Netscape wins one month from executioner

AOL first announced in December it was ending support for the once popular browser on February 1, saying the investment necessary to get the software to the standard fans expected did not fit within AOL's new focus as a Web-based business.

In addition to extending the support period, AOL plans to release an update for Netscape Navigator 9 via the browser update feature that is aimed at smoothing over the transition between Netscape and suggested alternatives.

AOL is also putting forward Flock--a Web browser, built on Mozilla's Firefox code base, which can deliver friends, feeds, sites, and media in one view--as one such alternative.

Meanwhile, Netscape users who can't bear to leave the browser behind can reskin Firefox with a Netscape look.

Bj?rn Greif reports for ZDNet Germany. Suzanne Tindal from ZDNet Australia contributed to this article.