A start-up devises hot software. It corners the market and goes public, making the founders instant millionaires. Then Bill Gates notices. In 1995, Netscape Communications brought the Web to millions of PCs with Netscape Navigator. The winner could dominate the booming market in Intranets, private company networks based on Internet software and standards.
Big bucks are at stake.
As one wag put it, they had too much digital and not enough camera. No digital camera can duplicate the picture quality of its film-based cousin, but models released this year have friendly features that appeal to the impulse buyer. Many cameras come with liquid-crystal displays that allow you to see what you are taking and review what you already have. Some boast removable storage cards, a boon because the originals ran out of room after 16 or 20 shots. The major selling point of the digital camera, however, is that you can print your holiday snaps without visiting a developing shop.