Editing Netscape

{{short description|American computer services company}}
{{about|the company|the web browser|Netscape (web browser)}}
{{Distinguish|Netspace|Medscape}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Netscape Communications Corporation
| logo = Netscape-logo.png
| former_name = Mosaic Communications Corporation
| type = [[Subsidiary]]
| founded = {{Start date and age|1994|04|04}}
| founder = [[Marc Andreessen]] and [[James H. Clark|Jim Clark]]
| defunct = {{End date|2008|03|01}}
| hq_location_city = 
| hq_location_country = United States
| industry = Internet, software, and telecommunication
| key_people = [[James L. Barksdale]] (CEO)
| products = [[Internet suite]]<br />[[Web browser]]<br />[[Internet service provider]]<br />[[Web portal]]
| num_employees = 2,500 (1999)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/AOL-meeting-to-address-Netscape-integration/2100-1023_3-223411.html |title=AOL meeting to address Netscape integration |publisher=CNET News |date=March 23, 1999 |access-date=December 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608154925/http://news.cnet.com/AOL-meeting-to-address-Netscape-integration/2100-1023_3-223411.html |archive-date=June 8, 2013 |url-status=dead }}<!--NOTE: Cnet.com article now contains a false date; archive of original article has correct date.--></ref>
| parent = [[AOL]]
| owner = 
| website = {{URL|isp.netscape.com}}
}}

'''Netscape Communications Corporation''' (originally '''Mosaic Communications Corporation''') was an American independent computer services company with headquarters in [[Mountain View, California]], and then [[Dulles, Virginia]].<ref>Swartz, Jon. "[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1997/10/02/BU33867.DTL Company takes browser war to Netscape's lawn] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117051308/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F1997%2F10%2F02%2FBU33867.DTL |date=November 17, 2011 }}." ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]''. Thursday October 2, 1997. Retrieved on December 29, 2009.</ref> Its [[Netscape (web browser)|Netscape web browser]] was once dominant but lost to [[Internet Explorer]] and other competitors in the [[first browser war]], with its market share falling from more than 90 percent in the mid-1990s<ref>{{cite book| title=Management Reset: Organizing for Sustainable Effectiveness| last1=Lawler, III|first1=Edward E.| last2=Worely| first2=Christopher G.| date=2011| publisher=John Wiley & Sons| isbn=9781118008447| chapter=Identity as a Guidepost to Strategy}}</ref> to less than one percent in 2006.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://betanews.com/2006/07/10/firefox-usage-passes-15-percent-in-us/| title=Firefox Usage Passes 15 Percent in US| last1=Mook| first1=Nate| date=July 10, 2006| publisher=BetaNews| access-date=September 29, 2015| archive-date=October 16, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016020716/http://betanews.com/2006/07/10/firefox-usage-passes-15-percent-in-us/| url-status=live}}</ref> An early Netscape employee, [[Brendan Eich]], created the [[JavaScript]] programming language, the most widely used language for [[client-side]] [[Scripting language|scripting]] of web pages. A founding engineer of Netscape, [[Lou Montulli]], created [[HTTP cookies]]. The company also developed [[Secure Sockets Layer|SSL]] which was used for securing online communications before its successor [[Transport Layer Security|TLS]] took over.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v5r3/index.jsp?topic=/rzain/rzainhistory.htm |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20200510225109/http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v5r3/index.jsp?topic=/rzain/rzainhistory.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 10, 2020 |title=History of SSL at IBM.com |publisher=Publib.boulder.ibm.com |access-date=2012-10-29 }}</ref>

Netscape stock traded from 1995 until 1999 when the company was acquired by [[AOL]] in a [[Pooling (resource management)#Accounting|pooling-of-interests]] transaction ultimately worth US$10 billion.<ref name=AOL1999>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/America+Online+Inc.+Completes+Acquisition+of+Netscape+Communications...-a054131091 "America Online Inc. Completes Acquisition of Netscape Communications Corp."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305051252/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/America+Online+Inc.+Completes+Acquisition+of+Netscape+Communications...-a054131091 |date=March 5, 2016 }}. Business Wire. March 17, 1999. Retrieved July 1, 2012.</ref><ref name=Morn1999>[http://news.morningstar.com/articlenet/article.aspx?id=741 "What's $10 Billion to AOL?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107021707/http://news.morningstar.com/articlenet/article.aspx?id=741 |date=November 7, 2017 }}. Morningstar. April 5, 1999. Retrieved July 1, 2012.</ref> In February 1998, approximately one year prior to its acquisition by AOL, Netscape released the source code for its browser and created the [[Mozilla Organization]] to coordinate future development of its product.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/1998/11/16466 |title=Mozilla Stomps Ahead Under AOL |website=Wired.com |access-date=2012-10-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140603235609/http://archive.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/1998/11/16466 |archive-date=June 3, 2014 }} 
</ref> The Mozilla Organization rewrote the entire browser's source code based on the [[Gecko rendering engine]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://home.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease821.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011213173622/http://home.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease821.html |archive-date=2001-12-13 |title=Netscape Launches Groundbreaking Netscape 6 Browser |publisher=netscape.com |date=2001-12-13 |access-date=2012-10-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and all future Netscape releases were based on this rewritten code. When AOL scaled back its involvement with Mozilla Organization in the early 2000s, the Organization proceeded to establish the [[Mozilla Foundation]] in July 2003 to ensure its continued independence with financial and other assistance from AOL.<ref name="Foundation Launch Announcement">{{cite web |url=https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/press/mozilla-foundation.html |title=mozilla.org Announces Launch of the Mozilla Foundation to Lead Open Source Browser Efforts |publisher=Mozilla Foundation |access-date=2011-12-06 |archive-date=November 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113110922/http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/press/mozilla-foundation.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Gecko engine is used to power the Mozilla Foundation's [[Firefox]] browser.

