Answer to Social Media Examiner’s article on RockMelt

Social Media Examiner has an article about Rockmelt and it’s effects on other browsers and the internet itself.  Rockmelt is revolutionary, but will spur evolutionary spurs of the major browsers to include these features (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Opera).  These features are available as extensions in some browsers currently.  Eventually, browsers will have these features though.

I think the first browser to incorporate these features will be Google Chrome.  Google hates to lose at things, and maybe they would even try to buy the RockMelt team to get those features incorporated.  The next browser I see adding the social features is Opera.  They seem to be trying as of lately, and are very good at copying features from other browsers.  Next to the party will be Firefox.  And last as always will be Internet Explorer and Safari.

It amazes me that OS manufacturers keep putting so much effort into browsers, and not paying attention to what consumers want.  These browsers hate to innovate, and love to copy everything years later.  Chrome is so successful because they integrate features like this. 

And then we get to the point where companies sue each other over features.  There’s no need, it’s a losing battle.  I understand that you want to be paid for your innovation, but in the software world, it’s hard. 

Internet browsers are like Darwin’s finches.  You remember high school biology, right?  Each finch was adapted to a particular niche in the island system.  For those who aren’t sure what it means, it’s that they each specialize on something.  Browsers are the same, they each have their target audience.  The older generation who doesn’t know some of this information will always go with the default browser with the computer (Internet Explorer and Safari).  Younger individuals will probably chose Firefox, it was a winner.  And then people in their teens and twenties choose Chrome.  Young people love Google.

RockMelt, you have some great technology yet.  And hopefully you get to cash in on that.  The browser market is competitive, if you don’t “sell out,” I don’t think you’ll survive.