Joe Wilcox Browser Quotations

The Opera folks are betting their browser has reached a threshold of popularity where they can unshackle it from the fees. This clearly is a volume play that could pay off if enough people use the browser. Opera would be able to drive revenue through affiliate relationships, for example.

Some people might speculate that Opera couldn't compete by charging when AOL, Apple, Microsoft, Mozilla and most other browser developers give away software for free. Not so. Just the opposite is true,

There's money to be made off browsers, in part because of search. The browser may be a giveaway, but it's a freebee people use to access content they are willing to pay for or advertisers are willing to subsidize.

There are a number of ways Opera can make money off the browser, but all that requires volume. Removing the price tag and the banner ads increases the likelihood that more people will use the browser. More eyeballs means more revenue off the browser without charging for or putting banner ads in people's faces.