[1011] in OS/2_Discussion
FYI: NetScape for OS/2 Warp Announced]
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (klund@MIT.EDU)
Thu Aug 29 09:47:40 1996
From: klund@MIT.EDU
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 96 09:46:28 -0400
To: os2partners@MIT.EDU
MOUNTAIN VIEW, California and AUSTIN, Texas, August 28, 1996 . .
Netscape Communications Corporation and IBM today announced the
development of a native OS/2*, speech-enabled version of the
Netscape Navigator** client software for OS/2 Warp 4. The
availability of a native OS/2 version of Navigator will broaden
the scope of content currently available to OS/2 customers via
the Internet.
Netscape Navigator for OS/2 is scheduled to enter beta testing by
September and is expected to be generally available to end users
in the fourth quarter, shortly after the launch of OS/2 Warp 4.
The client will be downloadable at no cost from both Netscape's
and IBM's home pages to users of OS/2 Warp at
http://home.netscape.com and http://www.ibm.com ,
as well as the IBM Software home page .
OS/2 Warp 4, IBM's new client operating system solution, will be
available in September. Incorporating speech recognition
software, and Sun Microsystem's*** Java technology, OS/2 Warp 4
offers users some of the industry's most advanced Internet
capabilities. With 40 million users, Netscape Navigator is the
most popular Internet client software.With the addition of OS/2,
it will be available on 17 platforms, including Windows 95,
Windows 3.1, Macintosh and popular UNIX platforms.
"With built-in Java and Internet capabilities, OS/2 Warp 4 will
become the ideal client solution as we move toward a
network-based computing environment," said John W. Thompson,
general manager of IBM's Personal Software Products division.
"The agreement with Netscape provides our users with a leading
Internet client that will include increased speech functionality
currently unavailable with other operating systems. Netscape
Navigator for OS/2 Warp 4 will enable users to surf the Web with
a simple voice command."
"This announcement represents an important strategic agreement
for both Netscape and IBM because OS/2 is an operating system
that many corporate MIS managers count on today," said James
Barksdale, president and chief executive officer of Netscape. "By
building upon our strategic relationship with IBM, we are able to
provide all the features of Netscape Navigator to more than 14
million OS/2 users. Our support for the OS/2 operating system
reinforces Netscape's commitment to delivering cross-platform
open systems software on 17 platforms."
Netscape Navigator for OS/2 will be fully speech enabled,
supporting the speech navigation and recognition capabilities in
OS/2 Warp 4. This will allow users to simply ask the computer to
"jump" to a site on the Internet and subsequently move around
within that site by talking to the computer.
"Netscape has shown that it can harness the native power of OS/2
Warp 4 and its voice recognition capabilities to extend and
enhance its open platform Navigator product," said Tim Sloane, an
industry analyst with Aberdeen Group. "By making a native OS/2
version of Navigator available to its customers, IBM is
significantly expanding the number of Web sites accessible to
OS/2 users."
Netscape Navigator 2.02, the most widely used version of Netscape
Navigator, is currently being ported to OS/2 Warp 4 by Netscape
and IBM, and is scheduled to be available in the fourth quarter.
In addition, Netscape and IBM are jointly working on the
development of native OS/2 versions of future releases of
Netscape Navigator.
Netscape Navigator for OS/2 will be very easy to download, with
the URL listed on the user's desktop once OS/2 Warp 4 is
installed. A simple click on the icon will take the user to the
IBM Web site where the Netscape Navigator client software can be
downloaded. In addition, users will also receive the software
necessary for access to the IBM Global Network in the U.S. at a
rate of $19.95 per month for unlimited Internet access.
Client Software that Enhances OS/2 Warp's Capabilities
Netscape Navigator is an ideal tool for accessing information on
the Internet, offering users a powerful, flexible and easy-to-use
environment. With Netscape Navigator, OS/2 users will have a
native, Java-enabled Web client and the features that have made
Netscape Navigator today's most popular Internet client software.
Some of the features that will be new to OS/2 users include:
Support for Plug-in extensions that enable third-party
developers and users to extend the capabilities of Netscape
Navigator by allowing them to view and support various
applications.
Frame support , which will allow users to specify multiple,
independent, scrollable areas within a display window. Each frame
can include a separate document and can be resized and linked to
other documents.
Built-in JavaScript in Netscape Navigator, which extends and
enhances the capabilities of HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
documents and allows users to open and view live Java applets and
applications.
Netscape's HTML-enabled mail and news applications , which allow
users to send and receive dynamic messages.
In addition, OS/2 Warp 4 users will have Netscape Navigator's SSL
encryption, point-and-click navigation, threaded discussion
groups, file transfers, graphical user interface and other
Internet services in a seamlessly integrated package.
Netscape Navigator will take advantage of the features of OS/2
Warp 4, including Java integration, which allows users to drag
and drop Java applets from the Internet to their desktop,
requiring only a voice command or mouse click to launch the
applet. Netscape's products are based on open industry standards
and protocols, and are compatible with the installed base of
World Wide Web clients and services.
OS/2 Warp 4
The first Intel-based PC operating system solution to integrate
speech navigation and dictation as well as Java technology, OS/2
Warp 4 will be a leading client-based operating system solution
in today's intranet/Internet environment. With OS/2 Warp 4, users
can look forward to using the battle-tested engine they are
familiar with in OS/2 Warp Version 3, with an improved user
interface and easy Internet access. OS/2 Warp 4 will run in
heterogeneous environments with enhanced hardware and software
compatibility, offering users true cross-platform performance in
a network computing environment.
About Netscape
Netscape Communications Corporation is a premier provider of open
software linking people and information over enterprise networks
and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients,
servers, development tools and commercial applications to create
a complete platform for next-generation, live on-line
applications. Traded on NASDAQ as the symbol "NSCP," Netscape
Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, Calif.
* IBM and OS/2 are trademarks or registered trademarks of IBM
Corporation. ** Netscape and Netscape Navigator are trademarks of
the Netscape Communications Corporation. *** Java is a trademark
of Sun Microsystems, Inc. All other product and service names may
be trademarks and/or service marks of their respective owners.