In addition to browsers, Netscape developed a suite of award-winning server software, known as SuiteSpot, to power enterprise Internet and Intranet websites, forums, and email; e-commerce software; and a consumer web portal named Netcenter. Netscape's browser development continued until December 2007, when AOL announced that the company would stop supporting it by early 2008.<ref name=BrowserEndFeb>{{cite web |url=http://blog.netscape.com/2007/12/28/end-of-support-for-netscape-web-browsers/ |title=End of Support for Netscape web browsers |publisher=Netscape Blog |author=Tom Drapeau |date=December 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080103040327/http://blog.netscape.com/ |archive-date=January 3, 2008 |access-date=September 13, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=BrowserEndMar>{{cite web |url=http://blog.netscape.com/2008/01/28/netscape-browser-support-extended-to-march-1st/ |title=Netscape Browser Support extended to March 1st |publisher=Netscape Blog |author=Tom Drapeau |date=January 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080207051341/http://blog.netscape.com/ |archive-date=February 7, 2008 |access-date=September 13, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> As of 2024, AOL continues to use the Netscape brand to market a discount Internet service provider, which itself continues to provide a [[Chromium (web browser)|Chromium]]-based web browser called Netscape, developed by UK security firm SentryBay.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Netscape ISP Homepage |url=https://isp.netscape.com/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=isp.netscape.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1468516/000119312512076633/d281886d10k.htm |title=FORM 10-K |publisher=Sec.gov |access-date=2012-10-29 |archive-date=November 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112074347/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1468516/000119312512076633/d281886d10k.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140914003434/http://isp.netscape.com/ Netscape ISP home page] of 2014 with link to [https://web.archive.org/web/20141009020034/http://isp.netscape.com/home/terms.jsp Netscape ISP Terms of Service] update of 15 September 2014.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Netscape ISP Homepage |url=https://isp.netscape.com/ |access-date=2024-01-23 |website=isp.netscape.com |archive-date=January 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123140536/https://isp.netscape.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=No reliable sources discussing a Chromium-based browser other than SEC.gov|date=November 2024}}

==History==

===Early years===
{{quote box |quote=Netscape Communications wants you to forget all the highway metaphors you've ever heard about the Internet. Instead, think about an encyclopedia—one with unlimited, graphically rich pages, connections to E-mail and files, and access to Internet newsgroups and online shopping. |source=—''Netscape Navigator'', [[Macworld]] (May 1995)<ref>{{cite journal|last=Hawn|first=Mathew|date=May 1995|title=Netscape Navigator. (Netscape Communications World Wide Web browser) (Software Review)(Evaluation)|journal=Macworld|access-date=May 17, 2011|quote=Netscape Communications wants you to forget all the highway metaphors you've ever heard about the Internet. Instead, think about an encyclopedia—one with unlimited, graphically rich pages, connections to E-mail and files, and access to Internet newsgroups and online shopping.|url=http://lookups.com.au/wiki/1G1-16739494.php|url-access=subscription|archive-date=April 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409110108/http://lookups.com.au/wiki/1G1-16739494.php|url-status=live}}</ref> |width=40% |bgcolor=#c6dbf7}}

Netscape was the first company to attempt to capitalize on the emerging [[World Wide Web]].<ref name=LATimes2007>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-dec-29-fi-netscape29-story.html |title=AOL will pull the plug on Netscape's tech support |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 18, 2014 |date=December 29, 2007 |archive-date=May 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519002700/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/dec/29/business/fi-netscape29 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Fortune/> It was founded under the name '''Mosaic Communications Corporation''' on April 4, 1994, the brainchild of [[James H. Clark|Jim Clark]] who had recruited [[Marc Andreessen]] as co-founder and [[Kleiner Perkins]] as investors. The first meeting between Clark and Andreessen was never truly about a software or service like Netscape, but more about a product that was similar to Nintendo.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title = The Geography of the Internet Industry: Venture Capital, Dot-Coms, and Local Knowledge|last = Zook|first = Matthew A.|publisher = Blackwell Publishing|year = 2005|isbn = 978-0-631-23331-2|location = Oxford|page = 104}}</ref> Clark recruited other early team members from [[Silicon Graphics|SGI]] and [[NCSA Mosaic]]. [[James L. Barksdale|Jim Barksdale]] came on board as CEO in January 1995.<ref name=Fortune>{{cite magazine |url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/07/25/8266639/index.htm |title=Remembering Netscape: The Birth Of The Web |author=Adam Lashinsky |magazine=Fortune Magazine |date=July 25, 2005 |access-date=September 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427112146/http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/07/25/8266639/index.htm |archive-date=April 27, 2006}}</ref> Jim Clark and Marc Andreessen originally created a 20-page concept pitch for an online gaming network to [[Nintendo]] for the [[Nintendo 64]] console, but a deal was never reached. Marc Andreessen explains, "If they had shipped a year earlier, we probably would have done that instead of Netscape."<ref name=SFGate.com>[http://www.sfgate.com/business/ontherecord/article/OPSWARE-INC-On-the-record-Marc-Andreessen-2525822.php#page-5/ "OPSWARE INC. / On the record: Marc Andreessen"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310184538/http://www.sfgate.com/business/ontherecord/article/OPSWARE-INC-On-the-record-Marc-Andreessen-2525822.php#page-5/ |date=March 10, 2016 }}. SFGate. December 7, 2003. Retrieved July 24, 2012.</ref>

The company's first product was the web browser, called ''Mosaic Netscape 0.9,'' released on October 13, 1994. Within four months of its release, it had already taken three-quarters of the browser market.<ref name=":0"/> It became the main browser for Internet users in such a short time due to its superiority over other competition, like Mosaic.<ref name=":0"/> This browser was subsequently renamed [[Netscape Navigator]], and the company took the "Netscape" name (coined by employee Greg Sands,<ref name=Fortune/> although it was also a trademark of [[Cisco Systems]]<ref>[http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/063010-cisco-cius-tablet.html "Cisco tablet not an iPad knock-off: Chambers"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328100326/http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/063010-cisco-cius-tablet.html |date=March 28, 2014 }}. Network World. June 30, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2012.</ref>) on November 14, 1994,<ref>{{Cite news| page = B3| title = Mosaic's Name Change| work=The San Francisco Chronicle| date = November 15, 1994}}</ref> to avoid trademark ownership problems with [[National Center for Supercomputing Applications|NCSA]], where the initial Netscape employees had previously created the [[Mosaic (web browser)|NCSA Mosaic]] web browser. The Mosaic Netscape web browser did not use any NCSA Mosaic code.<ref name="Netscape Time">{{cite book |title=Netscape Time: The Making of the Billion-Dollar Start-Up That Took on Microsoft |last=Clark |first=Jim |author-link=James H. Clark |author2=Owen Edwards |year=1999 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |isbn=978-0312199340 |url=https://archive.org/details/netscapetimemaki00clar |url-access=registration }}</ref> The internal [[codename]] for the company's browser was ''Mozilla'', which stood for "Mosaic killer", as the company's goal was to displace NCSA Mosaic as the world's number one [[web browser]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEFu-B1wj1E&t=7m35s | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615045013/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEFu-B1wj1E&gl=US&hl=en| archive-date=2013-06-15 | url-status=dead|title=Marc Andreessen Revealed (Bloomberg Game Changers) |publisher=YouTube.com |access-date=2019-06-13}}</ref> A cartoon [[Godzilla]]-like lizard mascot was drawn by artist-employee Dave Titus,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://portfolio.davetitus.com/dave_titus_mozilla.html |title=Portfolio of freelance illustrator and animator, Dave W. Titus, Dave Titus Illustrations. Mascots, characters, children's product illustration, packaging and game illustration, and creator of Mozilla |publisher=Portfolio.davetitus.com |date=2010-07-22 |access-date=2019-06-13 |archive-date=October 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003085234/http://portfolio.davetitus.com/dave_titus_mozilla.html |url-status=live }}</ref> which went well with the theme of crushing the competition. The Mozilla mascot featured prominently on Netscape's website in the company's early years. However, the need to project a more "professional" image (especially towards corporate clients) led to this being removed.

