Zona Research says Microsoft's IE has overtaken Netscape's browser as businesses standardize their Internet use.

By Jim Kerstetter, eWEEK
May 18, 1999 11:58 AM PT

Has Microsoft Corp. finally jumped far ahead in the browser race? Zona Research thinks so.

In a study of 308 corporate enterprises, Zona found that 59 percent of respondents are using Microsoft's (Nasdaq:MSFT) Internet Explorer as their primary browser, while 41 percent of respondents are using Netscape Communications Corp.'s Navigator or Communicator, Zona reported Tuesday.

The results differ markedly from a study conducted last October, which found that IE was trailing Navigator in the enterprise by more than 40 percent.

Corporations want uniformity

The most significant reason for the shift? New corporate policies mandating uniformity in desktop configurations, according to Zona analysts.

When asked if their companies encourage or require use of a particular browser, 69 percent of those surveyed said such policies were in effect. Of those who said their companies had browser policies, 62 percent said Internet Explorer was the standard, while only 38 percent relied on Navigator or Communicator.

Since Zona started tracking browser usage in January 1996, enterprises with policies dictating browser usage have grown from 33 percent to 69 percent.

"The fact that corporate policy dictates over two-thirds of all primary browsers in use reinforces the notion that the desktop browser has long ceased being a personal choice," said Clay Ryder, vice president and chief analyst at Zona, in a statement. "Designating a primary browser is now part of the greater IT strategy within the enterprise."