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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox Software
{{Infobox software
| name = MacWWW
| name = MacWWW
| logo =
| logo = MacWWW.gif
| screenshot =
| screenshot = MacWWWscreenshot.gif
| caption =
| caption = Screenshot of MacWWW
| developer = [[Robert Cailliau]], [[Nicola Pellow]]<ref name="w3c-overview">{{Cite web|last=Berners-Lee|first=Tim|date=3 November 1992|title=Macintosh Browser|url=http://www.w3.org/History/19921103-hypertext/hypertext/WWW/Macintosh/Overview.html|publisher=[[World Wide Web Consortium]]|accessdate=2 June 2010}}</ref>
⚫
| developer = CERN
| released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1992|12}}<ref name="w3c-status">{{Cite web|last=Berners-Lee|first=Tim|title=Macintosh Browser|date=3 November 1992|url=http://www.w3.org/History/19921103-hypertext/hypertext/WWW/Macintosh/Status.html|publisher=[[World Wide Web Consortium]]|accessdate=2 June 2010}}</ref>
| released = 1992
| frequently_updated =
| discontinued = yes
| latest_release_version = 1.03<ref name="wwwunleashed">{{cite book|pages=229–233|title=The World Wide Web Unleashed|first1=John|last1=December|first2=Neil|last2=Randall|publisher=[[Sams Publishing]]|year=1994|isbn=0-672-30617-4}}</ref>
⚫
| programming language =
| latest_release_date = <!--{{start date and age|df=yes|1994|1|14}} --><!--Don't know; at the moment not found-->
| operating system = Macintosh
⚫
| programming language = [[THINK C]]<ref name="w3c-overview" />
| platform =
| operating system = [[Classic Mac OS]]<ref name="w3c-overview" /> [[System 6|System 6.0.5]],<ref name="hoary">{{Cite web|last=Evans|first=Peter|title=Optimized for no one, but pretty much OK with . . .|url=http://hoary.org/browse/|accessdate=3 June 2010|date=7 September 2003}}</ref> [[System 7]]<ref name="hoary" />
⚫
| platform =
| language = English
| language = English
| genre = [[Web browser]]
| genre = [[Web browser]]
| license =
| license =
| website =
| website =
}}
}}
'''MacWWW''', also known as '''Samba''', is an early [[web browser]] from 1992 meant to run on [[Macintosh]] computers. It was the first web browser for the Mac platform, and the first for any non-[[Unix]] OS. Unlike modern browsers it opens each link in a new window. It was written by [[Robert Cailliau]] at [[CERN]].
'''MacWWW''', also known as '''Samba''',<ref name="faq">{{Cite web|title=Frequently asked questions – Robert Cailliau's role|url=http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/FAQ.html#Cailliau|publisher=[[World Wide Web Consortium]]|accessdate=22 July 2010|author=Tim Berners-Lee|author-link=Tim Berners-Lee}}</ref><ref name="tidbits">{{Cite web|last=Engst|first=Adam C.|title=Chapter 25: Other Web-related Programs|url=http://www.tidbits.com/iskm/iskm3html/pt4/ch25/ch25c.html#aa12|accessdate=3 June 2010|date=24 January 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100505131117/http://www.tidbits.com/iskm/iskm3html/pt4/ch25/ch25c.html#aa12|archive-date=5 May 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="living">{{Cite web|first=Bill|last=Stewart|title=Web Browser History|url=http://www.livinginternet.com/w/wi_browse.htm|publisher=Living Internet|accessdate=2 June 2010}}</ref> is an early minimalist [[web browser]] from 1992 meant to run on [[Macintosh]] computers. It was the first web browser for the [[classic Mac OS]] platform, and the first for any non-[[Unix]] [[operating system]]. MacWWW tries to emulate the design of [[WorldWideWeb]].<ref name="faq" /> Unlike modern browsers it opens each link in a new window only after a double-click.<ref name="wwwunleashed" /> It was a commercial product from [[CERN]] and cost 50 [[European Currency Unit]]s<ref name="tidbits" />

The browser is no longer available from its original ftp location, but can still be downloaded from mirrors.<ref group="A">The original ftp location at ftp://info.cern.ch/pub/www/bin/mac/{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} is no longer available.</ref>

==History==
It was written at [[CERN]] by [[Robert Cailliau]] and later [[Nicola Pellow]] helped with the development.<ref name="faq" /><ref name="living" /> Pellow worked originally on the [[Line Mode Browser]] and both browsers shared some parts of the [[source code]] after her switching.<ref name="w3c-overview"/>
Pre-alpha version were available, but this version worked only on "coliur [sic] mac but not on big black and white ones it seems."<ref name="w3c-status" />

Version 1.00 was released on 12 May 1993 with the commentary: "We know there is much to be improved, but it works well on system 7 and system 6.0.5".<ref name="hoary" />