===Initial public offering (IPO)===

[[File:Mozilla boxing.jpg|right|thumb|175px|The original green and purple [[Mozilla (mascot)|Mozilla mascot]], a [[Godzilla]]-like lizard which represented the company's goal of producing the browser that would be the "Mosaic killer"]]
On August 9, 1995, Netscape made an extremely successful [[initial public offering|IPO]], only sixteen months after the company was formed. The stock was set to be offered at US$14 per share, but a last-minute decision doubled the initial offering to US$28 per share. The stock's value soared to US$75 during the first day of trading, nearly a record for first-day gain. The stock closed at US$58.25, which gave Netscape a market value of US$2.9 billion. It was listed on the [[NASDAQ]] under the symbol NSCP. While it was somewhat unusual for a company to go public prior to becoming profitable, Netscape's revenues had, in fact, doubled every quarter in 1995.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.08/loudcloud.html?pg=4 | title=Going Public as Netscape Did, before making a dime in profits | publisher=Lycos | work=Wired 8.08 | author=David Sheff | access-date=July 14, 2006 | archive-date=June 19, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619101917/http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.08/loudcloud.html?pg=4 | url-status=live }}</ref> The success of this IPO subsequently inspired the use of the term "Netscape moment" to describe a high-visibility IPO that signals the dawn of a new industry.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.economist.com/node/15464481 |title=Electric cars: A Netscape Moment? |publisher=Economist.com |access-date=May 18, 2014 |date=February 4, 2010 |archive-date=August 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804024736/http://www.economist.com/node/15464481 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2128/1 |title=Is commercial spaceflight's "Netscape moment" near? |publisher=The Space Review |access-date=May 18, 2014 |date=July 30, 2012 |archive-date=May 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519021005/http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2128/1 |url-status=live }}</ref> During this period, Netscape also pursued a publicity strategy (crafted by [[Rosanne Siino]], then head of public relations) packaging Andreessen as the company's "rock star."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.drdobbs.com/programmers-bookshelf/184411146 |title=Programmer's Bookshelf |publisher=Dr. Dobb's Journal |access-date=May 18, 2014 |date=December 1, 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519005626/http://www.drdobbs.com/programmers-bookshelf/184411146 |archive-date=May 19, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The events of this period ultimately landed Andreessen, barefoot, on the cover of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine.<ref name="Time">{{cite news
| url=https://content.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19960219,00.html
| title=Netscape's Marc Andreessen
| access-date=February 3, 2007
| date=February 19, 1996
| work=Time Magazine
| archive-date=September 23, 2013
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923040646/http://content.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19960219,00.html
| url-status=live
}}</ref> The IPO also helped kickstart widespread investment in internet companies that created the [[dot-com bubble]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Letzing |first=John |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/lycos-a-web-bubble-star-is-sold-to-indian-firm-2010-08-17 |title=Lycos, an Internet bubble-era star, is sold to Indian firm |publisher=MarketWatch |date=2010-08-17 |access-date=2019-06-13 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407061548/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/lycos-a-web-bubble-star-is-sold-to-indian-firm-2010-08-17 |url-status=live }}</ref>

It is alleged that several Microsoft executives visited the Netscape campus in June 1995 to propose dividing the market (an allegation denied by Microsoft and, if true, would have breached antitrust laws), which would have allowed Microsoft to produce web browser software for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] while leaving all other operating systems to Netscape.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.pub.umich.edu/daily/1998/oct/10-20-98/news/news14.html| title=Government alleges illegal campaign by Microsoft| access-date=July 14, 2006| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060708210502/http://www.pub.umich.edu/daily/1998/oct/10-20-98/news/news14.html| archive-date=July 8, 2006| url-status=dead}}</ref> Netscape refused the proposition. Microsoft released version 1.0 of [[Internet Explorer]] as a part of the [[Windows 95]] [[Microsoft Plus!|Plus Pack]] add-on. According to former [[Spyglass, Inc.|Spyglass]] developer Eric Sink, Internet Explorer was based not on NCSA Mosaic as commonly believed, but on a version of Mosaic developed at Spyglass<ref>{{cite web|url=http://biztech.ericsink.com/Browser_Wars.html|title=Memoirs from the Browser Wars|access-date=July 14, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517004421/http://biztech.ericsink.com/Browser_Wars.html|archive-date=May 17, 2008|df=mdy-all}}</ref> (which itself was based upon NCSA Mosaic). 

This era would become known as the [[browser wars]]. Netscape Navigator was not free to the general public until January 1998,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/netscape-cuts-prices-on-retail-products/|title=Netscape cuts prices on retail products|author=Alex Lash|date=January 30, 1998|newspaper=[[CNET]]|access-date=February 23, 2008|archive-date=August 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812192650/http://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/netscape-cuts-prices-on-retail-products/|url-status=live}}</ref> while Internet Explorer and [[Internet Information Server]] have always been free or came bundled with an operating system and/or other applications. Meanwhile, Netscape faced increasing criticism for "[[Creeping featurism|featuritis]]" – putting a higher priority on adding new features than on making their products work properly. Netscape experienced its first bad quarter at the end of 1997 and underwent a large round of layoffs in January 1998. Former Netscape executives [[Mike Homer]] and [[Peter Currie (businessman)|Peter Currie]] have described this period as "hectic and crazy" and that the company was undone by factors both internal and external.<ref name=twsOctE23>{{cite news
 |author=Alan T. Saracevic
 |title=Silicon Valley: It's where brains meet bucks
 |work=San Francisco Chronicle
 |date=October 23, 2005
 |url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Silicon-Valley-It-s-where-brains-meet-bucks-2600193.php
 |access-date=May 18, 2014
 |archive-date=November 22, 2012
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121122075513/http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Silicon-Valley-It-s-where-brains-meet-bucks-2600193.php
 |url-status=live
 }}</ref> In January 1998, Netscape started the [[open source software|open source]] [[Mozilla]] project.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Freeing the Source, The Story of Mozilla|url=https://www.oreilly.com/openbook/opensources/book/netrev.html|last1=Hamerly|first1=Jim|date=January 1999|access-date=April 27, 2021|last2=Paquin|first2=Tom|editor-last=O'Reilly|editor-link=O'Reilly Media|archive-date=January 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129214543/https://www.oreilly.com/openbook/opensources/book/netrev.html|url-status=live}}.</ref> Netscape publicly released the [[source code]] of Netscape Communicator 5.0 under the [[Netscape Public License]], which was similar to the [[GNU General Public License]] but allowed Netscape to continue to publish proprietary work containing the publicly released code. 

