Re: Did Netscape ever charge $ for Navigator?

Netscape Guy wrote:
> "Moz Champion (Dan)" wrote:
> 
>>> did Netscape expect (or require) the average web-surfer to
>>> $Buy$ Netscape Navigator, or did it always give the Netscape
>>> browser away for free (as it's 1994 press release claims) ???
>> Yes. Prior to Netscape Communicator 4.04, Netscape charged most
>> people $29.95 for the browser.
> 
> ----------
> http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease1.html
> 
> NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS NOW, BUILDS ON TRADITION OF FREEWARE FOR THE
> NET 
> 
> MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (October 13, 1994) -- Netscape Communications
> Cor****ation today announced that it is offering its newly introduced
> Netscape(TM) network navigator free to users via the Internet. The new
> Internet navigator, developed by the six-month-old Silicon Valley
> company led by Silicon Graphics founder Jim Clark and NCSA Mosaic
> creator Marc Andreessen, is available immediately for free downloading
> by individual, academic and research users.
> -----------
> 
> So am I to assume that some _very_ early version of Netscape was given
> away for free (as per the above press release) and then later at some
> point Netscape began charging $30 (perhaps for version 2 or 3 or both)
> before again making it available for free with version 4.04 ?
> 
> Or was the above press release a lie or a hoax or an internal memo
> that did not materialize in the form of actual policy?


Both Netscape and Microsoft charged users in 1995, Netscape continued 
this until late 1997

Even when there was a charge, you could find it for 'free' on the net in 
certain cir***stances. Of course, back then we are talking 28k or less 
modems - meaning perhaps a three hour or so download - and there were 
some ISPs who charged for time in those days as well.

Another 'flaw' in the ointment was... to get to the 'net' you had to 
have some software - and it wasn't until Microsoft bundled IE with the 
system that it became widely available as default.

Many ISPs gave away Netscape as their 'sign-on' package as well, either 
that or a copy of IE.