American History 1988
Chapter 340 - 329: Beta Version Release

Chapter 340: Chapter 329: Beta Version Release

In early August, Explorer 2.0 Beta was officially released.

This time, Netscape still didn’t do any extra promotion for this browser because Explorer 1.0 had already accumulated a large user base.

When collecting surveys for the Beta test, Netscape received millions of applications.

As the most popular browser on the internet, countless people were eagerly anticipating the next version of Explorer.

What’s more, when filling out the survey, users saw the unique features of the new version.

Features such as web-based email, video animation playback, brand new navigation services, and so on...

All of these features attracted the attention of internet users, some of which they had never even heard of.

Therefore, when the Beta version started rolling out updates, almost all users chose to upgrade their browser.

After installation, the first thing that struck people was the new logo’s texture, giving them a different sensation.

It was evident that this version had been treated with care, and the company developing it was operating it as a real software product.

Because of such experiences, users had high expectations for the new browser version.

As it turned out, they were not let down.

The new generation of Explorer not only had its UI optimized extensively, making it more beautiful.

But most importantly, its startup speed visibly improved compared to before.

This change was the most direct, especially after reopening Mosaic again.

At this point, there really was no suspense.

Even if the browser’s other features had only minor improvements, the extremely fast user experience alone was enough to proclaim its success.

But the surprises of version 2.0 did not stop there; in the first step of the newcomer’s guide, it introduced users to the brand new email function.

NetMail, Netscape’s email service. Anytime, any place, unrestricted.

It doesn’t require you to install an additional client; when you open the Explorer browser, you can use it in sync.

Even, in principle, you can use Netscape’s email even if you switch to another browser.

Because this webpage is independent; it is not tied to the browser.

Dean wouldn’t be shortsighted enough to limit the two together; if Netscape’s email could become widespread across all platforms, that would be another form of advertising.

Of course, for most people, using Explorer to log into Netscape email is the preferred option.

Because their compatibility is unparalleled, and they also have sync features.

In the newcomer’s guide, registering an email is very simple; you only need to set your ID and password to use it.

As for real-name verification? Sorry, my great America has its own national conditions.

What? Real-name verification? Be careful, or I’ll sue you for infringement~

So the registration for Netscape’s email is exceptionally simple.

And the simple steps attracted a large number of users to register their personal emails right from the start.

Next, when they entered the email page, they were amazed by the clean and refreshing layout.

Even to increase the aesthetics, Netscape set up several sets of skins and stationery templates for the email.

The internet newbies who had just gotten online had never seen these before, and they were instantly captivated by the fun of matching their own skins.

A simple email feature managed to keep them occupied for half a day, resulting in them not even finishing the newcomer’s guide.

And with an email account set up, many were eager to share their new emails with friends.

Consequently, emails adorned with the Netscape logo began to disperse in every direction.

However, those pretty stationery skins only displayed when both users were using Netscape email.

This would undoubtedly attract even more new users to join.

But do you think that’s all? To promote this service, Dean and his team had another trick up their sleeve.

That is, at the bottom of every email sent from Netscape, there was a line.

"Get free internet-based email services at NetMail."

This was a hyperlink, and simply clicking on it would take you to the Netscape email page.

As for why Netscape put so much effort into a free email service.

It’s the same reason again, to increase user loyalty.

As is well-known, applications with social features have a high cost to switch.

Just like if you’ve been using a phone number for a long time, unless absolutely necessary, you wouldn’t want to change it.

Because that’s too much hassle, and it’s not that the change itself is difficult.

But you need to notify all your friends about the fact that you’re changing your number.

That, not to mention updating your contact information at various banks and public institutions.

Just thinking about it is enough to deter many people; no one wants to run around for that reason.

Email is the same way; with the internet becoming widespread, now is the perfect time to promote them.

As more and more users start using Netscape email, they’ll get used to it, including the Explorer browser.

Also, while the email service is free, once storage exceeds a certain limit, there might be value-added services.

After all, Netscape’s servers can’t possibly allow users unlimited file storage.

That’s just unrealistic, and that part of the cost isn’t cheap.

Of course, that’s a topic for the future; for the current users, Netscape email has already provided them with plenty of novelty.

After completing this step in the newcomer’s guide, they then move on to the introduction of the navigation website.

It wasn’t until this point that many people realized that the familiar Price’s List was gone.

