Very Computer

1. Browser w/ JVM is making claim for new base computing platform.  
   Having one of the two leading browsers being available to any OS (
   linux esp.) is very helpful in allowing it to not fall behind any
commercial OSs.

2. Netscape and their developments will aide FSC (free software
community),
   and vice-versa.   Welcome netscape!

3. This REALLY cuts at MSs momentum with IE marketshare, whose devotion
   to trying to own technical standards (over public ones) is well known
   and anti-competitive.  Netscape will increase it's power in
influencing
   evolving standards/developments which now will be GPL'd in source!
ANNNND
   will be developed in tandem with netscape!

4. Shows their faith in the power of unleashing the creative energy of
the market.
   I cannot believe the linux devel model was not an influence in this
yes, (BOLD) move.

5. Anything the cuts into MS's market/industry power is very positive.

6. Whether a decision of terribly desperate or enlightened men, people
may argue.
   In this day and age, I still think it is a huge defiance of
convensional
   corporate wisdom to open up source code.  The success of this (or
not) will
   have a big influence on others (pro or con) towards embracing the
principles of FSC.

It IS a VERY BOLD move, a show of faith (and endor*t) in the free
software
development model and the GPL in particular, and some well-needed
opposition to
the MS juggernaut's tenticles of increasing power.

When your livelihood/business is software, giving it away is the boldest
move of all!
I am so proud of Netscape, Stallman, Torvalds, FSC, ...

James M. Carter
using linux/perl for a living
Cincinnati, Ohio

Quote:> It just leaves getting cbb working well enough to replace Quicken and every
> piece of software that I use will be freely licensed!  I am a happy camper.
> :-)

> This development will also save MUCH work for those working on GPL'ed
> browsers.

> I always hoped that Netscape, Inc. would remember it's roots someday.

: 6. Whether a decision of terribly desperate or enlightened men, people
: may argue.
:    In this day and age, I still think it is a huge defiance of
: convensional
:    corporate wisdom to open up source code.  The success of this (or
: not) will
:    have a big influence on others (pro or con) towards embracing the
: principles of FSC.

This is the center of the issue.  A lot of people will be watching
the events to come very closely!

But it's really a natural evolution.  Software is information, and
information is free on the Internet.  Source code is a bonus in many
ways except the trust issue.  Getting the source code is better in my
mind than getting a binary with a VeriSign certificate.

Which brings up another point.  How will the freeware browser be able
to guarantee the integrity of an https:// transfer?  Since anyone will
be able to make their own certificate and have the browser recognize
it!  (If you don't know how to make your own cert, do some browsing -
it's out there, for free)

Anyway, it will be very interesting to see what happens...