Re[2]: NCSA's un-free browser - NOT
Sheerin, Peter (psheerin@mfi.com)
Mon, 29 Aug 1994 18:49:17 +0200
>What happened to the free-browser/pay-for-editor model? After this, what
>incentive will there be to make the free version of NCSA's
>Mosaic software even comparable to "Enhanced Mosaic"?
Plenty. We're not talking about Growing Mosaic and Stagnant Mosaic. The free
version and the commercial version cater to somewhat different audiences.
Not only will the free version continue to be available, it will
continue to be improved. Also, some improvements from Spyglass will be
worked back into the free version.
Right. In fact, this will hopefully resolve a complaint many had a
while back -- that with so many different commercialized versions of
mosaic, each being enhanced in their own way, multiple, incompatible
standards would evolve for security issues, extentions (add-in
modules) to Mosaic, and perhaps even in interpretation of the HTML and
Web specifications that would make developing web pages even more
confusing than it already is.
IMHO, having one central clearing house for the commercial version
should help solve this.
So, Eric, how will the distribution to the various licencees be
handled? Will they each get the base source code for the Enhanced
Mosaic from Spyglass, and then be free to tweak it themselves, but
still required to adhere to certian standards set by Spyglass, or will
they simply be given the Executable, to which they can add value by
way of extentions, browsers, and packaging?