September 1997
Internet Explorer 4.0 released
MicrosoftThe software giant behind Windows, Office, Azure, and Xbox — founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. released Internet ExplorerMicrosoft's long-running web browser — bundled with Windows for decades before Edge replaced it. 4.0 in September 1997 with deeper Windows integration, Dynamic HTMLHyperText Markup Language — the standard markup for structuring web pages., and the Trident rendering engine.
What it was for
IEInternet Explorer — Microsoft's browser that dominated the web in the 1990s and 2000s. 4 turned the browser into part of the Windows shell — the desktop could show web folders and Active Desktop widgets. Trident became the engine behind IEInternet Explorer — Microsoft's browser that dominated the web in the 1990s and 2000s. for fifteen years and influenced how millions of intranet apps were built.
Companies
- Microsoft
Why it's here
IEInternet Explorer — Microsoft's browser that dominated the web in the 1990s and 2000s. 4 marked MicrosoftThe software giant behind Windows, Office, Azure, and Xbox — founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen.'s boldest push to make the web indistinguishable from Windows.
Why it mattered
Trident and DHTML gave developers rich client pages — but also years of IEInternet Explorer — Microsoft's browser that dominated the web in the 1990s and 2000s.-only site designs.
What it solved
MicrosoftThe software giant behind Windows, Office, Azure, and Xbox — founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. needed a browser tightly woven into Windows to counter NetscapeA commercial web browser company — Navigator defined the early consumer web.'s cross-platform dominance.
Related
- Internet Explorer 3.0 releasedAugust 13, 1996
- Internet Explorer 6.0 releasedAugust 27, 2001
- Netscape Communicator 4.0 releasedJune 11, 1997