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Browsing like it's 1998

2008.01.23

On January 22, 1998, Netscape Corporation announced that it would release the source code for Netscape 5.0.  This software eventually became Mozilla, which would eventually become Firefox, Thunderbird, Sunbird, Camino, the browser for the Nokia N800, the customized interface to eMusic, the foundation for ActiveState's IDE, and countless other software projects.

The importance of this event cannot be overstated.  It marked the first major release of a successful closed-source product under an open-source license.  In fact, Mozilla was the first true test of Open Source as opposed to Free Software. 

It's been a bumpy but exciting ten years, Mozilla.  Here's to the next decade!