Web Browsers

The web browser has become such a crucial application in today's Internet-based world that having a minimal selection of such a vital program is a serious problem to an OS trying to gain mainstream acceptance. Second only to email applications, it is a make or break category for Mac OS X.

Microsoft Internet Explorer

A Carbon version of Internet Explorer came with Developer Preview 4 of Mac OS X so it is a safe bet that a version will be included with the final Mac OS X CD. Love them or hate them, Microsoft supporting Mac OS X is great news for many users who want a full-featured browser ready when they install OS X.

Netscape Navigator/Communicator/Mozilla

You can already download a Carbon version of Mozilla that is based on one of the daily builds of Netscape/Mozilla.org's next-gen browser. This appears to merely be the work of one programmer who was just toying around, though. The real plan for Mac OS X is Fizzilla, a version of Mozilla which takes advantage of Carbon for the frontend and drawing code, but uses the BSD layer of Mac OS X for things like networking and threading. The project could use volunteers, so check for ways to get involved.

OmniGroup's OmniWeb

OmniWeb from OmniGroup is the original OS X browser. It has gone from the NeXT days to MacOS X Server, and should find its way onto your favorite next-gen OS. OmniGroup tells me they'd like to bundle OmniWeb with the MacOS X Client CD, but whether they'd be the exclusive browser on the disc is another story, given Apple's rather close relationship with Microsoft. It will almost certainly be available for OS X at launch, considering there has been a version for DP4 for quite awhile.

Other Browsers

You can also expect iCab, a small browser developed by 2 guys in Germany, Opera, another European-based compact browser, and a text-based browser such as Lynx to show up on OS X.

Email Applications

Email is the killer application of the Internet. There is hardly anyone online who doesn't have at least one email address. The current MacOS has over 10, and with any luck several of them will make their way over to Mac OS X.

Eudora

Eudora has been a staple of the MacOS for as long as many can remember using the Internet. Qualcomm has had troubled times recently, but you can expect Eudora to be on whatever version of the MacOS is out for as long as they survive.

Outlook Express

I can't recall any official or semi-official statements made by Microsoft regarding OE on Mac OS X. But, considering that IE5 is already on DP4 it would seem a safe bet that OE will show up on OS X in some form at or shortly after the launch of OS X.

Emailer

Unfortunately, the rumors of Emailer being integrated into AppleWorks proved untrue. There is a silver lining to that cloud, though. Apple showed Mail.app, which could very likely reuse many of the features found in Emailer and could easily become the next best thing.

Other Email Apps

Smaller email applications such as Green, which is around 90% Carbonized, and PowerMail, which alludes to being Carbonized, should be available at or soon after the launch.

Conclusion

Things are looking brighter every day when it comes to Carbon support in internet applications. It looks like early adopters of OS X will have a number of options in the area of email and browsers and should be able to find a suitable application to perform both tasks.