MS double deal steals thunder from Netscape

The jolly Gates Giant has also secured contracts for web browsers

Just when Netscape thought it had walked away with deals with America Online (AOL) and Compuserve, Microsoft steamed in and negotiated its own contracts with both parties.

Just one day after AOL agreed to offer Netscape Navigator browser to its subscribers, Microsoft got the online service provider to pledge to distribute its version as well.

In this latest battle to dominate the Net, Microsoft has scored a major coup as AOL intends the software giant's Internet Explorer to become 'the standard integrated Web browser' for its five million members. Netscape's programme will initially be used with AOL's separate Internet Service called Global Network Navigator which has far fewer subscribers.

Clive Longbottom, senior analyst at the Meta Group, said: 'Microsoft wants to make sure no one is behind Netscape and that everyone stays with it. Netscape must be sitting there saying,