Netscape Returns to Naming Roots: Netscape Navigator v9

Beta available

http://browser.netscape.com/releasenotes/
from WinCustomize Forums

Today, a little bit of web browser history...

It started as NCSA Mosaic, turned itself into Mosaic, then Mosaic Navigator and after some legal fighting, finally settled on Netscape Navigator in 1994 for the 1.0 release.  It shifted to Netscape Communicator at version 4.0 with the addition of mail, newsgroups and a WYSIWYG web page editor and enjoyed that name through 1998 an acquisition by AOL, and a cancelation of development (v5.0 never saw the light of day).

In the midst of the 5.0 debacle, the browser resurfaced as the Mozilla web browser, which was mostly rewritten, abandoning now ancient 5.0 code that never saw the light of day.  In 2000, AOL took the Mozilla 0.6 code, tossed in AOL Instant Messenger and launched the product as Netscape 6 (dropping any mention of Navigator or Communicator).  Netscape 6 though was not ready for prime time when it released and flopped.  Netscape 7 (Mozilla 1.0.1) came in 2002.  In 2003 AOL shut down the Netscape division, and Mozilla continued on with the Mozilla Foundation.  2005 rolled around and Netscape Browser (v8) was unleashed upon the world, and was a derivative of the Firefox browser.

Early this year, it was announced that the next version (9) would be named "Netscape Navigator", returning to the original name from over a decade ago.

Netscape Navigator -> Netscape Communicator -> Netscape -> Netscape Browser -> Netscape Navigator.

We come full-circle.

If you're still interested in this piece of Internet history, you can check out the first beta version of the newly renamed Netscape Navigator at the link below.  9.0b1 is available for all major operating systems.

5,497 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It's been a decade?

Zoomba . . I'd appreciate a day with no "Damn Boy!  You sure are old" posts, OK?
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
good luck Zu
TouchTasks - Access tasks with ease on Windows touchscreens.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hey, even I remember NCSA Mosaic, so it's not THAT old 
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Your not that old Zubaz.. just ..kinda   

Navigator is a better name anyway.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
it gives me bad flashbacks to websites that where "designed for internet explorer" or "designed for netscape navigator"

ugh...
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Back in 1997 when I first went on the internet, Netscape was the first browser I ever used. Sadly, I haven't used it for years. Hopefully Netscape can return to the "glory days".
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Navigator is a better name anyway.


A better name would be " Netscape POS ".
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
My first encounter with the Internet was when I entered Rice University as a freshman, back in 1994. (Prior to that, I had only used dial-up BBSs!) NCSA Mosaic was still floating around, but Netscape Navigator was the 'new standard'. Netscape was by far better than Internet Explorer back then; but at some point, I made the switch to IE; and of course now I prefer Firefox. I haven't touched Netscape since it was taken over by AOL.

Nevertheless, I think Netscape really pushed the envelope for HTML/CSS and made Microsoft play a big game of catchup. Who knows where we'd be today if it weren't for Netscape?
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
A better name would be " Netscape POS ".


As I remember it was "Nutscrape" after the browser wars.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
taken over by AOL.


  There goes the neighborhood.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
yes anyway...
but now? ff, ie ,opera....
i think this just nice big old NAME from the past.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
this thing looks VERY similar to Firefox if you ask me, just another Theme.....