Netscape Guy wrote:
> Peter Potamus the Purple Hippo wrote:
>
>> You have been told a dozen time, but you just won't accept it.
>>
>> Netscape is dead. And so is this thread.
>
> Until or unless you put forward a cogent rebuttal that counters my
> point that Netscape initially offered Navigator at no charge and then
> reversed itself with no explanation, I will simply repost my thesis.
>
> Hope you enjoy it.
>
> -------------------
>
> All that's being said here is that Netscape formulated a rather
> "high-minded" cor****ate policy of making Navigator available for free,
> and then apparently did an about-face and retracted that policy.
>
> The following is not hypothetical, or fabricated. This is directly
> from Netscape:
>
> ----------
> (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.
>
> By making Netscape available free to individuals for personal use, the
> company builds on the tradition of software products for the Internet
> being offered free of charge.
>
> "Making Netscape freely available to Internet users is Netscape
> Communications' way of contributing to the explosive growth of
> innovative information applications on global networks," said
> Andreessen, vice president of technology at Netscape Communications.
> "We expect Netscape's ease of use to spark another major leap in
> Internet usage by making the net a powerful tool for a broader base of
> users. By incor****ating security and advanced functionality, Netscape
> now lays the foundation for commerce on the net."
>
> The initial version of Netscape available today on the net is a public
> beta version, enabling users to provide feedback on the software's
> features and functionality across a wide range of computing platforms.
> The company will also place the final version of the navigator, due
> out in November, on the Internet for free downloading. This version
> delivers security features such as encryption and server
> authentication. When paired with the Netsite Commerce Server due out
> in November, Netscape lets users take advantage of such commercial
> services as online publications, financial services and interactive
> shopping.
>
> Customers who download the software do so for personal use only.
> Commercial users can purchase sup****ted, licensed copies of Netscape
> directly from Netscape Communications. Pricing starts at $99 per
> user, which includes a 90-day warranty and customer sup****t. Volume
> discounts are available for multiple user licenses. For information on
> volume licensing of Netscape, send electronic mail to
> sales@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> ----------
>
> So as of October 1994, in brief:
>
> - Navigator public beta version is available for free download
>
> - Netscape announces cor****ate policy of making Navigator
> available for free for personal and academic use
>
> - Netscape sets the price at $99 per user in commercial or
> business settings, with volume licensing as an option
>
> - Final version of Navigator (presumably 1.0) will also be
> available for free downloading shortly.
>
> - Netscape believes in an internet tradition of free software,
> and wants to be part of that tradition by making Navigator
> freely available for individual, personal use.
>
> Netscape again repeated this cor****ate policy in their third press
> release on November 11, 1994:
>
> http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease3.html
>
> Netscape's fourth press release states that Navigator 1.0 will be
> available in December 1994:
>
> http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease4.html
>
> On December 15/1994 Netscape announces the availability of Navigator
> 1.0:
>
> http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease8.html
>
> In the release, they say they are:
>
> "setting the single-user price of its Netscape Navigator for
> commercial use at $39. The pricing -- which includes a 90-day
> warranty, 90-day online or phone sup****t, and diskette or CD
> -- makes it readily affordable for commercial users, giving
> the largest potential number of users access to commercial
> strength, sup****ted technology.
>
> Netscape Navigator 1.0 is available for free downloading on the
> Internet for academic and non-profit use, as well as for free
> evaluation purposes."
>
>
> In it's 16'th press release dated March 6 / 1995, Netscape announces
> the release of Navigator 1.1 beta, with the non-beta version scheduled
> for the following month.
>
> http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease16.html
>
> Interstingly, Netscape also says this:
>
> "The 1.1 version of Netscape Navigator now available on the
> Internet is a public beta version, enabling users to provide
> feedback on the software's features and functionality across
> a wide range of computing platforms. As with the 1.0 release,
> Netscape will place the final version of Netscape Navigator
> 1.1 -- due out in April -- on the Internet for free downloading
> by students and staff in education and non-profit organizations,
> and for free evaluation by individuals and commercial
> organizations. "
>
> Note the phrase "and for free evaluation by individuals and commercial
> organizations". Missing is the free use in any or all non-profit /
> non business situations.
>
> Later in the same release they say this:
>
> "Individuals who download the software do so for evaluation use
> only."
>
> Which reveals their pending intent to charge for it for all situations
> and settings outside of educational use.