The [[United States Department of Justice]] filed an [[United States v. Microsoft|antitrust case]] against Microsoft in May 1998. Netscape was not a plaintiff in the case, though its executives were subpoenaed and it contributed much material to the case, including the entire contents of the 'Bad Attitude' internal discussion forum.<ref name="wired">{{cite magazine| url=https://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,14743,00.html| title=Microsoft Subpoenas Bad Attitude| access-date=July 14, 2006| magazine=Wired| date=September 1, 1998| archive-date=June 19, 2006| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619101431/http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,14743,00.html| url-status=live}}</ref>

===Acquisition by America Online===
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2008}}
On November 24, 1998, [[America Online]] (AOL) announced it would acquire Netscape Communications in a tax-free stock swap valued at US$4.2 billion.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-218360.html| title=AOL buys Netscape for $4.2 billion| access-date=September 8, 2010| archive-date=March 27, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150327080317/http://news.cnet.com/2100-1023-218360.html| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title = Building a Company on Internet Time: Lessons from Netscape|last = Yoffie|first = David B.|date = April 1999|journal = California Management Review|volume = 41|issue = 3|pages = 8–28|doi = 10.2307/41165995|jstor = 41165995|s2cid = 153810278}}</ref> By the time the deal closed on March 17, 1999, it was valued at US$10 billion.<ref name=AOL1999/><ref name=Morn1999/> This merger was ridiculed by many who believed that the two corporate cultures could not possibly mesh; one of its most prominent critics was longtime Netscape developer [[Jamie Zawinski]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jwz.org/gruntle/aol.html | title=netscape and aol | access-date=January 12, 2012 | archive-date=July 3, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703204116/http://www.jwz.org/gruntle/aol.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Disbanding ===
During Netscape's acquisition by AOL, joint development and marketing of Netscape software products would occur through the Sun-Netscape Alliance. In the newly branded iPlanet, the software included "messaging and calendar, collaboration, web, application, directory, and certificate servers", as well as "production-ready applications for e-commerce, including commerce exchange, procurement, selling, and billing."<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sun-netscape-alliance-announces-new-iplanettm-brand-and-marketing-campaign-73653107.html| title=Sun-Netscape Alliance Announces New iPlanet(TM) Brand and Marketing Campaign| access-date=July 7, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919141754/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sun-netscape-alliance-announces-new-iplanettm-brand-and-marketing-campaign-73653107.html| archive-date=September 19, 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref> In March 2002, when the alliance was ended, "iPlanet became a division of Sun... Sun retained the intellectual property rights for all products and the engineering"<ref name="SunNetscape">{{cite web|url = https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/52214/sun-netscape-alliance|title = PCMag|access-date = November 14, 2015|archive-date = November 17, 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151117020008/http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/52214/sun-netscape-alliance|url-status = live}}</ref>

On July 15, 2003, [[Time Warner]] (formerly AOL Time Warner) disbanded Netscape. Most of the programmers were laid-off, and the Netscape logo was removed from the building.<ref>{{cite news |title=AOL Cuts Remaining Mozilla Hackers |url=http://www.mozillazine.org/talkback.html?article=3422 |access-date=July 19, 2020 |work=MozillaZine |archive-date=July 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721054435/http://www.mozillazine.org/talkback.html?article=3422 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the Netscape 7.2 web browser (developed in-house rather than with Netscape staff, with some work outsourced to [[Sun Microsystems|Sun's]] [[Beijing]] development center<ref name=Beijing>[http://www.tgc.com/hpcwire/hpcwireWWW/03/0808/105701.html "Sun Micro To Double Beijing Software Center"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041116015304/http://www.tgc.com/hpcwire/hpcwireWWW/03/0808/105701.html |date=November 16, 2004 }}. HPCwire. August 8, 2003. Retrieved July 1, 2012.</ref>) was released by [[AOL]] on August 18, 2004.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/news_story.php?id=62001| title=Netscape Internet Software Updated| access-date=July 14, 2006| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060623074531/http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/news_story.php?id=62001 <!-- Bot retrieved archive -->| archive-date=June 23, 2006| url-status=dead}}</ref>

After the [[Sun acquisition by Oracle]] in January 2010, Oracle continued to sell iPlanet branded applications, which originated from Netscape.<ref>[http://www.oracle.com/us/products/middleware/application-server/050735.html Oracle Web Tier"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101091514/http://www.oracle.com/us/products/middleware/application-server/050735.html |date=January 1, 2016 }}. Oracle. Retrieved July 7, 2012</ref>

===Final release of the browser===
[[Image:Netscape-logo.png|thumb|128px|Netscape logo 2005–2007]]
The Netscape brand name continued to be used extensively. The company once again had its own programming staff devoted to the development and support for the series of [[Netscape (web browser)|web browsers]].<ref>[http://www.ufaq.org/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=23612#23612 UFAQ. org – "Announcing Netscape 9" by Jay Garcia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928195043/http://www.ufaq.org/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=23612#23612 |date=September 28, 2007 }} Retrieved on February 5, 2007</ref> Additionally, Netscape also maintained the [[Propeller web portal]], which was a popular social-news site, similar to [[Digg]], which was given a new look in June 2006. AOL marketed a [[#Netscape Internet Service|discount ISP service]] under the Netscape brand name.

A new version of the Netscape browser, [[Netscape Navigator 9]], based on [[Firefox]] 2, was released in October 2007. It featured a green and grey interface. In November 2007, IE had 77.4% of the browser market, Firefox 16.0%, and Netscape 0.6%, according to Net Applications, an Internet metrics firm.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205204433 |title=AOL Kills Netscape's Future, Leaves Firefox to Battle IE |access-date=December 29, 2007 |author=Gonsalves, Antone |date=December 28, 2007 |website=Informationweek.com |publisher=CMP Media LLC |archive-date=December 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230044400/http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=205204433 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On December 28, 2007, AOL announced that it would drop support for the Netscape web browser and would no longer develop new releases on February 1, 2008.<ref name=BrowserEndFeb/> The date was later extended to March 1<ref name=BrowserEndMar/> to allow a major security update and to add a tool to assist users in migrating to other browsers. These additional features were included in the final version of [[Netscape Navigator 9]] (version 9.0.0.6), released on February 20, 2008.

