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# Netscape Browser * * * ## Netscape is Declared Dead  Netscape was the first commercial web browser. It was released in 1994. Although Netscape was commercial software, it also offered free versions that could run on operating systems like Unix, VMS, Macs, and Microsoft Windows. In April 1997, Microsoft began releasing the IE 4.0 series, which was almost universally panned. Netscape, also at version 4.0, was advancing rapidly. However, Netscape's good days did not last. By the Windows 98 era, Microsoft employed a winning strategy by bundling IE with Windows 98 for free. IE also gradually improved. Since a browser was provided with the operating system, why buy a separate one? The vast majority of users thought this way. As a result, Netscape's user base shrank rapidly in a short time, and its market share plummeted. Under competition from IE, Netscape gradually lost its market share. Facing Microsoft's strong threat, Netscape decided in November 1998 to make its software free and open-source all its code, focusing its main efforts on the commercial market. This measure had barely been implemented before Netscape was acquired by AOL. **In 1998, AOL acquired Netscape for $4.2 billion.** In 2003, the Mozilla Foundation separated from Netscape, with AOL, its former parent company, providing a $2 million parting gift. **On December 28, 2007: Netscape developers announced that due to low market share, AOL (America Online) would stop developing their web browser on February 1, 2008.** **Netscape's Development Director, Tom Drapeau, wrote: "AOL shifted its focus to its advertising network business, leading to less funding for R&D, which prevented the Netscape browser from meeting users' expectations."** Further Reading: [http://blog.netscape.com/2007/12/28/end-of-support-for-netscape](http://blog.netscape.com/2007/12/28/end-of-support-for-netscape-web-browsers) * * * ## Netscape's Problems Netscape's 4.x series browsers had poor support for CSS and did not support XML. After version 4.0, Netscape took nearly three and a half years to develop its next-generation browser. This delay significantly reduced Netscape's chances of monopolizing the browser market. * * * ## Netscape Versions **Netscape Navigator 9** - Released in 2007. **Netscape 8** - Released in 2006. **Netscape 7** - Released in 2002. **Netscape 6** - Released in 2000. Supported CSS and XML. **Netscape 5** - Netscape skipped version 5. **Netscape Communicator 4** - Released in 1997. **Netscape Navigator 3** - Released in 1996. **Netscape Navigator 2** - Released in 1996. **Netscape 1** - Released in 1994.