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At last Microsoft will open the platform to a choice of browsers out of the box, as reported in the news. This marks the end of a battle in the ongoing fierce competition between browsers, aptly named Browser Wars.

In addition to market share and availability for users of operating systems, browsers compete also in other fronts, such as standards compatibility and innovation. These days, to be usable at all, browsers simply must conform to standards. However, innovation provides an even bigger leverage to attract new users.

Internet itself is the embodiment of explosive innovative potential. Its rapid growth has stimulated the related technologies to the extreme. Users are having greatest time surfing the ever-increasing richness of media formats while browser makers think of new ways to utilize, access and share them.

Internet Explorer controlled the browser market by being tied to Microsoft's widespread Windows operating system. Internet Explorer had no essential updates until Linux, a totally different operating system, emerged. Working both in Linux and Windows, cross-platform browsers such as Firefox and Opera drew massive attention with their much better standards compatibility and cutting-edge innovativeness.

The fresh breeze from Opera and Firefox gave so much new life to the arena of browsers that even completely new ones were soon developed independently. In this context, innovativeness became priority.

Opera has been particularly innovative and lets users enjoy frequent considerable updates. Features like multiple pages within single-window interface and mouse gestures have gained popularity through Opera and even spread to other browsers. On desktops, Opera can access a variety of Internet protocols, such as e-mail, IRC, and BitTorrent, in addition to regular webpages - all within one application window. At the same time, versions of the browser have entered the mobile phone market and even provided game consoles with ability to browse the Web.

Now, as the news promise a selection of browsers when you start up MS Windows, the battle-fronts are being drawn along new lines. Step one: You start up your operating system. Step two: You will select your tools to start sharing.

This means you choose, customize and optimize the way you share. This means you do things the way you like. This means the most robust tool with the most attractive personality (read: the most innovative) will win.

All gadgets that can connect to the network provide the platform for interpersonal sharing. All Gadgets Unite