NETSCAPE OUTLINES VISION FOR THE NET IN '97
LAS VEGAS, Nev., Comdex Booth #H223 (November 20, 1996) -- In a keynote address given at Comdex this morning, Netscape's president and chief executive officer Jim Barksdale communicated Netscape's vision for the Net in 1997 and demonstrated Netscape's recently announced integrated client/server software suites, Netscape Communicator and Netscape SuiteSpot 3.0. In addition, Barksdale previewed a future Netscape Communicator component, code-named Constellation, which lets users merge and customize desktop and network information, tune into netcasted content and automatically receive customized information from various locations across a network.
"We are entering the third wave of the Internet, where electronic mail and groupware with all the richness of the Web are key elements of computing," said Barksdale. "While the first waves of the Internet focused on users being able to easily find information, the mark of this third wave is that information finds the user. Our new products will have the intelligence to help you focus on the information you care about."
On October 15, Netscape announced Netscape Communicator and Netscape SuiteSpot as a matched set of client/server solutions for open email and groupware across Intranets. By transparently integrating those Internet clients and servers with the desktop and existing productivity applications, Constellation will provide powerful roaming access to users' relevant information. Constellation will gather the information that users care about and transparently replicate it to the server. Users can then access relevant files, content, bookmarks and email from a wide variety of computers that have network access - ensuring that information is no longer "imprisoned" on a local workstation. Similar to roaming on a cellular phone, Constellation will free users from being tied to a single desktop location.
Constellation will appeal to both users and corporate IS managers. Users will no longer need to concern themselves with updating applications on their own desktops, because information will be "pushed" to them in a broadcast fashion. Through a technology called netcasting, users will receive instant notification of updates to their system and reminders of important events that affect them.
Constellation enables users to customize their desktop experience so they can focus on the information they care about. Its dramatically improved interface reduces the problems of managing overlapping windows, presenting users instead with full screen Web- and Java-based environments. The interface looks and works the same on different Internet devices and operating systems, ultimately minimizing training costs and maximizing productivity. Constellation is expected to be available next year on all of the platforms that are supported by Netscape Communicator.
Constellation will allow IS managers to organize and control information, applications, access control and the working desktop environment on a company-wide level. The technology will complement Netscape Communicator and Netscape SuiteSpot 3.0 by providing a single, cross-platform environment that combines control of the desktop with the flexibility of the network. These control capabilities include automatically updating and transmitting Web pages, files and applications to users' desktops. Relevant files, bookmarks and preferences can also be replicated to standards-based servers. By streamlining centralized administration and deployment of software throughout the enterprise, Constellation is expected to lower the cost of ownership of an organization's PCs. IS managers will appreciate the ability to netcast content, such as company news or software upgrades, through the enterprise.
Constellation will include several technologies for receiving netcast information. A new Netscape technology will allow content providers to convert existing Web sites into dynamic "live sites" with minimal work and no additional server requirements.
Constellation will also leverage technology from Marimba to receive netcast information. Constellation will integrate Marimba's Castanet Tuner technology, allowing users to subscribe to a wide range of self-updating content and application channels. Using a Castanet transmitter, Intranet managers can easily deploy software to desktops enterprisewide. The Castanet system eliminates problems of version control within corporations as software channels constantly update themselves automatically in the background. The system also provides developers with a feedback mechanism to help them adapt their applications in response to users' preferences and problems. Castanet makes extremely efficient use of the network by automatically balancing bandwidth loads and by eliminating redundant software streams.
Netscape also plans to work with PointCast to integrate Constellation with the PointCast Network, which uses its popular channel metaphor to push valuable, personalized news and information onto enterprise desktops. PointCast acts as a robust, scalable content network for content providers to broadcast their information to a large installed base of existing PointCast viewers in a standard, compelling format. In addition, the newly released PointCast I-Server lets corporations broadcast internal corporate news over their Intranets.
Netscape Communicator is the next-generation suite of Intenet client applications for browsing; filtering, sorting and encrypting HTML-enabled email; creating and accessing public or private discussion forums; creating and publishing Web documents; and using real-time audio-conferencing, shared whiteboard, voicemail and Internet phone capabilities between co-workers. Netscape Communicator Professional Edition also includes an Intranet-based scheduling solution for enterprises; administration for centralized user management by MIS professionals; and Java-based Web-to-host software, called IBM Host On-Demand, which allows users to access databases and other software located on corporate mainframes through their browsers.
Netscape SuiteSpot 3.0 is a comprehensive software suite of nine servers that are designed to scale from local workgroups to global enterprise networks to deliver a broad range of user services. Based on the open Internet architecture of a corporate Intranet, its capabilities include a rich publishing environment, seamless communication and collaboration; advanced directory and search services; and access to existing databases and legacy systems.
Netscape Communications Corporation is a leading provider of open software for 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 online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.
Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com, or by calling 415/937-2555 (corporate customers) or 415/937-3777 (individuals).
Netscape, Netscape Communicator, Netscape SuiteSpot and the Netscape Communications Corporation logo are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation. All other product names are trademarks of their respective companies.