Mozilla evangelist: Open source Netscape a complete failure

Mozilla evangelist and Netscape engineer Jamie Zawinski resigned from theopen source project "Mozilla.org" this week, citing the project's completefailure to deliver a usable product. Zawinski, who spearheaded the projectduring its first year, also threw some flak at Netscape purchaser AmericaOnline (AOL), which he describes as contrary to the goals of the Internetand open source software. He also blames Microsoft for destroying Netscape'sgreatest product, Navigator, and ruining the market for Web browsers.

"For whatever reason, [Mozilla] was not adopted by the outside," he wrote inhis resignation letter. "In my humble but correct opinion, we should haveshipped Netscape Navigator 5.0 no later than six months after the sourcecode was released. But we couldn't figure out a way to make that happen. Iaccept my share of responsibility for this, and consider this a personalfailure."

"Here we are, a year later. And we haven't even shipped a beta yet," hecontinues. Actually, it's been about 15 months since the Mozilla project wasstarted. "The fact is, there has been very little contribution from peoplewho don't work for Netscape, making the distinction (between Netscape andMozilla) somewhat academic."

"And so I'm giving up," he concludes. "The Mozilla project has become toodepressing, and too painful, for me to continue working on."

Though Zawinski is careful to mention that the problems with Mozilla are notendemic to open source software in general, one has to wonder. Aside fromLinux, Mozilla is the biggest and most well-known open source project thereis, and it has the distinction of being able to affect users of almost everycomputer system out there. The complete lack of enthusiasm for continuingNetscape's legacy is perhaps telling. In any event, Zawinski's resignationletter is a fascinating take on the failure of the most well publicizedattempt to prevent Microsoft from owning a market. Check it out at JamieZawinski's home page