Re: Netscape v NCSA, Real Cost?

Mary Morris (marym@Finesse.COM)
Wed, 19 Oct 1994 18:09:29 +0800


I'd like a little clarification as to what "free" really is
here. The license says:

| 1. Mosaic Communications Corporation ("MCom") grants to you a
|non-exclusive, non-sublicensable, license to use version 0.9 beta of the
|Mosaic Netscape network navigator (the "Software"), in binary executable
|form for evaluation and trial use purposes only.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-and-

|4. While MCom intends to distribute a commercial release of the Software,
|MCom reserves the right at any time not to release a commercial release of
|the Software or, if released, to alter prices, features, specifications,
|capabilities, functions, licensing terms, release dates, general
|availability or other characteristics of the commercial release.

I have also called Mosaic Communications and received a $99 quote
for a copy.

Does free mean:

a) free to anyone who can download it from an approved mirror site.
b) free to anyone who can download it from a site where it was posted
so that people could get better access?
c) free for home/education use but it will cost for a company to
use it internally.
d) free to everyone for an acceptible evaluation period, but then
it should be registered and paid for by everone or just
some people?

And what about distribution. I know that netscape has been
posted to quite a few other places than the originally named
mirror sites. The only distribution comment in the License had
to do with duplication by the Government. What are the duplication
restrictions? Only on the Internet proper? On the Internet and
any BBS that can get a copy?

I know that there must be a methodology in the product handling,
but it really isn't visible to this ignorant soul. Enlightenment
would be appreciated.

Mary Morris

> The release version will be free as well (we've already announced that).
>
> Marc
>
> At 3:51 AM 10/18/94, Steinar Bang wrote:
> >> You know, mcom has just released a kicking browser to the web
> >> community for FREE.
> >
> >The *beta* test was free.
>
>
> --
> Marc Andreessen
> Mosaic Communications Corporation
> Mountain View, CA
> marca@mcom.com
>
>
>
>