Netscape had a weird policy, giving away their browser free for academic and non-profit use, before finally giving it away for free to compete with MS. I actually remember bragging to a friend when I was in college, since I didn't have to pay for Netscape, but he did...
Re:Impossible to compete with free software
by ahoyhere on Saturday March 07, 2009 @03:24AM
(#506380)
Netscape sold Netscape up until version 4, if I recall correctly. For $20-40. In certain situations, the browser was free. But you could walk into Computer City or CompUSA and buy it in a box.
Opera was un-free for a long time.
So were a number of Mac OS browsers. (iCab, etc.)
Perhaps you should have your memory checked ;)
I remember browsers backs to Mosaic, don't remember there ever being a charge for personal use. As important as the browser is, in many ways it is also transparent (or least supposed to be ;) ). I'm not sure that there ever really WAS a market for browsers. I remember Netscape was trying to make their money by selling server software, not the browser itself for the most part. A little like the razor blade model.
Your point is well taken, and there are exceptions to every rule.