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From The a16z Podcast: “Marc Andreessen on Building Netscape & the Birth of the Browser”

36 snips
Nov 19, 2024
In a captivating discussion, Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape and a key figure in internet innovation, and Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, explore the untold story of the web browser's creation. They dive into Marc's early life in rural Wisconsin and pivotal moments at the University of Illinois that led to the development of Mosaic. The conversation reveals intense competition in the browser wars and discusses how early skepticism about the internet transformed into revolutionary ideas that shaped today's tech landscape.
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ANECDOTE

Rural upbringing

  • Marc Andreessen grew up in rural Wisconsin with limited access to technology, not even cable TV.
  • His town had a party phone line, and long-distance calls were expensive.
ANECDOTE

BBSs - first online communities

  • Marc Andreessen's first exposure to online communities was through BBSs (Bulletin Board Systems).
  • However, due to high long-distance call costs in rural Wisconsin, he rarely used them.
ANECDOTE

University of Illinois

  • Marc Andreessen chose to attend the University of Illinois due to its strong engineering program and affordability as a state school.
  • It was a stroke of luck as the university was a hub for early internet development.
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