==Software==
{{Main|Netscape (web browser)}}

===Classic releases===

====Netscape Navigator (versions 0.9–4.08)====
{{Main|Netscape Navigator}}

Netscape Navigator was Netscape's web browser from versions 1.0–4.8. The first [[beta version]]s were released in 1994 and were called Mosaic and later Mosaic Netscape. Then, a legal challenge from the [[National Center for Supercomputing Applications]] (makers of [[NCSA Mosaic]]), which many of Netscape's founders used to develop, led to the name Netscape Navigator. The company's name also changed from Mosaic Communications Corporation to Netscape Communications Corporation.

The browser was easily the most advanced available{{Citation needed|date=June 2013}} and so was an instant success, becoming a market leader while still in beta.<ref name=":0"/> Netscape's feature-count and market share continued to grow rapidly after version 1.0 was released. Version 2.0 added a full email reader called Netscape Mail, thus transforming Netscape from a single-purpose web browser to an [[Internet suite]]. The email client's main distinguishing feature was its ability to display [[HTML email]]. During this period, the entire suite was called Netscape Navigator.

Version 3.0 of Netscape (the first beta was codenamed "Atlas") was the first to face any serious competition in the form of [[Microsoft]] [[Internet Explorer]] 3.0.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2014/05/10/history-of-netscape/|title=Whatever happened to Netscape?|website=Engadget|date=May 10, 2014|access-date=2017-03-22|archive-date=March 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323052629/https://www.engadget.com/2014/05/10/history-of-netscape/|url-status=live}}</ref> But Netscape remained the most popular browser at that time.

Netscape also released a Gold version of Navigator 3.0 that incorporated [[WYSIWYG]] editing with [[drag and drop]] between web editor and email components.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intercom.co.cr/www/research/1996/0910.htm|title=Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0 Now Available, Adding Momentum to Netscape Client Software|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020102517/http://www.intercom.co.cr/www/research/1996/0910.htm|archive-date=October 20, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

====Netscape Communicator (versions 4.0–4.8)====
[[Image:OS2 Netscape Communicator 4.61.png|thumb|Netscape Communicator 4.61 for OS/2 Warp]]
{{Main|Netscape Communicator}}

Netscape 4 addressed the problem of Netscape Navigator being used as both the name of the suite and the browser contained within it by renaming the suite to Netscape Communicator. After five preview releases in 1996–1997, Netscape released the final version of Netscape Communicator in June 1997. This version, more or less based on Netscape Navigator 3 Code, updated and added new features. The new suite was successful, despite increasing competition from Internet Explorer (IE) 4.0 and problems with the outdated browser core. IE was slow and unstable on the Mac platform until version 4.5.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BIG-IP version 4.5.12 Release Note |url=https://techdocs.f5.com/kb/en-us/archived_products/big-ip/releasenotes/product/relnotes4_5_12.print.html |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=techdocs.f5.com}}</ref> Despite this, Apple entered into an agreement with Microsoft to make IE the default browser on new Mac OS installations, a further blow to Netscape's prestige.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1997-08-06 |title=Microsoft and Apple Affirm Commitment To Build Next Generation Software for Macintosh |url=https://news.microsoft.com/1997/08/06/microsoft-and-apple-affirm-commitment-to-build-next-generation-software-for-macintosh/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Stories |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Microsoft entered into exclusionary agreements with other firms that restricted their ability to promote, support, and distribute non-Microsoft browsers |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/file/704911/dl?inline |work=justice.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dormehl |first=Luke |date=2016-08-09 |title=Today in Apple history: Mac's default browser company goes public |url=https://www.cultofmac.com/news/today-in-apple-history-macs-default-browser-company-goes-public |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Cult of Mac |language=en-US}}</ref> The Communicator suite was made up of Netscape Navigator, [[Netscape Mail & Newsgroups]], Netscape Address Book and [[Netscape Composer]] (an HTML editor).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Millions more may use Explorer |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/millions-more-may-use-explorer/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref>

On January 22, 1998, [[Netscape Communications Corporation]] announced that all future versions of its software would be available free of charge and developed by an [[open-source-software movement|open source]] community, Mozilla.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2008/01/22/january-22-1998-the-beginning-of-mozilla/|title=January 22, 1998 — the Beginning of Mozilla &#124; Mitchell's Blog|access-date=September 12, 2019|archive-date=October 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001151516/https://blog.lizardwrangler.com/2008/01/22/january-22-1998-the-beginning-of-mozilla/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Netscape 5|Netscape Communicator 5.0]] was announced (codenamed "Gromit"). However, its release was greatly delayed, and meanwhile, there were newer versions of Internet Explorer, starting with [[Internet Explorer 4|version 4]]. These had more features than the old Netscape version, including better support of [[HTML]] 4, [[Cascading Style Sheets|CSS]], [[Document Object Model|DOM]], and [[ECMAScript]]; eventually, the more advanced [[Internet Explorer 5.0]] became the market leader.

In October 1998, Netscape Communicator 4.5 was released. It featured various functionality improvements, especially in the [[Netscape Mail & Newsgroups|Mail and Newsgroups]] component, but did not update the browser core, whose functionality was essentially identical to that of version 4.08. One month later, [[Netscape Communications Corporation]] was bought by [[AOL]]. In November, work on Netscape 5.0 was canceled in favor of developing a [[Rewrite (programming)|completely new program from scratch]].

===Mozilla-based releases===

====Netscape 6 (versions 6.0–6.2.3)====
{{Main|Netscape 6}}
In 1998, an informal group called the [[Mozilla Organization]] was formed and largely funded by Netscape (the vast majority of programmers working on the code were paid by Netscape) to coordinate the development of Netscape 5 (codenamed "Gromit"), which would be based on the Communicator source code. However, the aging Communicator code proved difficult to work with and the decision was taken to scrap Netscape 5 and re-write the source code. The re-written source code was in the form of the [[Mozilla Application Suite|Mozilla]] web browser, on which, with a few additions, Netscape 6 was based.

====Netscape 7 (versions 7.0–7.2)====
{{Main|Netscape 7}}

Netscape 7.0 (based on Mozilla 1.0.1) was released in August 2002 as a direct continuation of Netscape 6 with very similar components. It picked up a few users, but was still very much a minority browser. It did, however, come with the popular [[AOL Radio|Radio@Netscape]] Internet radio client. AOL had decided to deactivate Mozilla's popup-blocker functionality in Netscape 7.0, which created an outrage in the community. AOL reversed the decision and allowed Netscape to reinstate the popup-blocker for Netscape 7.01. Netscape also introduced a new AOL-free-version (without the usual AOL add-ons) of the browser suite. Netscape 7.1 (codenamed "Buffy" and based on Mozilla 1.4) was released in June 2003.

