Netscape Offers First Open Content Web Search Service on Netcenter

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (January 25, 1999) - Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) today announced that it launched the Netscape Open Directory on Netscape's Internet portal, Netcenter. The Netscape Open Directory is the first open content web directory to harness the knowledge and creativity of 'volunteer editors' empowering consumers to find the information they need quickly and easily. With this announcement, Netscape further defines its strategy to provide the most comprehensive information search services on the web.

"The Netscape Open Directory empowers consumers to take control of their Internet experience by giving people the information they need while also providing an opportunity to participate in the creation and maintenance of the services they use online," said Mike Homer executive vice president and general manager of Netscape's Netcenter division. "Netscape Open Directory is the third-largest and fastest-growing Internet directory in the world today. This growth shows that Netcenter is the only portal to offer consumers a web directory search service that can scale to the size of the Internet."

Netscape also announced today the availability of a free use license for the Netscape Open Directory. The license will allow businesses and consumers to use copies of the directory for their own uses, and is an integral part of Netscape's Open Source efforts.

The growth of the Netscape Open Directory is unmatched by any other directory in the world today. Since the service was made available on Netscape's Mozilla.org in November of 1998 the number of contributing editors has grown from 4500 to more than 6000. In that same time period, the number of web sites listed in the directory more than tripled from 100,000 to more than 300,000 today. By working with the thousands of volunteer editors, as well as enlisting the support of several professional library organizations, non-profits and educational institutions, Netscape plans to build a knowledge base that will result in the largest and highest quality, human-edited directory of the web.

The Netscape Open Directory is available today on Netscape Netcenter located at http://directory.netscape.com. Volunteers interested in using or improving the Netscape Open Directory can get more information from http://directory.mozilla.org/about.html. At Mozilla.org Netscape will offer a special license, similar to the mozilla.org open source code development license, to allow individuals and organizations to take advantage of and use copies of the directory that they can crawl, archive and reuse on their machines.

In addition to offering it as a standalone directory, Netscape offers many new ways of seamlessly integrating Netscape Open Directory with various Netcenter channels and services, such as Smart Browsing, Community Forums, My Netscape, Custom Netcenter, and International Netcenter. This will result in better search and navigation services for Netcenter users, greater exposure for the volunteer editors' work, and more traffic for sites listed in the Open Directory. Integration of these services will roll out over the next several weeks.

Netscape Netcenter is Netscape's leading portal site that provides users with a home base on the Internet. From Netcenter, users can navigate the Internet, access a broad range of consumer and business content and services, and communicate with others online. The site includes eighteen content channels, a set of leading-edge services including the new Netscape-branded Search, Netscape Contact, Netscape SmartUpdate, Software download, member Directory, My Netscape personalization service, and WebMail.

Netscape Communications Corporation is a leading provider of software and services for businesses that want to transform the way they create and keep customers in the emerging Net Economy. The company offers a full line of enterprise software solutions, professional services, and a leading Internet portal to help companies build, buy, or outsource Internet applications that drive revenue growth, build customer loyalty, and create new levels of business efficiency. 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 corporate sales at 650/937-2555.

Netscape, Netscape Navigator, Netscape Certificate Server, Netscape ONE, SuiteSpot and the Netscape N and Ship's Wheel logos are registered trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation in the United States and other countries. Other Netscape logos, product names, and service names are also trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation, which may be registered in other countries. Other product and brand names are trademarks of their respective owners.