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Story: The browser wars are back, according to Netscape's founder

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You'd think that this was a prima-facie case that Microsoft will either react with its corporate might or resign its browser to the recycle bin.

There's no compelling evidence to say that these developers won't sell out to Microsoft in the long-run. Two-for-one stock buybacks and a hardline tech market will see Microsoft enter this market through the back door, by buying out the best, like it did with Microsoft Office.

Undeniably insecure and unreliable, it still outclasses its rivals in group testing, and is still the defacto standard. Ideals are neglected in times of corporate uncertainty.

Or consider its developer tools.

For many years Visual Studio was classed as inferior to the Borland family of tools; with later releases, we see a new way of developing being enforced upon developers (.NET) - the result: a much more stable and co-herent release.

What we're seeing from Microsoft at the moment is a progressive, secure program (with Windows XP SP 2) that has removed the bells-and-whistles approach in favour of a much more secure environment.

Either way, Microsoft will put paid to posturing and big ideals about a 'war' and a showdown. The gun fight will be fought in the boardrooms with checks and handshakes.

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