Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 Makes Debut

Online Newsletter, April, 1999

On March 18, 1999, Microsoft announced the release of its latest browser - Internet Explorer 5.0. -- This new version of its browser is already expected to well outpace the Netscape Navigator, although Netscape is also expected to roll out a new version of its browser later this year.

Despite Netscape's acquisition by America Online, Inc. (AOL), for $9.8 billion, and approved by the DOJ in March, Netscape may continue its decline as a preferred Internet Web browser - a role that once made it the significant top Internet browser of choice. In fact, Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser had 43.8% of the browser market in the fall of 1998 compared to Netscape's 41.5%.

Of course, Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, integrated into Windows 98, is at the heart of its antitrust lawsuit with the Department of Justice (DOJ). ... All of that case may be altered now that Netscape is part of AOL, and the ''browser wars'' go on. ... To add to that scenario, Microsoft's Internet Explorer 5.0 can be downloaded free.

More than 2 million users have already downloaded the beta version of Internet Explorer 5.0. More than 140 ISPs (Internet Service Providers), seven of the top nine portal sites, and more than 300 radio stations worldwide have adopted the Internet Explorer 5.0.

With its new ''Windows Radio Toolbar'' users have one-click access to streaming audio content on the Internet while they can simultaneously browse the Web; a 25% performance boost over the previous Internet Explorer 4.0 (included with Windows 98); a 30-60% performance edge over Netscape Navigator 4.5; easy-to-use ''IntelliSense'' features that simplify complex browsing tasks; and customization capabilities that enable access providers to modify the interface and functionality.

Portal sites creating customized versions of Internet Explorer 5.0 already include: AltaVista Search Service; Excite, Inc.; Lycos, Inc.; InfoSeek Corporation's Go Network; and Microsoft's own MSN network. More than 130 ISPs are already making the new Internet Explorer 5.0 available to users from their Web sites. A number of leading CD producers are also including the new browser in their products.

Bill Gates, in announcing the new browser, also emphasized its inclusion in the upcoming Windows 98 Second Edition, to be released later in the fall of this year. The Windows 98 Second Edition update will be available in both retail stores as well as included in OEM products.

Internet Explorer 5.0 fully supports HTML 4.0, CSS, Document Object Model, ECMA compliant scripting, as well as delivering a rich, easy-to-use interface. The browser offers page-rendering performance improvements of up to 60% in comparison with Netscape Navigator 4.5; and an average start-up of 39% faster than with Netscape Navigator 4.5.

Other new features of Internet Explorer 5.0 include: ''Search Assistant,'' harnessing the power of different search engines to conduct quick, automatically optimized searches whether for a Web site, company, map, address, or other inquiry; ''AutoSearch,'' which allows users to type in common sense phrases in the address bar rather than URLs and to be connected to the appropriate Web site automatically; plus other features which have been updated and enhanced from previous IE browsers.

In offering Internet Explorer 5.0, Microsoft has not neglected backward compatibility with previous versions of Windows. ... Internet Explorer 5.0 is available via free download for Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT (r) 3.51, Windows NT 4.0, Sun Solaris, UNIX, and HP-UX operating systems. (A new version for the Macintosh will be released this fall, replacing the recently released Internet Explorer 4.5.) It is also available in more than 26 languages (seven languages were initially released). A customized version called ''Internet Explorer by MSN'' is also available for free download at: http://msn.com

Internet Explorer 5.0 is available for free download at:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie

[RSH]