[thelist] AOL/netscape was:Netscape 6 loads page twice

[Aylard JA (James)]

Jake,

> I don't think any of us really know what lurks in the minds of AOL's 
> management. Did any of us predict that AOL would buy Netscape? Dan 
> and I can think they're thinking "Well, we spent big bucks on this 
> browser, what should we do with it?" and you can think they're 
> thinking "We've got this great symbiotic relationship with Microsoft 
> and we should use it."

	I'm not saying that AOL *likes* the relationship with Microsoft (as
in "great symbiotic relationship"). I'm simply saying that I suspect it
*works* for AOL, as in it brings in lots of new customers.

> But none of us really have any idea what AOL  management is planning. 
> To think otherwise is hubris.

	I don't pretend to know what AOL is planning. I only argue that, if
the deal with Microsoft is successfully bringing in customers, AOL is highly
unlikely to change that relationship. That's the way business works. Of
course if that relationship is *not* working for AOL (and I would be very
surprised if it's not), then anything is possible.

James Aylard