IBM WebExplorer
| Company type | Software |
|---|---|
| Industry | Web browsers |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Research Triangle Park , United States |
| Products | Web browser software |
| Parent | IBM |
IBM WebExplorer represented one of the initial web browser offerings, engineered by IBM at their Research Triangle Park facility specifically for the OS/2 operating system.
History
Launched in 1994 alongside OS/2 Warp version 3, it received acclaim from Internet Magazine as the premier browser available and enjoyed the advantage of being the sole native browser for OS/2 at that time. Documented in The HTML Sourcebook: The Complete Guide to HTML, the team responsible for WebExplorer's creation was disbanded shortly after the release of OS/2 Warp 3. Although OS/2 Warp 4, released in 1996, continued to include WebExplorer, it also offered a link to download Netscape Navigator 2.02, indicating IBM’s gradual transition away from its proprietary browser.
In 1995, IBM expanded WebExplorer’s reach by porting it to their AIX UNIX platform.
A PC Mag evaluation from 1996 criticized WebExplorer for missing common features and lacking multimedia capabilities. Additionally, the IBM Internet Connection suite included WebExplorer Mosaic, a variant based on Spyglass’s Mosaic, which was regarded as superior to IBM’s standalone OS/2 version.
Features
- Compatibility with HTML 3.0 standards, including table support
- Built-in Usenet reader
- Modular design allowing components to be reused and scripted via Rexx, facilitating third-party development through IBM’s rendering engine
- Ability to customize the animated throbber using a proprietary <frame> tag, although subsequent adoption of standard web frames led to compatibility challenges
- Presentation mode that concealed menu bars for a cleaner interface
- A Links menu aggregating all hyperlinks on a page, which was leveraged by IBM VoiceType for voice-guided navigation
- Support for Java applets and GIF images
- Proxy authentication mechanisms and image map functionality
- The Webmap feature that visualized browsing history in a hierarchical format for easier navigation
These capabilities emphasized IBM WebExplorer’s deep integration with OS/2 and its extensible architecture, though it eventually lost ground to competitors like Netscape.
Version history
| Version | Release Date | Enhancements | Supported Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | January 6, 1995 | Custom animated elements | OS/2 2.1, OS/2 Warp |
| 1.01 | April 5, 1995 | OS/2 2.1, OS/2 Warp | |
| 1.02 | June 28, 1995 | Drag-and-drop functionality, color palette control | OS/2 Warp |
| 1.03 | September 28, 1995 | Newsgroup management tools, extended HTML support | OS/2 Warp |
| 1.1a | March 22, 1996 | OS/2 Warp | |
| 1.1b | 1996 | OS/2 Warp | |
| 1.1c | June 6, 1996 | OS/2 Warp | |
| 1.1d | June 14, 1996 | OS/2 Warp | |
| 1.1e | July 11, 1996 | OS/2 Warp | |
| 1.1f | September 13, 1996 | "No Proxy For" option added | OS/2 Warp |
| 1.1g | November 7, 1996 | OS/2 Warp | |
| 1.1h | December 11, 1996 | OS/2 Warp | |
| 1.2 | 1996 | (Included with) OS/2 Warp Version 4 |
IBM issued several iterations including beta releases featuring Java integration and numerous corrections.
Criticism
WebExplorer did not support frames, and installing external plugins, such as Java applets, was notably complicated.
External links
Downloads
- access versions 1.01 and 1.1h available at browsers.evolt.org
- obtain version 1.1h