==Features==
{{quote box|width=350px|Clearly, this is a browser of limited usefulness, and one that was overtaken so quickly by every other graphical browser that loading it today is almost like stepping back into the dark ages. Interesting, but only as a curiosity.<ref name="wwwunleashed" />}}
The MacWWW which was a minimalist browser displayed only text, no images nor lists.<ref name="Inc1994">{{cite journal|title=Internet|journal=Network World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=URcEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA36-IA5|date=22 August 1994|publisher=IDG Network World Inc|page=36}}</ref><ref name="wwwunleashed" />
*Implemented in [[THINK C]] using its human interface objects.
*Uses much code in common with the Line Mode browser.<ref name="w3c-overview" /> This code later became [[libwww]].<ref name="w3c-status" />
*[[Bookmark (World Wide Web)|bookmarks]]<ref name="wwwunleashed" />
*For the hypertext object, the THINK C text object was modified to allow multifont capability, and to allow anchors to be encoded in the styles.<ref name="w3c-overview" />
According to critics, within a year the browser became obsolete because [[Mosaic (web browser)|Mosaic]] and [[MacWeb]] had much more features, for example MacWWW showed no loading status.<ref name="wwwunleashed" /> Without the mouse and MacOS support MacWWW would be a [[text-mode browser]].<ref name="wwwunleashed" />

==See also==
*[[List of old Macintosh software]]

==Annotations==
{{Reflist|group=A}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.tidbits.com/iskm/iskm3html/pt4/ch25/ch25c.html#aa12 MacWWW description and screenshot]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100505131117/http://www.tidbits.com/iskm/iskm3html/pt4/ch25/ch25c.html#aa12 MacWWW description and screenshot]
* [http://browsers.evolt.org/?macwww/ evolt.org] – This browser archive has version 1.03 for download


⚫
{{Early web browsers}}
{{Earlybrowsers}}
{{web browsers}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Macwww}}
⚫
[[Category:Mac OS web browsers]]
[[Category:Mac OS-only web browsers]]
[[Category:Classic Mac OS-only web browsers]]
[[Category:1992 software]]
[[Category:1992 software]]
[[Category:Discontinued web browsers]]
[[Category:Discontinued web browsers]]

{{web-software-stub}}

[[de:MacWWW]]
[[pl:MacWWW]]

Latest revision as of 13:01, 27 September 2023

MacWWW
Developer(s)Robert Cailliau, Nicola Pellow[1]
Initial releaseDecember 1992; 31 years ago (1992-12)[2]
Final release
1.03[3]
Written inTHINK C[1]
Operating systemClassic Mac OS[1] System 6.0.5,[4] System 7[4]
Available inEnglish
TypeWeb browser

MacWWW, also known as Samba,[5][6][7] is an early minimalist web browser from 1992 meant to run on Macintosh computers. It was the first web browser for the classic Mac OS platform, and the first for any non-Unix operating system. MacWWW tries to emulate the design of WorldWideWeb.[5] Unlike modern browsers it opens each link in a new window only after a double-click.[3] It was a commercial product from CERN and cost 50 European Currency Units[6]

The browser is no longer available from its original ftp location, but can still be downloaded from mirrors.[A 1]

History[edit]

It was written at CERN by Robert Cailliau and later Nicola Pellow helped with the development.[5][7] Pellow worked originally on the Line Mode Browser and both browsers shared some parts of the source code after her switching.[1] Pre-alpha version were available, but this version worked only on "coliur [sic] mac but not on big black and white ones it seems."[2]

Version 1.00 was released on 12 May 1993 with the commentary: "We know there is much to be improved, but it works well on system 7 and system 6.0.5".[4]

Features[edit]

Clearly, this is a browser of limited usefulness, and one that was overtaken so quickly by every other graphical browser that loading it today is almost like stepping back into the dark ages. Interesting, but only as a curiosity.[3]

The MacWWW which was a minimalist browser displayed only text, no images nor lists.[8][3]

  • Implemented in THINK C using its human interface objects.
  • Uses much code in common with the Line Mode browser.[1] This code later became libwww.[2]
  • bookmarks[3]
  • For the hypertext object, the THINK C text object was modified to allow multifont capability, and to allow anchors to be encoded in the styles.[1]

According to critics, within a year the browser became obsolete because Mosaic and MacWeb had much more features, for example MacWWW showed no loading status.[3] Without the mouse and MacOS support MacWWW would be a text-mode browser.[3]

See also[edit]

Annotations[edit]

  1. ^ The original ftp location at ftp://info.cern.ch/pub/www/bin/mac/[permanent dead link] is no longer available.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Berners-Lee, Tim (3 November 1992). "Macintosh Browser". World Wide Web Consortium. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  2. ^ a b c Berners-Lee, Tim (3 November 1992). "Macintosh Browser". World Wide Web Consortium. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g December, John; Randall, Neil (1994). The World Wide Web Unleashed. Sams Publishing. pp. 229–233. ISBN 0-672-30617-4.
  4. ^ a b c Evans, Peter (7 September 2003). "Optimized for no one, but pretty much OK with . . ". Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  5. ^ a b c Tim Berners-Lee. "Frequently asked questions – Robert Cailliau's role". World Wide Web Consortium. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
  6. ^ a b Engst, Adam C. (24 January 2000). "Chapter 25: Other Web-related Programs". Archived from the original on 5 May 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  7. ^ a b Stewart, Bill. "Web Browser History". Living Internet. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
  8. ^ "Internet". Network World. IDG Network World Inc: 36. 22 August 1994.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MacWWW&oldid=1177403322"