Browsers - part 2

Now we can look back and assess the impact of events. It is now clear that Microsoft has succeeded in his plan. If Netscape Navigator 3.x still maintains its leading position, Netscape 4.x has already begun to give Internet Explorer 4.x. NN 5.x version did not come out, and NN 6.x was another disappointment for former fans of "Navigator". There is now version 7.0, but it does not take significant market share, while Internet Explorer 5.0, 5.5 and 6.0 are used for more than 95% of users.

It's funny that many bitterly accused Microsoft that the company was struggling with Netscape "non-market" means. However, compare the actions of competitors. Among the many steps taken by Microsoft, was an independent organization and support of W3C, which is developing the new standard of HTML 3. Initially the company was considered a Netscape engine industry, because it is constantly developed and modernized the HTML, which initially do not really intended for the graphic design of the text. But Microsoft, having invested a large amount of money and human resources, was able to adopt standards that are different from those already implemented in Netscape Navigator, and the differences were sometimes purely formal. The result was that the pages are created in accordance with the W3C-specifications is displayed in the Navigator distorted. It is also important that the NN had to download (even free) and install manually, and IE has quickly become an integrated component of Windows, ready to use (and from which, incidentally, can not get rid of it in principle.)

And how Netscape was able to achieve a leading position? At one time, by similar methods the company tried (successfully, finally) drive out of the market NCSA Mosaic.Then the HTML was not particularly rich in interesting features, but because of innovation, supported by Navigator, immediately attracted the attention of developers and users. However, these pages are displayed incorrectly in Mosaic, which made him think about moving users to the products of Netscape.

As a result, due to the disregard of Netscape Navigator and many have sighed with relief. Although, of course, the loss of competition in the market and the accession of such a dangerous monopolist like Microsoft, never is good for end users, but many are tired of the "standards war", when the already-poor features of HTML have to subtly adjust so that the pages look the same in both browsers.

About HotJava, unfortunately, to say nothing special. For some time Sun has supported the product and added the ability to visually generate web-pages without knowledge of HTML. However, a competitive browser was unable to develop and soon HotJava was stopped. It is still possible to download and view the latest version 3.0.

And the last thing is to stop - the language of Java Script, which is also quite common and that many still associate with Java, probably because of the similarity of names. However, some features in common they really are.

December 4, 1995 by Netscape and Sun jointly announced a new "scripting language" (scripting language) Java Script. As can be seen from the press release, is an open cross-platform object scripting language designed for corporate networks and the Internet. Java Script code is described directly in HTML-text (although you can load it and of the individual files with the extension. Js). This language is designed to create applications that connect objects and resources on the client or the server. Thus, Java Script, on the one hand, extends and complements HTML, but on the other hand - complements Java. With the help of Java applets are written in objects that can be controlled through a scripting language.

General properties of Java Script and Java:

1. easy to learn. At this parameter Java Script is compared with Visual Basic - to use these languages, programming experience is required; 
2. cross-platform. Java Script code executed by your browser. The implication is that browsers on different platforms should provide the same functionality for pages that use scripting language. However, this is done at about the same extent as the support of the HTML, - the differences are still very much; 
3. openness; language specification is open for discussion and community development; 
4. All these properties suggest that Java Script is well-suited for Internet-programming; 
5. language syntax Java Script and Java are very similar. However, they are also quite similar to the C language; 
6. Java Script language is not object-oriented (although some aspects of object-oriented approach supported), but allows the use of various facilities provided by the browser; 
7. a similar story of the emergence and development. Both languages ​​have been announced by Sun and Netscape with an interval of several months. Released shortly after Netscape Navigator 2.0 supports both the new technology. Perhaps the name was given Java Script in order to take advantage of popular Java, or in order to further expand the concept of "platform Java". It is likely that most of the work on the development of the language had just Netscape. 

Despite the large number of similar characteristics, Java and Java Script - completely different languages, and above all - on purpose. If Java was originally intended as a language for creating Internet-applications (applets), but now it is clear that Java - is a full-fledged programming language. As for the Java Script, it lives up to its name scripting language, while remaining an extension of HTML. However, the expansion of quite powerful, as lovers of this technology, manage to create quite serious applications such as 3D-games from first person (in a very simplified mode, naturally), although it is rather a case of the field of curiosities.

In conclusion, we note that the code is Java Script, running on the client, is available to all in the clear, which makes copyright protection. On the other hand, due to lack of full support for new types of ad programs with complex functionality are often too complicated to take advantage of others.