ARCHIVED: What is Netscape, and where can I get it?

This content has been archived, and is no longer maintained by Indiana University. Information here may no longer be accurate, and links may no longer be available or reliable.

On March 1, 2008, AOL ended official development of and support for Netscape software. If you use Netscape, consider using Internet Explorer or switching to Mozilla programs such as Firefox, Thunderbird, or SeaMonkey. UITS no longer supports any version of Netscape.

Netscape is a suite of software components for sharing, accessing, and communicating information via intranets and the Internet. Most versions of Netscape include components for browsing, email, authoring HTML pages, and reading newsgroups. You can download the latest version of Netscape at:

  http://browser.netscape.com/

For access to earlier versions, see:

  ftp://ftp.netscape.com/pub/

Netscape 8.x includes only Netscape Browser. Netscape 7.x includes the following components:

Netscape Navigator: Netscape Navigator is the web browser in the Netscape suite of programs, although often when people speak generically of "Netscape" they mean only the browser.
Netscape Mail: Netscape Mail is an application for sending and receiving email as well as reading Usenet newsgroups. You can use Netscape Mail to access multiple email accounts and manage all your email in one place.
Netscape Composer: Netscape Composer is an editor that you can use to create HTML-based documents for the web. Toolbar buttons in Composer allow you to make lists or tables, add images and links to other pages, and select text colors and font styles.
Integrated AOL Instant Messenger: This instant messaging software is compatible with the stand-alone version of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), and allows you to communicate with anyone who uses AIM.

Earlier versions (version 4.8 and below), known collectively as Netscape Communicator, included the following components:

Netscape Navigator (web browser)
Netscape Messenger (Email program and newsreader)
Note: In Communicator 4.0.x, the Usenet newsreader was a separate component called Collabra.
Netscape Composer (HTML editor and web page publisher)