> But the threat stopped them from dominating the browser market and enabled the first dot-com explosion.
The first dot-com explosion was well under way at that point. Microsoft's domination of the desktop didn't stop any e-commerce companies.
The first dot-com explosion was well under way at that point. Microsoft's domination of the desktop didn't stop any e-commerce companies.
So, no. The threats of antitrust enforcement against MS were a key part of the timeline for the first dot-com explosion, as they made MS curtail their behavior and provided startups with a little breathing room to exist without being instantly crushed by Bill Gates.
I'm old, I was starting my career and working in and around tech startups at the time, it was a big part of the discussion then. It's hard to overstate how dominant and scary MS was at the time, they didn't have any real rivals.
Name an e-commerce company Microsoft tried to compete with.