It was replaced by a straightforward Yahoo search box, with its purple logo being very eye-catching.

Although many people already know how to use search engines without an introduction,

Explorer still provided simple guidance, such as how to use keywords.

And how to find one’s favorite websites in the directory below.

The refreshed homepage sparked everyone’s interest.

After nearly a year of aggressive promotion, they were already very familiar with Price’s List.

But Yahoo was something novel, especially its colloquial moniker, Yahoo!

Interesting, isn’t it? Moreover, unlike Price’s List’s focus on promoting local services,

Yahoo promoted websites, aiding users in finding what they were truly interested in.

Of course, the top spot in terms of popularity was naturally Price’s List.

What followed were software sharing sites, as well as news channels.

In terms of information promotion, Yahoo was more popular than Price’s List.

This was Dean’s reason for setting Yahoo as the homepage, a portal website is simply the best choice.

However, Dean didn’t forget what he had promised to Simon.

Although Price’s List was removed, right next to the browser’s address bar was a conspicuous "Price List" logo.

With just a gentle click, a new page would go directly to Price’s List.

This design was termed "second homepage" by the Netscape development team; it likewise didn’t require users to type in a web address to open the page.

It might not be as prominent as Yahoo being directly on the homepage, but the traffic from this position was still substantial.

Furthermore, in Yahoo’s web directory, the top spot was also theirs.

So, even though they lost the prime position of the homepage, Price’s List didn’t have to worry too much about user growth subsequently.

Additionally, when it comes to portal websites, Price’s List could be considered one of them.

It’s just that now Yahoo is a search engine type of portal website, while Price’s List is a lifestyle type of portal website.

The content orientation they offer differs, and their future business models are also distinct.

For example, Yahoo will continue to uphold the principle of free information in the future.

Therefore, its commercial profits can only come from web page advertisements or search result bidding rank.

But the revenue for Price’s List is more like a kind of intermediary fee.

Real estate brokerage fees, recruitment intermediary fees, and so on.

It’s not that they don’t have web page ads, but they don’t constitute a major percentage.

And these intermediary fees are destined to be volumetric.

Thus, for Price’s List, local information infrastructure is very important.

And once a scale effect has been formed, it’s nearly impossible for newcomers to seize this part of the market.

Okay, Yahoo, Price’s List, Explorer browser, the trinity.

At the current stage, Dean had nearly mastered all the channels for disseminating information at the internet interface.

If viewed from the perspective of information control theory, this was actually quite a terrifying thing.

But no one realized this at the time; people were immersed in the surprise of continuous internet revolutions.

...

The Beta version of Explorer 2.0 attracted millions of users within a mere two weeks.

And due to the loud calls on the internet, Netscape had no choice but to expand the scale of testing.

In the week before the official version was to be released, they almost stopped limiting people from downloading the Beta version.

And with the spread of the new browser, the name Yahoo had already echoed throughout the internet.

Approaching September, Don Guding mentioned a strange name at the Axel board meeting.

Guding, Axel’s telecommunications analyst, had been building the company’s website.

This was the first internet site constructed by a venture capital firm; there was just no way around it, web pages were too trendy.

Personal web pages, corporate web pages, emerging like mushrooms after the rain.

As a venture capitalist always at the forefront of the wave, they naturally didn’t show any weakness.

Guding put a lot of thought into the website, constantly referencing one particular site to optimize the web page characteristics of Axel.

The name of this website was "Yahoo."

Yahoo? The board members laughed when they heard this name.

They thought it surely couldn’t be a formal name.

Guding had been preparing to advance Yahoo as an investment project for Axel, but he backed off at the last moment.

Because he felt that proposing an idea that was unanimously considered a laughingstock was meaningless.

A few days later, in another similar meeting, Sasson Venture Capital did not make the same mistake.

Draper, experienced though still unsure how this new-fangled thing called a website could be profitable,

reasoned that something being used by tens of millions of people must inherently have commercial value.

So, round and about, he found his way to that trailer office on the Stanford campus.

Yes, David and the others hadn’t moved out yet, because the new office was still being renovated.

And since Yahoo wasn’t profitable yet, they figured as long as Stanford didn’t issue an eviction order, they could delay moving for as long as possible.

David might not be short of money, but he enjoyed the current state of affairs.

In his words: Here, I can immerse myself in Yahoo without any external disturbances.

However, contrary to his wishes, Draper, just like Dean before, bent down to enter the trailer.

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