In 2003, AOL closed down its Netscape division and laid-off or reassigned all of Netscape's employees.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-07-15 |title=On This Day in 2003, Netscape Went Offline Forever |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/502789/day-2003-netscape-went-offline-forever |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Mental Floss |language=en-US}}</ref> Mozilla.org continued, however, as the independent [[Mozilla Foundation]], taking on many of Netscape's ex-employees. AOL continued to develop Netscape in-house (with help from [[Sun Microsystems|Sun's]] [[Beijing]] development center<ref name=Beijing/>), but, due to there being no staff committed to it, improvements were minimal. One year later, in August 2004, the last version based on Mozilla was released: Netscape 7.2, based on Mozilla 1.7.2.

After an official poll posted on Netscape's community support board in late 2006, speculation arose of the Netscape 7 series of suites being fully supported and updated by Netscape's in-house development team.<ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6590 Netscape Community Announcement – Netscape 7.2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109014643/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6590 |date=January 9, 2009 }} Retrieved on February 8, 2007</ref><ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6303 Netscape Community poll – Should Netscape continue to update 7.2?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109100452/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6303 |date=January 9, 2009 }} Retrieved on February 8, 2007</ref><ref>[http://www.mozillazine.org/talkback.html?article=20397 Mozillazine – Netscape 9 announced] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141117171508/http://www.mozillazine.org/talkback.html?article=20397 |date=November 17, 2014 }} Retrieved on February 8, 2007</ref>

===Mozilla Firefox-based releases===

====Netscape Browser (version 8.0–8.1.3)====
Between 2005 and 2007, Netscape's releases became known as ''Netscape Browser''. AOL chose to base Netscape Browser on the relatively successful [[Mozilla Firefox]], a re-written version of Mozilla produced by the Mozilla Foundation. This release is not a full Internet suite as before, but is solely a web browser.

Other controversial decisions include the browser only being released for [[Microsoft Windows]] and featuring both the [[Gecko (layout engine)|Gecko]] [[Web browser engine|rendering engine]] of previous releases and the [[Trident (layout engine)|Trident]] engine used in Internet Explorer, and switching between them based on a "compatibility list" that came with the browser. This effectively exposed users to the security vulnerabilities in both and resulted in a completely different user experience based on which site they were on. Examples are handling of right-to-left or bi-directional text, user interface widgets, bugs and web standards violations in Trident, etc. On top of this, Netscape Browser 8 even broke Internet Explorer's ability to open XML files by damaging a [[Windows Registry]] key, and would do so every time it was opened, even if the user fixed it manually.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/ie/2005/05/25/netscape-8-and-internet-explorers-xml-rendering/|title=Netscape 8 and Internet Explorer's XML Rendering|date=May 25, 2005|access-date=September 30, 2019|archive-date=December 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226133904/https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/ie/2005/05/25/netscape-8-and-internet-explorers-xml-rendering/|url-status=live}}</ref>

AOL's acquisition of Netscape Communications in November 1998<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/8869/deal_is_done_aol_buys_netscape.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629200157/http://www.pcworld.com/article/8869/deal_is_done_aol_buys_netscape.html|url-status=dead|title=PC World Article Nov 24, 1998 12am|archivedate=June 29, 2012}}</ref> made it less of a surprise when the company laid off the Netscape team and outsourced development to Mercurial Communications.{{When|date=August 2010}} Netscape Browser 8.1.3 was released on April 2, 2007, and included general bug fixes identified in versions 8.0–8.1.2<ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6596 Netscape Community – Netscape 8.1.3] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528233756/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6596 |date=May 28, 2008 }} Retrieved on February 8, 2007</ref><ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=7647&redirCnt=1 Netscape Community – Netscape 8.1.3 released] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110115035/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=7647&redirCnt=1 |date=January 10, 2009 }} Retrieved on April 2, 2007</ref>

====Netscape Navigator (version 9.0)====
[[Image:Netscape9.png|thumb|Netscape Navigator 9.0]]
[[Netscape Navigator 9]]'s features were said to include [[newsfeed]] support and become more integrated with the Propeller Internet portal,<ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6418 Netscape 9.0 confirmed on Netscape's community support board] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080327163247/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6418 |date=March 27, 2008 }} Retrieved on January 24, 2007</ref> alongside more enhanced methods of discussion, submission and voting on web pages.<ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6926 Netscape 9 – February 20 Announcement] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109025041/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6926 |date=January 9, 2009 }} Retrieved on February 20, 2007</ref> It also sees the browser return to multi-platform support across [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Linux]] and [[Mac OS X]].<ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6459 Netscape 9.0 30- January 7 announcement] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528233740/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6459 |date=May 28, 2008 }} Retrieved on January 30, 2007</ref> Like Netscape version 8.x, the new release was based upon the popular [[Mozilla Firefox]] (version 2.0), and supposedly had full support of all Firefox [[Add-on (Mozilla)|add-ons]] and [[plug-in (computing)|plugins]], some of which Netscape was already providing.<ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6558 Netscape 9 – February 6, 2007 announcement] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015194957/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=6558 |date=October 15, 2007 }} Retrieved on February 6, 2007</ref> A beta of the program was first released on June 5, 2007.<ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=8525 Netscape 9.0b1 released] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109131928/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=8525 |date=January 9, 2009 }} Retrieved on June 5, 2007</ref> The final version was released on October 15, 2007. It was the first time the browser was produced in-house with its own programming staff since 2004.<ref>[http://www.mozillazine.org/talkback.html?article=20397 Netscape announces cross-platform Netscape 9 to be developed in-house – Mozillazine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141117171508/http://www.mozillazine.org/talkback.html?article=20397 |date=November 17, 2014 }} Retrieved on February 5, 2007</ref>

===End of development and support===
AOL officially announced<ref name=BrowserEndFeb/><ref name=BrowserEndMar/> that support for Netscape Navigator would end on March 1, 2008, and recommended that its users download either the [[Flock browser|Flock]] or Firefox browsers, both of which were based on the same technology.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/28/AR2007122802412.html| title=AOL to End Support for Netscape Browser| date=December 28, 2007| newspaper=Washington Post| publisher=PC World| access-date=September 29, 2015| archive-date=October 1, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001090456/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/28/AR2007122802412.html| url-status=live}}</ref>

