They also had Internet Explorer. When it was released it was actually good (compared to the competition). Internet Explorer was dominant, but then it turned into the punching bag of web browser memes.

[–] psud@aussie.zone 1 points 13 hours ago

It's not that internet explorer was good that made it successful, it was packaged with windows where Netscape wasn't. People used the one that was already on their computer, then as they got market share they extended http to encourage sites to make stuff that wouldn't work in Netscape, and couldn't due to patents

By the time Microsoft was forced to unbundle IE and windows it was very hard for Netscape to get market share back

[–] ilinamorato@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago

I think that Microsoft is paralyzed by corporate culture. Everything needs to be signed off by multiple stakeholders, everything needs a dozen meetings before anyone can make a decision, and as a result the stuff that's "good enough" (read: still making money) languishes--or worse, becomes a dumping ground for whatever corporate pet project is exciting--until it's unacceptably awful, mired under decades of technical debt and spaghetti code fixes.

At least they have the sense to let the successful companies they acquire manage themselves. There's no AI in Minecraft, for instance.