Newsletter ArchiveSUBJECT:Browser Wars Ending - Oil Freighter or Jet Ski? The Internet 800 Directory - http://www.inter800.com The Internet 800 Directory Newsletter This issue is for Friday, July 18, 2003 Table of Contents 01. Browser Wars Ending 02. Oil Freighter or Jet Ski? 03. Tip Of The Week *01 Browser Wars Ending? Back in the early 90’s if you used the “World Wide Web”, you used Netscape. This program created a graphical user interface that truly simplified Internet navigation. With Netscape as a browser the Internet found an audience. This easy to use software started us down the road, which produced today’s information highway. Netscape was founded in April 1994 and 16 months later went public (enjoying incredible stock growth). The company was often referred to as the fastest growing software company in history. Netscape’s future looked bright; Netscape executives even claimed that their browser would be the heart of a new Net-based operating system that could challenge the Microsoft Windows hegemony. Then the “Browser War” started! Microsoft, observing Netscape’s success, decided that they too should have a browser and created Internet Explorer. Early versions of Explorer were a joke, but it was free (back then Netscape was $30) and came with every copy of the Windows operating system. Over time Explorer got better and when Windows 98 was released, it was also an important part of the Windows operating system. Over time, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer became the browser of choice, used by the majority of web surfers. In 1998, AOL Time Warner, the current owner, purchased the company. On Tuesday of this week, AOL announced it’s going to lay off about 50 Netscape software developers and end development work on the Netscape browser. Netscape isn’t deceased yet, but it has without doubt, been defeated. With no more updates to the browser, its death is just around the corner. Before Netscape passes, let us all stop, and give a twenty-one-click salute to a great piece of software that helped changed our lives. --\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ -- Please note- AOL's actions are bringing about the end of the Netscape browser, but could be the beginning for the Mozilla browser. Several of AOL's software developers will work for Mozilla Foundation (http://www.mozilla.org). Chuck Arning -chuck@inter800.com Lamp-Fashions We want to mention one of our long-time customers, Lamp-Fashions. Rudy has "The Home of the Life-time Warrant on Tiffany Lamps", which is pretty incredible. He sells high quality table lamps, desk lamps, floor lamps, hanging Tiffany Lamps and reproductions and much more. Visit his online show room at http://www.lamp-fashions.com/ or give him a call at 800-794-5830. He's great to chat with. *02 Oil Freighter or Jet Ski? In a recent speech given to community volunteers by the New Mexico Attorney General, Sam Thompson, PIO for the AG wrote, "If government were a ship it would probably be one of those enormous freighters that takes miles to execute a small turn. Individuals, like you in this audience, are more like jet skis. You can turn on a dime. You see a problem, you see an unmet need - and you're there with help. Her analogy struck me, as I believe that it is also very valid with major corporations as opposed to small-to-medium enterprises. I have seen major companies with whom I have dealt over the years take years to make a decision that I would normally make in hours. It took up valuable employees' time and cost money that was just thrown out the window. In fact, the money lost was probably more significant than the money that would have been lost had they decided that they made the wrong decision in the first place. Without going into specifics, I know of two giant companies that have decided to do exactly what 2 other smaller companies proposed three to four years ago, and timing was not an issue, just big corporate bureaucracy. If I may borrow from Sam's analogy above and expand upon it, I used to conceive that attempting to stop bureaucracy was like attempting to stop the world from turning by running barefoot against its revolution. Or with it, if you're into physics. Which leads to another thought process: In physics we are taught that F=MV² (Force=mass X volume squared). Therefore a planet weighing several million tons could only move a few seconds a year and would produce the same amount of force as an atom traveling at an inconceivable speed, provided, I suppose, that it didn't suddenly convert into some form of Einsteinian time warp. Enough of that. The point is that I have always believed that bigger was not only not necessarily better, but generally inherently self-consuming. Does your manager really need another assistant, or just need to get to work doing the job he was hired to do. It's just as an insidious a process as the accounting and fraud events on the front pages in recent history. Actually, can that freighter even turn around, or will some distant shore stop it, which is an immovable object to a ship? Perhaps. Let me share a blurb from Bob Nardelli, President and CEO of the home Depot published in the August 2003 issue of Fast Company, which is a rag I really like: "When I became CEO, I reread The Experience Economy (Harvard Business School Press, 1999). It became clear early on that what had gotten the Home Depot to its first $50 billion was not going to get it to the next $50 billion. I knew that the new competitive arena was the customer's experience. So we experimented with a handful of stores and created a more inviting environment. We increased the light level to brighten things up and improved the floor coverings to get more reflectivity. We made our signs clearer. There's less store clutter. Our new rug displays provide enough space for customers to pull down a rug and lay it on the floor to see what it really looks and feels like. We now do night receiving so that during the day, customers aren't competing with forklifts, and store associates can be completely focused on creating a memorable experience. Results? Consider appliances. In stores where we have enhanced our presentation, sales have increased 22%. Basically we went from having no market position to being number three in less than 12 months." What makes a good CEO? Well, common sense has a lot to do with it Is your business a leaky freighter or more like a jet ski? Do you turn on a dime, or spend thousands of dollars trying to decide which way to turn? (And no, I do not want any return e-mail about making long, thoughtful decisions, as that would be counter-productive.) Steven Jackson - sjackson@inter800.com Once every second someone searches the Internet 800 Directory looking for someone to supply them with goods or services. Will they find you or your competition? Call 800-299-1879! Tip of the Week "Organizing Your Program and Bookmark Files" Whenever you install new programs or add bookmarks into your computer, Windows adds the new files to the bottom of the programs or bookmark list. To put you files into alphabetical order, right click on the list and select “Sort By Name”. To place the entry by hand, click on the entry and drag where you want it. If you have any tips or shortcuts that you think the readers of this Newsletter will find useful, send them to sjackson@inter800.com Banners? Pay-per-click? Why not target your market with links or information placed in relevant content? The Internet 800 Directory Newsletter offers direct access to business people who are interested buyers. Advertising: Information on how to sponsor this publication: Call 800-299-1879 Thanks for taking the time to review our newsletter for this week. If you know of anyone that might benefit from receiving this newsletter, send them to (http://www.inter800.com/news800/ ) where they can subscribe. All Contents Copyright ©1995-2003 The Internet 800 Directory Subscribe To The Newsletter: |