Netscape Navigator Web Browser Ends Its Life

[one...two...tree 2,762]

It's the end of an era, though not one that many people are likely to take notice of: Netscape Navigator, which has been being developed since 1994 and was the first commercial web browser, will cease to exist on Feb. 1, 2008.

More accurately, Navigator (now in version 9) will cease to be supported or developed on Feb. 1. New versions have already been discontinued. Of course, the code will still be around... forever, really. In fact, you can find old copies of Netscape dating back to version 0.9 today.

Netscape is noteworthy for one key reason: It was the company (and the product) that launched the dot-com boom of the late 1990s. (It was ultimately acquired by AOL.) I personally used Netscape as a devoted adherent for many years, finally switching to IE in version 5 and on to Firefox when it hit version 2. Today, Netscape Navigator is a shell of what it once was. Market share hovers somewhere between 0.06 and 0.24 percent of browser sessions, depending on who you ask. Even Safari and Opera substantially outpace it.

So shed a tear for a once-great product that's finally being put to rest. And if you're one of those 0.06 percent, God help you, get to Firefox immediately!

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/62943/net...s-life-on-feb-1

[almaty 19]

i used it in the past..was one of my first browser

[one...two...tree 2,762]

i used it in the past..was one of my first browser

Me too. I was a faithful Apple user and Netscape was far better than Explorer.

[almaty 19]

amen tot hat brother stevie..Apple was cool..and so was netscape..years ago..top of the line

[Lansbury 19]

Correct me if I wrong but I thought Firefox was in fact Netscape but in another skin.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Correct me if I wrong but I thought Firefox was in fact Netscape but in another skin.

From Wikipedia...

While Netscape Browser's version numbers start at 8, it is based on Mozilla Firefox, whereas Netscape 6 and 7 were based on Mozilla Application Suite, itself a complete rewrite of the codebase developed in versions 1 through 4 - Netscape Navigator and Netscape Communicator. As with other recent versions, it incorporates support for AOL Instant Messenger, and other AOL-related features.

The Netscape Browser series was succeeded by Netscape Navigator 9 but on December 28, 2007, Netscape developers announced that AOL will discontinue their web browser on February 1, 2008

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netscape_Browser

[simple_male 1]

It's the end of an era, though not one that many people are likely to take notice of: Netscape Navigator, which has been being developed since 1994 and was the first commercial web browser, will cease to exist on Feb. 1, 2008.

More accurately, Navigator (now in version 9) will cease to be supported or developed on Feb. 1. New versions have already been discontinued. Of course, the code will still be around... forever, really. In fact, you can find old copies of Netscape dating back to version 0.9 today.

Netscape is noteworthy for one key reason: It was the company (and the product) that launched the dot-com boom of the late 1990s. (It was ultimately acquired by AOL.) I personally used Netscape as a devoted adherent for many years, finally switching to IE in version 5 and on to Firefox when it hit version 2. Today, Netscape Navigator is a shell of what it once was. Market share hovers somewhere between 0.06 and 0.24 percent of browser sessions, depending on who you ask. Even Safari and Opera substantially outpace it.

So shed a tear for a once-great product that's finally being put to rest. And if you're one of those 0.06 percent, God help you, get to Firefox immediately!

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/62943/net...s-life-on-feb-1

I did use netscape lot in the late 1990s.

[AtlantiCat 0]

Aww, rats, I saw the topic and thought it was going to be about some virus that caused it to commit suicide....

[Lansbury 19]

Correct me if I wrong but I thought Firefox was in fact Netscape but in another skin.

From Wikipedia...

While Netscape Browser's version numbers start at 8, it is based on Mozilla Firefox,

OK so other way around then, thanks.

[JohnK 0]

Off to the graveyard where spots have been reserved for Word Perfect and Lotus 1-2-3 as well.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Off to the graveyard where spots have been reserved for Word Perfect and Lotus 1-2-3 as well.

Heh. That was about what I was thinking. I haven't used Netscape since...2000??

[Dan J 277]

Correct me if I wrong but I thought Firefox was in fact Netscape but in another skin.

Sort of yes, and sort of no.

Netscape started as a commercial project. But it was eventually spun off into the open source Mozilla project and Netscape was sort of discontinued. It was that project that created Firefox. AOL tried to resurrect the Netscape brand by releasing a custom version of Firefox as Netscape. They did that for Netscape 8 and 9.