The decision met mixed reactions from communities, with many arguing that the termination of product support is significantly belated. Internet security site ''Security Watch'' stated that a trend of infrequent security updates for AOL's Netscape caused the browser to become a "security liability", specifically the 2005–2007 versions, [[Netscape Browser|Netscape Browser 8]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://securitywatch.eweek.com/browsers/netscape_death_is_long_overdue_good_for_security_1.html| title=Netscape Death is long overdue, Good for Security| access-date=January 2, 2008| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715065319/http://securitywatch.eweek.com/browsers/netscape_death_is_long_overdue_good_for_security_1.html| archive-date=July 15, 2012| url-status=dead}}</ref> Asa Dotzler, one of [[Mozilla Firefox|Firefox's]] original bug testers, greeted the news with "good riddance" in his blog post, but praised the various members of the Netscape team over the years for enabling the creation of Mozilla in 1998.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/asa/archives/2007/12/its_about_time.html| title=it's about time. r.i.p. netscape browser| access-date=January 2, 2008| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080101094447/http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/asa/archives/2007/12/its_about_time.html| archive-date=January 1, 2008| df=mdy-all}}</ref> Others protested and petitioned AOL to continue providing vital security fixes to unknowing or loyal users of its software, as well as protection of a well-known brand.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.savenetscape.com| title=Save Netscape Petition| access-date=January 2, 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116020102/http://www.savenetscape.com/| archive-date=January 16, 2009| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=10422| title=Netscape Community – Online Petition for the Support of NN| access-date=January 2, 2008}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.savenetscape.tk/| title=Save Netscape!| access-date=January 2, 2008| archive-date=February 15, 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190215215832/http://www.savenetscape.tk/| url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Mozilla Thunderbird-based releases===

====Netscape Messenger 9====
{{Main|Netscape Messenger 9}}
On June 11, 2007, Netscape announced Netscape Mercury, a standalone email and news client that was to accompany Navigator 9. Mercury was based on [[Mozilla Thunderbird]].<ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=8688 Netscape Mercury in progress] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015195032/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=8688 |date=October 15, 2007 }} Retrieved on June 11, 2007</ref> The product was later renamed Netscape Messenger 9, and an alpha version was released. In December 2007, AOL announced it was canceling Netscape's development of Messenger 9 as well as Navigator 9.

==Product list==

===Initial product line===
Netscape's initial product line consisted of:
* [[Netscape Navigator]] web browser for [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]], [[OS/2]], [[Unix]], and [[Linux]]
* Netsite Communications web server, with a web-based configuration interface<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcom.com/MCOM/products_docs/server.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406122059/http://www.mcom.com/MCOM/products_docs/server.html |archive-date=2008-04-06 |date=2008-04-06 |access-date=2012-10-29|title=Killer Products: Netsite }}</ref>
* Netsite Commerce web server, the Communications server with SSL (https) added
* Netscape Proxy Server
* Netscape Merchant System, an e-commerce platform that supported multiple languages & currencies

===Later Netscape products===
Netscape's later products included:
* Netscape Personal Edition (the browser along with [[Point-to-Point Protocol|PPP]] software and an account creation wizard to sign up with an ISP)
* [[Netscape Communicator]] (a suite which included Navigator along with tools for mail, news, calendar, [[VoIP]], and composing web pages, and was bundled with [[AOL Instant Messenger]] and [[RealAudio]])
* Netscape FastTrack and Enterprise [[web server]]s
* Netscape Collabra Server, a [[Network News Transfer Protocol|NNTP]] news server acquired in a purchase of Collabra Software, Inc.
* Netscape Directory Server, an [[Lightweight Directory Access Protocol|LDAP]] server
* Netscape Messaging Server, an [[Internet Message Access Protocol|IMAP]] and [[Post Office Protocol|POP]] mail server
* Netscape Certificate Server, for issuing [[Transport Layer Security|SSL]] certificates
* Netscape Calendar Server, for group scheduling
* Netscape Compass Server, a [[Web search engine|search engine]] and [[web spider|spider]]
* [[Netscape Application Server]], for designing [[web application]]s
* Netscape Publishing System, for running a commercial site with news articles and charging users per access
* Netscape Xpert Servers
**ECxpert – a server for [[Electronic Data Interchange|EDI]] message exchange
**SellerXpert – [[Business-to-business electronic commerce|B to B]] Commerce Engine
**BuyerXpert – eProcurement Engine
**BillerXpert – Online Bill Paying Engine
**TradingXpert – HTML EDI transaction frontend
**CommerceXpert – Online Retail Store engine
*[[AOL Radio|Radio@Netscape]] and [[AOL Radio|Radio@Netscape Plus]]

===Propeller===
{{Main|Propeller.com}}
Between June 2006 and September 2007, AOL operated Netscape's website as social news website similar to [[Digg]]. The format did not do well as traffic dropped 55.1 percent between November 2006 and August 2007.<ref name="searchenginewatch.com">{{cite web |url=http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2050575/Propeller.com-Spinning-to-a-Stop |title=Propeller.com Spinning to a Stop - Search Engine Watch (#SEW) |publisher=Search Engine Watch |access-date=2012-10-29 |archive-date=November 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141102002419/http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2050575/Propeller.com-Spinning-to-a-Stop |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2007, AOL reverted Netscape's website to a traditional news portal, and rebranded the social news portal as "Propeller", moving the site to the domain "propeller.com." AOL shut down the Propeller website on October 1, 2010.<ref name="searchenginewatch.com"/>

===Netscape Search===
Netscape operated a search engine, Netscape Search, which now redirects to [[AOL|AOL Search]] (which itself now merely serves [[Bing (search engine)|Bing]] (formerly [[Google]]) search results).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2015/06/29/aol-takes-over-majority-of-microsofts-ad-business-swaps-google-search-for-bing/|title=AOL Takes Over Majority of Microsoft's Ad Business, Swaps Google Search For Bing|access-date=November 16, 2017|archive-date=March 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200309073908/https://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2015/06/29/aol-takes-over-majority-of-microsofts-ad-business-swaps-google-search-for-bing/|url-status=live}}</ref> Another version of Netscape Search was incorporated into Propeller.

===Other sites===
Netscape also operated a number of country-specific Netscape portals, including Netscape Canada among others. The portal of  Netscape Germany was shut down in June 2008.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}}

The Netscape Blog was written by Netscape employees discussing the latest on Netscape products and services. Netscape NewsQuake (formerly ''Netscape Reports'') is Netscape's news and opinion blog, including video clips and discussions. {{as of|January 2012}}, no new posts have been made on either of these blogs since August 2008.

===Netscape technologies===
Netscape created the [[JavaScript]] web page scripting language. It also pioneered the development of [[push technology]], which effectively allowed websites to send regular updates of information (weather, stock updates, package tracking, etc.) directly to a user's desktop (aka "webtop"); Netscape's implementation of this was named Netcaster.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Netscape pushes out Netcaster |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/netscape-pushes-out-netcaster/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=ZDNET |language=en |archive-date=December 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215201859/https://www.zdnet.com/article/netscape-pushes-out-netcaster/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, businesses quickly recognized the use of push technology to deliver ads to users, which annoyed them, so Netcaster was short-lived.

