Re: Beonex's relationship to Mozilla

[Graham]

On Friday 04 Oct 2002 8:09 pm, Jesse W wrote:

>    Recently, I suggested that a webmaster change eis references
> to Mozilla (as an alternative browser) to Beonex. Out of the ensuing
> discussion on the LUG list he was a part of(which I cc the original
> message to) came this message.
>         I think it makes some very sensible points.  I am not able to
> answer the point about how, if Beonex makes changes to Mozilla, it
> can claim to be simply "Mozilla for end-users".  Please read over the
> message, and send your comments.

Let's start off with fundamentals.  The Mozilla Project was set up to 
provide a body of open source code which could be used in a wide range 
of applications.  There is a project (for example) to produce an Office 
Suite based upon the Mozilla code.  However, the "flagship" suite that 
the Mozilla Project has produced is a browser suite called Mozilla.

From the very beginning of the Mozilla Project it was envisioned that 
Netscape would use the code as the basis of its browser, and it 
continues to do so, adding other functionality (which many have 
referred to as "bloat").  Mozilla was never designed as an "end user" 
product (though many use it as such) and it lacks certain things (such 
as a higher level of security) that I find in Beonex Communicator.  So 
when these packages are produced they are all in a sense "Mozilla for 
end users".

For the most part, Beonex utilises the Mozilla code, but there is extra 
code which Ben has written to make Beonex a better (IMHO) product than 
either Netscape or Mozilla, and it incorporates code from the various 
mozdev.org projects that represent the extended Mozilla community.  It 
is true to its roots in that it is a truly open source browser suite 
that is cross platform, and is the better for it.

If the Mozilla Project had wanted to produce a browser suite for end 
users, I guess it would end up looking very much like Beonex does 
today.  But they didn't and we are all the richer for being able to 
draw on the body of code they have produced.  That is the relationship 
between Beonex and Mozilla.
-- 

Graham