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In the past, too many competing browsers resulted in a frustrating experience for web application developers.

Does Google have undue influence now? Sure. But I’m not so sanguine about the alternatives either.

It was more than just too many competing browsers, from what I understand. It was a few competing browsers that interpreted standards completely different, and a standards body that was slow enough to be completely ineffective.

I'd argue that the main problem was not too much competition, but effective anti-competitive behavior (and simple laziness) from Microsoft in particular. The frustrating experience was primarily caused by Internet Explorer.

We will move back to a worse version of that when Microsoft buys Chrome, since now Google aren't allowed to compete in this space.

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