Netscape Web browser feeds Apple's cyberdog

Netscape is to develop a Web browser for Apple's Cyberdog Internet environment, based on IBM's and Apple's OpenDoc component model.

The OpenDoc version of Netscape's Navigator browser, due to ship in the middle of next year, will replace the browser originally created by Apple as part of Cyberdog.

Cyberdog is a collection of OpenDoc components which enable Macs to use the Internet. For example, they allow live Web links to be embedded in documents created by OpenDoc-enabled applications, including Corel's WordPerfect and ClarisWorks.

Nick Graves, European enterprise marketing manager at Apple, said: 'We expect Netscape to deliver a more functional browser than the current version in Cyberdog.'

Last May, Netscape claimed it would develop Navigator into a container for OpenDoc parts.

Analysts said the latest announcement underscores Netscape's commitment to OpenDoc, as well as Apple and Netscape's cooperation.

Tim Bajarin, an analyst at research firm Creative Strategies, said: 'This shows that it (Netscape) is responding to the Mac market, which demands a lot more personal customisation. That's very good for Apple customers.'

The OpenDoc standard established by Novell, IBM and Apple suffered a setback last year when Novell pulled out of its commitment to develop a Windows run-time environment for OpenDoc components.

Referring to Microsoft's competing ActiveX component model, Graves said: 'There are 1,100 to 1,200 programmers outside of Apple and IBM developing component software with OpenDoc. That's more than are using ActiveX. Most ActiveX development is just drag-and-drop linking on Windows 95 compliance.'