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Purpose and benefits

Marc Andreessen developed the first point-and-click graphical web browser, Mosaic, which opened the Internet to the masses. Until its release in 1993, the Internet had been the domain of computer enthusiasts; the new software made the World Wide Web accessible to anyone with a computer and a telephone line. ‘Mosaic for X’ was created while Andreessen was working at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. Frustrated at his inability to develop his software commercially from within the NCSA, he left and in 1994 founded Netscape with the help of entrepreneur Jim Clark. Netscape achieved ‘first mover’ status with the release of the Netscape Navigator browser. The browser was a hit, and in 1995 the company’s IPO (initial public offering) made Andreessen a multimillionaire.