August 1995
The first version of Internet Explorer is packaged into Microsoft Plus!, an add-on to the Windows 95 OS that allowed users to tailor the appearance of their interface. Improved versions of the browser are launched in the following two years, with the company spending more than $100 million per year to work out the kinks. Although Explorer eventually replaces Netscape as the leading Web browser, the fact that it's bundled with Windows on new PCs sparks a series of lawsuits and regulatory concerns over antitrust issues. NEXT: MISS: Actimates
Last updated June 25 2008: 4:03 PM ET