft antitrust lawsuit did little to curb IE's spread. A decade into its life, IE6 was at the top of the tree with an 83% market share. But it wasn't destined to stay there forever.

9 of 13
VIEW ALL THUMBNAILS

Most Popular

What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?
Samsung’s 2013 Smart TVs: everything you need to know
How do I connect my TV to the Internet?
Five reasons to avoid the Samsung Galaxy S4

Best Deals on PCWorld

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

Plan Comparison

Prev Next
Loading...
Deals powered by WhistleOut

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