On the other hand, history would be incomplete without several chapters dedicated to Mosaic and Netscape.

Yes, today’s browsers are far more functional than Netscape, and maybe even look prettier. But I used Netscape almost from it’s first incarnation – I even paid for it! – and Mosaic before that. That may make me a crusty old codger, but think on this…

* For all their potential functionality, my company locks browsers down so much that there is nothing I can view in any of the new generation browsers, that I couldn’t see just as easily by using Netscape. Functionality is only useful when it’s enabled.

* The first few versions of Netscape were stunning. New developments were coming along all the time, because HTML code was being developed constantly, in response to user requests. The ability to read documents from thousands of miles away was just so exciting. By learning HTML, even I was able to organise (via links) all my documents, just as I wanted them to be – and that flexibility was brilliant. That buzz has gone now, so no matter how flashy today’s browsers are, they will never match that excitement.

Today’s user may crave videos on tiny mobile phones and the ability to surf 24/7, but are they actually doing anything useful for themselves or anyone else with that ability? It seems sometimes that most are happiest when they are moaning – make a plugin and the comments start “Can we have it on the right/left/top/bottom? – oh and in pink/black/red/green…?” etc.

Netscape may be gone and becoming increasingly forgotten, put I’d still tip my hat to the pioneers who developed it – Firefox IS standing on the shoulders of giants – and I would say that there are days when I do miss it. Nice to see this extension back though, so kudos to Tim Luigjes for bringing it back from the dead.