Peer Review

Are the Browser Wars Over?

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Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: The material is a brief case based upon readings at several links. A set of
questions are posed to promote discussion. Students are expected to read the
materials, make answers to the proposed discussion questions, and then
participate in class discusion based on the questions.
Type of Material:: Readings and questions.
Recommended Uses:: This material is best for generating a class discussion. The reading materials
provide facts pertinent to the case so that students will discuss facts as
opposed to opinions.
Technical Requirements:: Any browser.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The major learning goal is to make the student aware of *strategic* issues in
the use of browsers. Key issues of market share, free versus for-a-fee
software, and the role of third parties in dominating browser usage. At the end
of the lesson I would expect students to be competent on the issue of browsers
as a link to the Internet and World Wide Web as opposed to a portal for using
computer-based resources.
Target Student Population:: The lesson was created for graduate students but it would be suitable for
undergraduate students.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Ability to use a broswer, some general knowledge (such as an introductory
course) to management and marketing.

Rating:
Strengths:: The readings provide an overview of what has been the most significant challenge
to any of Microsoft's software. The fact that a legal battle was waged to
force Microsoft to restrict Microsoft's preeminence in this area is proof to the
strategic importance of the "browser wars."
Concerns:: The readings are out of date. Two links (for the vision of Netscape and the
first link to vision for Microsoft) are dead. The most recent link to Netscape
information is from 1998.

There has been a major new development in the "browser wars" - Firefox. This is
a new, free browser from Mozilla that has grown to a market share of over 20%
in a six month period.

If an instructor were to present browser wars today for discussion, Firefox is
critical to the discussion.

Rating:
Strengths:: The discussion questions will keep the students focused on the critical area of
importance - strategy. Contrasting competitive strategies is usually an
effective learning process.
Concerns:: There are no questions that let the student look to current browser offerings or
the impact of innovation on the browser war landscape.

Most of the issues highlighted and referenced in the case occured over 10 years

ago.

Rating:
Strengths:: This is easy for students to use. The discussion questions can be reviewed
before the students begin the reading assignment to assure that the questions
are understood.
Concerns:: A guide
for faculty would be helpful. Most of the questions are open-ended and are
difficult to address.

Other Issues and Comments:: I would hesitate to use this lesson unless I included Firefox. I would add the
following links to be reviewed:
1) Browser Wars at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_Wars
2) Browser statistics at http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp
3) the Firefox website (at Mozilla)at http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
4) C, Net review of Firefox at
http://reviews.cnet.com/Mozilla_Firefox_1_0/4505-9241_7-31117280.html
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