Netscape 5

Infobox_Software
name = Netscape Communicator 5



caption = Netscape 5 pre-alpha release running in Windows
developer = Netscape Communications Corporation
latest_release_version =
latest_release_date =
operating_system = Presumably cross-platform
genre = Internet suite
license =
website = Not available

Netscape 5.0 (codenamed "Gromit" [ [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6765603919277760697 Mike Pinkerton, "Open Source Developers at Google Speaker Series: Camino", January 19, 2007] ] ) was a projected Internet suite developed in 1998, but never released when it was scrapped in 1999. The suite was intended to be the fifth series release of the Netscape set of browsers, which was written on the codebase used in previous versions of Netscape Communicator, using the Mariner layout engine. The engine, also developed by Netscape, was designed to provide stability and performance enhancements, however its development was scrapped in March 1998 when the company decided to focus on the NGLayout (now Gecko) engine. Mariner was made open source when Netscape released its client code to create the Mozilla Project.

Versions

The program did not reach alpha or beta releases. Two pre-alpha versions were written however, one which was based on the original Communicator code; the latter one focused on Gecko [ [http://sillydog.org/forum/sdt_390-0-asc-15.php Sillydog.org forums - discussion of Netscape 5 with two versions available to download] ] . The Gecko-based program later became Netscape 6, therefore leaving out the fifth release version completely. Both pre-alpha releases only featured the Navigator feature of the suite.

Notes and references

External links

* [http://sillydog.org/netscape/kb/communicator5.php Sillydog.org - Information on Netscape 5 and pre-alpha release]