10 Years of Mozilla

10 Years of MozillaThis week marks the 10th anniversary of the Mozilla browser, the most successful open-source product created from a previous commercial product. For this anniversary, we’re taking a look back at some of the key moments in Mozilla’s history.By Jim Rapoza

Netscape Goes Open SourceIn 1998, after ending up on the losing end of the browser wars with Microsoft, Netscape makes the decision to take its Netscape Communicator Internet suite and convert it into an open-source project.

Mozilla Code Is BornWith the original Netscape code proving to be bloated and complex, developers of the open-source Mozilla browser decide to rewrite the code from scratch.

AOL Jumps the GunWith the Mozilla project still under the control of Netscape and its new owner AOL, Netscape 6 is released based on what is still very early Mozilla beta code. While it shows some of the future promise of Mozilla, Netscape 6 is poorly received due to bugginess and feature bloat.

Mozilla Browser Is BornIn June 2002, more than four years after the Netscape code was open-sourced, the first version of the Mozilla suite is finally released to generally positive reviews.

Escaping Netscape’s ClutchesThe Mozilla Foundation is formed in 2003 and the browser is finally free from the stifling oversight of Netscape/AOL. With this newfound freedom, the Foundation quickly moves to create a stand-alone browser and compete directly with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.

Firefox Rises from the AshesVersion 1.0 of the stand-alone browser, Firefox, is released to widespread critical acclaim and broad user enthusiasm. In its first year it is downloaded over 100 million times.

Mozilla Delivers the MailThough Firefox gets most of the attention, the Mozilla Foundation also delivers on the other core piece of the original Netscape suite by releasing Version 1.0 of the Thunderbird e-mail client in 2005.

Going CorporateWith the market share of Firefox growing into double digits (all at the expense of IE), Mozilla Corp. is formed to market Firefox and generate revenue from its growth.

Firefox’s Second ActIn 2006 Firefox 2.0 is released. This version focuses on improved usability and new security features, but is essentially a modest upgrade from the previous version.

SeaMonkey LaunchesWith the original Mozilla suite no longer under development by Mozilla, developers relaunch it under the early Mozilla code name of SeaMonkey, once again giving users the option of a full Internet suite.

Firefox: The Next GenerationLate 2007 sees the second beta of Firefox 3. This version includes many new features, such as support for Web 2.0 and social networking as well as offline Web application support.

Bye-Bye, NetscapeIn a nice bit of symmetry, almost exactly 10 years after Mozilla is born from the ashes of the Netscape Communicator Suite, it is announced that the Netscape browser, which has limped along all this time (using mainly Mozilla code) will cease to be developed.