COM 125 Assignment 2: Netscape Navigator's Contributions to the History of the Internet

In September of 1994 we were introduced to a web browser that set the stage for future internet browsing advances. Then called Mosaic, what we now know as Netscape Navigator was a significant development in internet history that has molded the ways in which people use the internet today. Originally a mere web browser, Netscape evolved into an internet suite, transforming the internet’s uses and opening the door to competition. The competition between the two major web browsers at the time—Netscape Navigator and Microsoft’s Internet Explorer—drove remarkable internet advances that continue to be built upon today.

While in Beta, Netscape Navigator was called Mosaic after its parent company’s name, Mosaic Communications Corporation, which was renamed Netscape Communications Corporation after a name dispute with a competitor. Netscape Navigator was an immediate success because it was the most advanced browser on the web. Netscape built upon their success by evolving from solely a web browser into an internet suite (initially called Netscape Navigator but now named Netscape Communicator). In addition to having a browsing capacity, Netscape Navigator incorporated a full e-mail client, expanding their web capabilities into an internet suite. This was an important transition in internet history because people gained the ability to do more things on the internet than just browse the web.

In August of 1996, Netscape released version 3.0; around the same time, Microsoft released Internet Explorer 3.0, which was the first significant source of competition for Netscape. The companies set the bar high for one another each time a new version of the suites were released. Nonetheless, until the release of Internet Explorer 5.0 challenged Netscape Communicator version 4, Netscape was still the preferred web browser. However, when Internet Explorer 5.0 was released in 1998, Netscape had unresolved issues, like an outdated browser core, that led to its eventual downfall. Internet Explorer became the preferred browser, and AOL (who now owns Netscape) announced that it would not release a fifth version.

Netscape Navigator was the first web browser, and introduced the internet to everyday consumers. Because of its success, Netscape attracted competition that as a result has improved today’s internet browsing experience. The advances that Netscape contributed to the web’s progression, like the creation of an internet suite, were points of paramount significance in the history of the internet.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netscape_(browser)