The browser wars have really been heating up again lately. Thanks to Mozila's Firefox, Internet Explorer is no longer the undisputed king, and browsers are popping up all over the place trying grab a piece of the pie. A new browser project called RockMelt is in development - and it's backed by Mosaic developer and Netscape founder Marc Andreessen.
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Member since:
2009-07-28
The biggest hurdle for any new browser, as the cnet article stated, is penetrating the existing browser market. Chrome is only at 2%, Firefox at 23%, with no mention of where Opera/Safari/other alternatives stand...
In order for RockMelt to succeed it has to be as simple and intuitive as the "default" browsers IE and Safari WHILE incorporating things like support for the vast amount of plugins/extentions/themes/other addons Firefox offers WHILE being as fast and lightweight as Opera.
I don't think a tight integration with facebook is enough, as a tight integration with Google only has gotten Chrome a 2% user base. Perhaps if there were enhanced facebook features ONLY available in Rockmelt WHILE taking advantage of all I mentioned it MAY stand a chance in the era of Browser War II.
Member since:2005-11-10
It took Firefox 5 years to get where it is now, and a lot of that is entirely grass roots. IE6 was so bad, that when Firefox came along and presented a workable alternative, everybody jumped at the chance to spread the word.
I don’t think Google are done with Chrome yet, not by a long shot.
Member since:2006-01-12
There is also money part. IE and Safari are both part of OS so money comes from OS sales, Chrome is back by Google that gets money from ads, Firefox is backed by Mozilla Foundation which is donation based plus ads, Opera is backed mostly by mobile browser sales and ads, then there is huge number of other browsers that are mostly forks of those.
Back in Netscape days competition was much less. I really fail to see how they plan to finance this new browser production, ads most likely. But to get good ad revenue you need lot of users, very hard combo for new product.
Member since:2005-07-24
Member since:2005-11-13
Yeah, and it also happened while MS sat on their laurels and didn't touch IE for several years either. No such luck now.
Anyway, whatever browser comes out now days needs at the very least some sort of ad-blocking capability. Otherwise, I ain't going near it.
Member since:2005-07-24
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2009-07-30
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Member since:2009-07-30
[Smacks back]
You should follow your own advice. However, don't limit yourself to just the article, and read the post you're responding to as well. They're naming "it" RockMelt. The article is also vague on whether or not this will be the company name, the browser name, or the project name - it could be all three.
Anyways it was just a comment on the funny name. Am I really replying to this? I can't believe I am.
::sigh::
Edited 2009-08-14 18:46 UTC
Member since:2005-07-06
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Member since:2006-12-13
Me too.
I wouldn't bother to make a new browser for the mainstream operating systems, but I'm personally working on a new browser for Haiku, since it is kind of needed. But a lot of people wouldn't bother making a new OS like Haiku so I suppose I'm a hypocrite. So more power to the Rock Me It or rather RockMelt guys...
Member since:
2005-07-06
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2006-01-11
Member since:
2005-07-16
It does not have to matter at all that it does not get much market share...
In today's large world of online users, a "mega niche" browser can make a decent amount of money too... As long as it renders pages really well but thats where the standards of WebKit etc. comes in and makes life easy..
Cheers,
Daniel
Member since:
2005-11-02
On my Ubuntu system I have:
Firefox 3.5 (Shiretoko nightly build)
Chromium
Epiphany (Webkit version)
Opera
Dillo
Galeon
Konqueror
Midori
SeaMonkey
Lynx
w3m
and finally
Internet Explorer 6.0 on IEs4Linux
Submitted using Chromium 4.0.202.0 (23308) but Firefox 3.5 is still my favorite browser.
I need another browser ?
Member since:2005-08-09
Member since:
2006-07-30
IE needed for corporate apps, Firefox for extensions, Chrome for speed and auto-updates - three's enough for me. I am not excited about this, I don't see what it could offer that I don't already have in one form or another, or that the established browsers won't immediately mimic for their next release. This sounds like Web 2.0 2.0, with people rushing in to fund something that I can't see making anywhere near enough money to justify the investment. Oh well, its their money...
Member since:
2006-11-26
Member since:
2009-05-20
