Competing on Internet Time

"The Internet is forcing managers and employees to experiment, invent, plan, and change their ideas constantly while they are trying to build complex new products and technologies."

"Netscape became synonymous with software that was innovative, fun and free."

"Netscape was built as a big company from day one."

"Three core concepts anchored Netscape's vision?the power of networks, the promise of a universal interface to the Internet from any communications device, and the need for open standards. Just about everything else was open to change. "

"By the time the online malls were built, consumers would be hooked on driving around in Netscape's car."

"Talented engineers were not enough. Netscape needed experienced managers to scale into a real company."

"Netscape was second to none in its ability to take a set of short-term ideas, turn them into products, and run like hell."

"Netscape could not have afforded to develop internally all the software that made the Internet, intranets, and extranets run."

"Yesterday's core competency is tomorrow's core rigidity."

"In the fight between the bear and the alligator, the outcome is determined by the terrain."

"Gates went on to outline one of the most stunning reversals of corporate strategy in recent memory."

"The dirty secret of the computer industry is that everyone is "open, but not open"; they differ only in degree."

"Microsoft was not only good at judo strategy; it was great at sumo strategy as well."

"Cross-platform products pose technical challenges that can lead to lower programming productivity and weak product performance compared to platform-specific products."

"Under the pressure of competition, Netscape clearly designed and shipped Communicator 4.0 too quickly."

"Netscape managers never solved their disagreements about what components to build in the core technologies division or in the client and server divisions, as well as how to allocate architectural responsibilities."

"Parallel projects tended to stress scarce manpower resources since the company did not have Microsoft's ability to hire as many developers and testers as it needed."

"No rocket science."

"PC Software developers, especially those working on Internet products, need to use much more flexible development techniques than software engineers working in companies where product cycles are longer and the technology is more stable."

"In large part, necessity rather than theory drove Netscape's strategy of test automation."

"Eat our own dog food, so to speak."