Considering that AOL spent $4.2 billion to buy Netscape, you'd think somebody would have noticed that they already have a browser component.

Some may still wonder why IBM failed to buy Netscape.

Finally on Nov. 23, America Online announced that it was buying Netscape for $4.2 billion, while also forming an alliance with Sun Microsystems.

A new analysis of America Online's plan to buy Netscape might spare Microsoft the on-line-monopoly moniker.

When you added in his stake in AOL, which by then had bought Netscape, he was now worth $1.5 billion.

It would have been like buying Netscape at $10 a share.

It turned out, however, that just as Mr. Barksdale was testifying, America Online was midway through a review process to determine whether to buy Netscape.

And in November 1998, shortly before AOL announced it was buying Netscape, Netscape bought Newhoo.

(11/25/98) America Online is buying Netscape.

Anyone unlucky enough to buy Netscape when it hit its high has lost roughly a third of the money on the company, which makes Internet software.