From: cujoe@comcast.net   
      
   Mozilla Champion (Dan) wrote:   
   > CuJoe wrote:   
   >   
   >> OK, I've been reading about people asking and commenting about 8.x not   
   >> including email capabilities and being only a "browser" only. So, NS   
   >> email users are now forced to either keep an older version of NS   
   >> around for email or use a different email app altogether.   
   >> Dunno why people are being so bloody nice... I won't...   
   >>   
   >> What the bloody hell is going on here!!?? Why isn't there an email   
   >> capability in 8.x?! Why is this feature going/gone away and, in general,   
   >> why is it so goddang difficult dealing with email changes each time NS   
   >> is upgraded?   
   >>   
   >> What, dare I ask, are the NS developers thinking?   
   >> Thanks, and all that, for working on the frigging thing, but if you're   
   >> going to develop this thing, why not do it right and update/maintain   
   >> the email and newsgroup stuff??   
   >>   
   >> Sincerely yours,   
   >> CuJoe   
   >>   
   >   
   >   
   > Netscape hasnt been 'Netscape' for a long time, its been owned by AOL.   
   >   
   > The last full 'Netscape' was Netscape Communicator 4.8   
   >      To compete with new versions of IE, Netscape realized that a   
   > totally new version was warranted, but the problem there is that how can   
   > you invest millions of dollars in development, when you have to GIVE the   
   > product away in the end?   
   >      So Netscape went the 'open source' route. It 'gave' its source code   
   > out to anyone so that contributors could build a better program. This is   
   > the start of Mozilla.org. After a false start based on the extant   
   > Communicator code, Mozilla started on what was to become the Mozilla suite.   
   >      AOL bought Netscape out. And then pushed Netscape 6 out the door   
   > based on a BETA version of Mozilla. It was a dismal failure.   
   >      AOL then brought out Netscape 7 based on release version of   
   > Mozilla. But then, for reason only known to AOL, they fired all the   
   > staff and dropped it like a hot potato.   
   >      Mozilla went on and focused development on Firefox and Thunderbird,   
   > standalone browser and email components. Development of the Mozilla   
   > suite (all in one) has stopped at 1.7.13  (comparison Netscape 7.2 (last   
   > version was based on 1.7.2)   
   >      AOL once again decided to give it a try with Netscape 8, this time   
   > basing it on Firefox.  They didnt make it cross system, and they didnt   
   > make it appealling to non AOL users, and they stopped supportting it as   
   > well!   
   >   
   > Mozilla produces Firefox (browser), Thunderbird (email/news) and the now   
   > discontinued Mozilla suite (all in one).   
   > A private group decided they liked the suite (all in one) model so much   
   > they have continued the suite model, its called SeaMonkey.   
   > A private groop has also produced Camino a mac only browser base on the   
   > same engine.   
   >   
   > So where is the email component for Netscape?   
   > It lives in SeaMonkey (all in one) or in Thunderbird (standalone)   
   >   
   > AOL did its best to kill Netscape and has to a large extent succeeded   
   > The name Netscape lives on, but only as a name. What it once stood for   
   > has largely been disappated and disappeared. AOL will keep the name and   
   > use if for whatever it thinks will make money, after all they did pay 4   
   > billion dollars for it.   
      
   Dan: Thank you for the informative reply. Having been a software   
   developer and the "victim" in a company bought out, I can feel the pain.   
   I did notice the negative changes when AOL took over but still had hope.   
   Really wish AOL would have never gotten involved in the first place,   
   but, alas, it is much too late now...   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)