Flight of the Javagator gets ready for take-off

Netscape is working furiously to finish the Java-based version of its internet browser, Navigator - codenamed Javagator - for launch within five months.

Speaking at the Inside Sun Software event, organised by Sunsoft, Netscape vice president John Paul said the product was scheduled for launch in the first quarter of 1998. 'It is going to be a push but so far it is going well.'

The product will be a 100 per cent pure Java version of the best-selling Navigator browser, and both Sun Microsystems and Netscape have touted it as important to their aim to promote Java on computers for consumers and corporates alike.

'Netscape has three aims,' Paul said. 'We want to wire the enterprise, wire businesses together and wire our customers to their customers with e-commerce.' Pointing out that Javagator was a crucial part of that push, Paul said: 'There has been a steep invention curve for Java. Now is the time to slow that down and ship products to market in volume.'

The latest figures from Dataquest showed that Netscape's share of the internet browser market had fallen in the third quarter to 57.6 per cent, its lowest point ever. Its previous figures were 61.1 per cent in the second quarter and 73 per cent in the first quarter of the year.