Netscape was notable for its [[cross-platform]] efforts. Its client software continued to be made available for Windows ([[Windows 3.1x|3.1]], [[Windows 95|95]], [[Windows 98|98]], [[Windows NT|NT]]), Macintosh, Linux, [[OS/2]], [[BeOS]], and many versions of Unix including [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]], [[Solaris (operating system)|Sun Solaris]], [[Berkeley Software Design|BSDI]], [[IRIX]], [[IBM AIX]], and [[HP-UX]]. Its server software generally was only available for Unix and Windows NT, though some of its servers were made available on Linux, and a version of Netscape FastTrack Server was made available for Windows 95/98. Today, most of Netscape's server offerings live on as the [[Sun Java System]], formerly under the [[Sun ONE]] branding. Although Netscape Browser 8 was Windows only, multi-platform support exists in the [[Netscape Navigator 9]] series of browsers.<ref name="wired" />

==Current services==
{{Update|inaccurate=yes|date=January 2022}}
===Netscape Internet Service===
Netscape ISP was a dial-up Internet service once offered at US$9.95 per month.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.getnetscape.com/ | title=GetNetscape Home Page | access-date=March 20, 2008 | archive-date=March 8, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308115849/http://www.getnetscape.com/ | url-status=live }}</ref> The company served web pages in a compressed format to increase effective speeds up to 1300&nbsp;kbit/s (average 500&nbsp;kbit/s). The [[Internet service provider]] was later run by [[Verizon]] under the Netscape brand. The low-cost ISP was officially launched on January 8, 2004.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,670188,00.html | title=Netscape Launches Low-Cost Internet Access Service | access-date=June 3, 2007 | archive-date=September 27, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927010910/http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/0,20812,670188,00.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Netscape.com===
Netscape drove much traffic from various links included in the browser menus to its web properties. Some say it was very late to leverage this traffic<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/Netscape-late-to-leverage-traffic/2100-1023_3-206685.html Netscape late to leverage traffic - CNET News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018113349/http://news.cnet.com/Netscape-late-to-leverage-traffic/2100-1023_3-206685.html |date=October 18, 2011 }}. News.cnet.com. Retrieved on 2013-09-08.</ref> for what would become the start of the major online portal wars.<ref>{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Tony |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/1998/12/17/netscape_unveils_30m_netcenter_ad |title=theregister.co.uk |publisher=theregister.co.uk |date=1998-12-17 |access-date=2019-06-13 |archive-date=August 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810092646/https://www.theregister.co.uk/1998/12/17/netscape_unveils_30m_netcenter_ad |url-status=live }}</ref> 

Netscape's exclusive features, such as the Netscape Blog, Netscape NewsQuake, Netscape Navigator, My Netscape and Netscape Community pages, are less accessible from the AOL Netscape designed portal and in some countries not accessible at all without providing a full URL or completing an [[Internet search]].<ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&nav=messages&tid=9781&tsn= Netscape Community responses] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015195056/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&nav=messages&tid=9781&tsn= |date=October 15, 2007 }}. Retrieved on September 20, 2007</ref> The new AOL Netscape site was originally previewed in August 2007 before moving the existing site in September 2007.<ref>[http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=9382 New Netscape Portal – Netscape Community] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015195033/http://community.netscape.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=ws-nscpbrowser&tid=9382 |date=October 15, 2007 }} Retrieved on August 14, 2007</ref>

Netscape.com now redirects to AOL's website, with no Netscape branding at all.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.netscape.com/|title=Netscape.com|access-date=April 21, 2021|archive-date=January 9, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040109161944/http://ftp9.netscape.com/pub/|url-status=live}}</ref> Meanwhile, Netscape.co.uk now redirects to AOL Search, also with no Netscape branding at all.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.netscape.co.uk/|title=Netscape.co.uk|access-date=March 19, 2021|archive-date=September 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930041505/http://www.netscape.co.uk/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===DMOZ===
{{Main|DMOZ}}
DMOZ (from '''d'''irectory.'''moz'''illa.org, its original [[domain name]], also known as the '''Open Directory Project''' or '''ODP'''), was a multilingual [[open content]] [[Web directory|directory]] of [[World Wide Web]] links owned<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Danny |date=2017-02-28 |title=RIP DMOZ: The Open Directory Project is closing |url=https://searchengineland.com/rip-dmoz-open-directory-project-closing-270291 |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Search Engine Land |language=en}}</ref> by Netscape that was constructed and maintained by a [[virtual community|community]] of volunteer editors. It closed in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://searchengineland.com/dmoz-has-officially-closed-271530|title = DMOZ has officially closed after nearly 19 years of humans trying to organize the web|date = March 17, 2017|access-date = August 22, 2019|archive-date = February 25, 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210225221536/https://searchengineland.com/dmoz-has-officially-closed-271530|url-status = live}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|San Francisco Bay Area|Companies|Internet}}
*[[Code Rush]], a 2000 documentary about Netscape engineers
*[[SeaMonkey]]
*[[The Book of Mozilla]]
*[[Lou Montulli]], a founding engineer of Netscape Communications, creator of HTTP cookies
*[[Brendan Eich]], early Netscape employee, creator of JavaScript
*[[Jamie Zawinski]], former Netscape employee

{{Clear}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* [[James H. Clark|Jim Clark]], ''Netscape Time: The Making of the Billion-Dollar Start-Up That Took On Microsoft'', St. Martin's Press, 1999.
* Michael E. Cusumano and David B. Yoffie, ''Competing On Internet Time: Lessons From Netscape And Its Battle With Microsoft'', The Free Press, 1998, 2000.
* Fortune Magazine, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060427112146/http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2005/07/25/8266639/index.htm "Remembering Netscape: The Birth Of The Web"], July 25, 2005.

==External links==
{{Sister project links}}
*[http://home.mcom.com/ Archive of official site circa 1994] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430183843/http://home.mcom.com/ |date=April 30, 2011 }}

{{Yahoo, Inc.}}
{{Netscape}}
{{Early web browsers}}

{{Dot-com Bubble}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2011}}

[[Category:Netscape| ]]
[[Category:1994 establishments in California]]
[[Category:2008 disestablishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:Yahoo!]]
[[Category:Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq]]
[[Category:Computer companies disestablished in 2008]]
[[Category:Computer companies established in 1994]]
[[Category:Defunct software companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Technology companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in Virginia]]
[[Category:1999 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:1995 initial public offerings]]