This is a new day for the web!
Netscape to Include Macromedia Flash Player With Netscape Navigator Browser Software
PR Newswire - June 09, 1998 08:39
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Netscape and Macromedia Eliminate Need to Download Flash Plug-In
SAN FRANCISCO and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Macromedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: MACR) and Netscape Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: NSCP) today announced a significant new marketing and distribution agreement to include Macromedia's Flash technology with Netscape Communicator client software. As part of the agreement, Netscape has licensed Macromedia Flash technology and will include the Flash player with every copy of its Netscape Navigator browser software. Millions of Navigator users will automatically experience high-performance Flash content -- including web graphics, cartoons, illustrations, animated web pages and more -- without having to download a separate plug-in. Flash will be integrated into the next maintenance release of Netscape Navigator, to be released this summer.
In addition, Netscape will use Flash as a design element for its Computing & Internet Channel on its Netscape Netcenter portal site. Netscape and Macromedia will also participate in a variety of co-marketing activities including online advertising and promotional campaigns.
"This is a significant breakthrough for consumers who want to experience rich, interactive web content in today's low-bandwidth environment," said Rob Burgess, chief executive officer of Macromedia. "Leading Internet destinations such as the Olympic Committee, Sony Camcorders Europe, South Park, Suzuki, The X Files, and more already use Flash to create eye-catching graphics and animation. Now web consumers can enjoy these destination sites -- even when surfing the net with standard 28.8 modems -- without having to download a plug-in. Our partnership with Netscape is an important step in our mission to add life to the web."
"As a leader in multimedia for the web, Macromedia has developed a wonderful technology with Flash," said Marc Andreessen, executive vice president of products at Netscape. "As an avid user of Flash, I can attest that including the Flash Player in Navigator will bring an exciting multimedia content available to a broad range of Internet users around the world. With over 40 million downloads in the past year, Flash is the most widely adopted vector animation and graphics technology on the Internet. Macromedia recently published the popular Flash file format (.swf) as an open Internet standard with widespread support from Netscape and other industry-leading companies, including Microsoft, IBM, RealNetworks, Associated Press, @Home and Broderbund. In addition, this announcement furthers Netscape's efforts to provide a more attractive environment to content publishers, allow web designers to make animation a standard element in their web designs, and enable developers to deliver Flash-compatible authoring and editing tools. Moreover, with Netscape's installed base of more than 70 million Netscape clients, the end users' Internet experience will benefit significantly from the coupling of these market leading and award-winning products from Netscape and Macromedia.
"This is a new day for the web," said Linda Keeler, vice president and general manager at Columbia TriStar Interactive. "We're already using Flash to create exciting content that draws users to our site, and keeps them interested once they're there. With Flash support built into the Netscape Navigator browser, we can achieve the highest production values at the lowest bandwidths." Columbia TriStar Interactive (CTI) is responsible for Sony Pictures Entertainment's online presence at spe.sony.com and is known for its innovative blending of technology, entertainment, commerce and interactive communities for sites such as Godzilla, Men in Black, Dawson's Creek and Soap City among others.
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