>
> In it's 27'th press release dated June 5/1995, Netscape announces
> "Netscape Navigator Personal Edition" which will retail for $40.
> Netscape says that Navigator 1.1 is part of Netscape Navigator
> Personal Edition.
>
> Netscape does not seem to have announced the non-beta availability of
> Navigator 1.1 in any previous press release, nor the terms of
> availability or charge for Navigator 1.1.
>
> On June 20/1995, Netscape announces the availability of Navigator 1.2
> for Windows 95. It is available for downloading and use at no cost
> for "educational and charitable non-profit use and for evaluation by
> commercial users" - no mention of individuals or home user.
>
> In this announcement, Netscape also ends it's policy of allowing
> perpetual upgrade rights to anyone who had paid for a previous version
> of Navigator. The new policy is that such rights are restricted to a
> previous-purchase 90 day time-frame.
>
> http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease30.html
>
> In an August 1995 press release, Netscape refers to it's software as
> "open" - whatever that means:
>
> -------------------------
> Netscape's full line of open software includes three families of
> products: Netscape Navigator client software, Netscape server
> software, and Netscape Internet Applications(tm). The products deliver
> secure communications, advanced performance and point-and-click
> simplicity to companies and individuals who want to create or access
> information services on the Internet or private TCP/IP networks.
>
> http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease35.html
> --------------------------
>
> In an August 22 press release, Netscape again announces Netscape
> Navigator Personal Edition for Microsoft Windows 95, with availability
> set for "the Fall" in retail outlets, but does not give a date for
> direct download availability:
>
> http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease38.html
>
> On Sept 18/2005 Netscape announces Navigator 2.0, but says it won't be
> available in final release until December. It will be available for
> free use by educational and non-profit organizational use, but
> apparently all others will have to pay an estimated $50.
>
> http://wp.netscape.com/newsref/pr/newsrelease43.html
>
> So basically the high-minded Netscape of October 1994 says that in the
> spirit and tradition of the Internet that Navigator will be freely
> available for all non-cor****ate, non-business users. Then just 2 short
> months later in December 1994 it hints that it is reneging on that
> policy and then 3 months later in March 1995 that free policy is fully
> dismantled and buried.
>
> For those that claim to have acquired Navigator 1.2 to 3.x via direct
> download on the net (presumably from Netscape) it's not clear to me
> how you could have obtained a fully working, non-expiring version
> without paying for it at some point.
>
> Presumably there were plenty of Navigator CD's in circulation, the
> source being the many ISP's that would have provided them upon
> customer sign-up, and presumably the Navigator on those CD's were
> usable by anyone who could get their hands on them.
When Netscape originally offerred it for free, it was to individuals in
research or academic fields.
The 'offer' was meant to spur distribution of the product as well as get
some more versions 'out there' for field testing as well.
Netscape spent some millions of dollars developing the product, and were
rewarded by their sales. When forced to utlimately give the product
away, after Microsoft forced the issue by bundling IE with the system,
the writing was on the wall for Netscape.
Up to that time, Netscape had been making literally billions of dollars
off it's browsers, and had started to enlarge it's offerings by entering
into the server software market (Enterprise). But, when they were forced
to give away Communicator 4.04 and later, they took note.
No longer would they be able to spend millions to further develop the
browser, simply because there was NO INCOME to be derived from it,
because they had to give it away to compete with the bundling of IE.
To make matters worse, Communicator was in need of an overhaul, so as to
keep pace with all the new developments on the internet. Netscape,
realizing that sinking millions into development would be a losing
proposition, went the OPEN SOURCE route.
Netscape created Mozilla to oversee open source development of it's
product, and released the source code for Communicator 4 as well.
Mozilla attempted to build on the source code, but it was so convuluted
and patchwork, that they had to ditch the entire effort and start all
over again.
In the meantime AOL and Sun purchased Netscape for billions of dollars
So, as you have been told countless times, Netscape did charge for its
browser, right up to the fall of 1997. Aside from a LIMITED distribution
which you referenced (and cannot read it seems) to academics and
researchers. Just like you can get Apple OS X for 'free' if you work for
a school (and can prove it to Apple), as well as substantial discounts
on the hardware. Apple charges most people $100 or thereabouts for the
system software, but it willing to give it away to specific educational
individuals. Just like what Netscape announced it would do.
So why are you so obsessed with this historical trivia anyway?
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