Go Go Mozilla
Top story on Wired News right now is my report, AOL Test May Renew Browser War. It’s not exactly news that AOL is testing the Mozilla browser instead of Microsoft Internet Explorer in its beta test program - beta testers have been yakking about it for weeks despite the non-disclosure agreements they signed.
But a few weeks of reporting has verified two things: (a) AOL shows all the signs of seriously moving toward switching browsers for the first time in five years. (b) No one can explain why [in the strategic business sense] they would do this, other than to be less tied to Microsoft despite the costs and potential disruptions. Analysts I talked to all agreed it would be more an emotional decision than a bottom-line business strategy.
The open-source programmers and testers behind Mozilla are happy, if not cheering: Many aren’t crazy about AOL, to put it mildy. If Mozilla weren’t standards-based and GPL’d (meaning AOL is legally required to make any source code changes publicly available), the switch to an in-house browser would be assumed to be another megaplayer’s attempt to lock up a distribution channel along with its content. [UPDATE: Much of the Mozilla code is licensed by the Netscape Public License and Mozilla Public License - you can read about the differences here.]
At the same time, the Mozillans want to see their work in the hands of millions of people who will enjoy it. In that respect, they sound like my musician friends who get major label record contracts.