Everyone remembers the first web browser they ever used. And if you are old enough, you probably even remember using the Internet before the birth of the modern browser. Perhaps you remember struggling with the slow and clunky MS-DOS, which was all we had before they invented the Graphic User Interface (GUI). The GUI changed the face of web browsers by providing a more intuitive and attractive way to travel the web.
Once Mosaic, and then Netscape Navigator came along, there was no stopping the evolution of the web browser. So, who created these browsers? And more importantly, what web browser do people use the most today? The answers to these, and many other browser questions may surprise you.
People have a definite opinion when it comes to web browsers. The arguments over which is better, Safari, Chrome, Firefox or Internet Explorer rages on endlessly. One thing we know for sure, people will always rely on web browsers to access the Internet. How browsers got here and where they’re going is an interesting topic for anyone who uses the Internet. And these days, that includes just about everyone.
For web designers, the concerns with web browsers is that they each have distinct differences in how they look and behave. Even the same browser will appear differently from device to device. With their clean and modern designs, it’s amazing to look back to see how today’s web browsers have changed, from Mosaic and Netscape, all the way to Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari and Google Chrome. Have you ever wondered how these browsers make money for their respective companies? Again, it varies by browser as to how big conglomerates like Apple, Google and Microsoft generate revenue with their free offerings.
As new web browsers are being designed and built, let’s turn back the pages to see where they came from in the first place. How did we go from typing out a full sentence to get MS DOS to boot up, all the way to the space-efficient browsers of today? As browsers continue to improve the user experience, they also have to look and behave well on a variety of devices. Innovative features and upgrades have always meant a lot for browsers – and that’s not about to change any time soon. Let’s find out about the future of browsers by looking at their past.
