MICROSOFT ECLIPSES NETSCAPE IN INTERNET BROWSER WAR ACCORDING TO
EXCLUSIVE WEB INTELLIGENCE FROM ADKNOWLEDGE

Leading Web Advertising Management Company Tracks Dramatic Browser Market
Share Shift to Microsoft

Palo Alto, Calif. — November 23, 1998 — AdKnowledge, the only independent
provider of end-to-end web advertising management products for agencies and
marketers, today revealed exclusive statistics that indicate as of
November, market share of the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser has
surpassed that of Netscape Navigator. AdKnowledge’s browser data was
derived from a daily sample taken in November of nearly 15 million ads
served by the AdKnowledge System across more than 1,000 of the leading web
sites, and provides the most current and unbiased picture of browser
activity today.

The statistics show that Explorer users in November accounted for 49.5
percent of the browser market, while Navigator users accounted for 45
percent. The data also reveals that Navigator’s share has steadily declined
from 62 percent in January 1998 to 55 percent in April 1998 to 51 percent
in July 1998 to a low of 45 percent this month. Conversely, Internet
Explorer’s share has increased from 36 percent in January 1998 to 43
percent in April 1998 to 46 percent in July 1998 to a high of 49.5 percent
this month. The figures suggest that, for the first time since AdKnowledge
began compiling Internet statistics in 1996, Microsoft has taken the lead
in the browser war with Netscape.

Using a powerful data warehouse, AdKnowledge supplies valuable information
from its Online Advertising Report (OAR) to interactive agencies and
marketers to help them optimize their web ad campaigns. The Report is a
compilation of web advertising statistics gathered from the AdKnowledge
System, which includes five components that span planning, campaign buying
and trafficking, ad serving and targeting, reporting and analysis. As an
independent provider of technology to agencies and marketers, AdKnowledge
delivers ad content to nearly all ad-supported web sites and is in a unique
position to provide a snapshot of browser market share.

“It’s clear that Microsoft has overtaken Netscape with respect to browser
market share. The relative market share for both companies remains close,
however, so ad designers still need to develop ads with both browsers in
mind,” said David Zinman, co-founder and director of product management for
AdKnowledge. “This is a trend we’ve tracked since January 1997 when
Netscape was clearly dominant with nearly 80 percent market share. In just
over a one-year period, there has been a dramatic shift to Microsoft.”

About AdKnowledge

AdKnowledge is the only independent provider of a complete, end-to-end web
advertising management system that generates a high return on investment
for an advertiser’s media dollars and increases the profitability of
agencies. The AdKnowledge System automates the advertising process and
delivers it through one easy-to-manage web-based system, which enables
users to plan, buy, traffic, target, serve, report and analyze.
AdKnowledge, which has a reputation for superior customer service, has
forged relationships with the following key industry leaders: BPA, Channel
Seven, InterVU, Media Metrix, Millward Brown Interactive, MRI, Narrative,
NetGuide, NetRatings, Simmons, and SRI Consulting. AdKnowledge is a
privately held company, funded by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers,
Mayfield Fund, The Walden Group and Partech International. The company’s
headquarters are in Palo Alto, California, with offices in New York.
Contact via phone at 650-842-6500 or on the Internet at
http://www.adknowledge.com.
Contact:
Marcella Wucher
650-596-9613
marcella@bigskypr.com