Does MS Still control The Connection?

[kumpf@ricks.enet.dec.com (john, Alpha, hudson, ma, usa 225-4811)]

This is a big win, because now Compaq et al can pre-install Netscape
if they want.  It means that MS wont get 90% of the browser
APPLICATION market by leveraging their 90% of the OS market.  I would
expect browser stats to increase for Netscape (and others) because of
this result.

But the more sinister and subtle goal of MS to leverage their OS
market to make the internet proprietary seems still afoot.

What i mean is that MS still controls all layers from the browser to
the modem.  Someone's going to have to help me w/ my network layers,
but it's my understanding that the "TCP/IP stack" is provided by MS.
MS could still use the tactic of substituting MS-TCP/IP which has
"enhanced communication features" which allow it alone to transport
content from "MS-Enhanced content" sites.  In this way, they could
transform the industry from TCP/IP to MS-TCP/IP and then erect their
Toll Gates on the Information SuperHighway.

It's my understanding that the HTTP protocol implementation resides in
the browser, so that'll be Netscape's.  Am i right?  Until Netscape
starts trying to abuse its own monopoly power, we're safe there.

The other thing that bothers me is the built-in HTTP protocols in
every MS product.  I think MS calls them "web-enabled DLLs."  Is this
another opportunity for them to leverage their 90% OS share to control
the protocol thru "enhancement."  They can provide a Windows OS in
which every DLL is web-enabled (runs the HTTP protocol which allows
the DLL to connect to the internet).  I can see Internet Apps written
for Windows which rely on these DLLs, thereby handing control of the
internet connection over to MS.  In this scenario, the Apps provide
the value over and above a mere internet connection, which would seem
to be a good business model for a forward-looking internet startup.
By handing over control of the internet connection, it seems MS still
retains control of that connection, and can "enhance" it (make it
proprietary) and leverage their monopoly.