Netscape woos MS developers

In a bid to grab Microsoft developers, Netscape Communications is offering them free software until the end of March. Last week, Microsoft pulled the plug on its Blackbird publishing software that was designed for Web site publishing.

Netscape's "migration program" offers developers test versions of Navigator Gold and LiveWire Pro publishing software.

The program was designed to encourage developers to create Web pages with technology that Netscape's software can read.

By using Netscape's software, developers can also use Sun Microsystems' Java programming language.