netscape rewards bug finders

[an407769@anon.penet.fi]

Netscape Offers Rewards To "Bug Catchers"
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1995 OCT 11 (NB) -- Netscape
Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) has announced the "Netscape Bugs
Bounty" program that rewards users who help the company find and report
"bugs" in the beta versions of its recently released Netscape Navigator 2.0
World Wide Web browser software. Users who are the first to report a
particular bug will be rewarded with various prizes depending on its
importance.

The contest begins with the beta versions of Netscape Navigator 2.0 that are
already on the Internet. Full rules for the contest will be available on
Netscape's home page at http://home.netscape.com .

Speaking to Newsbytes, Roseanne Siino a spokesperson for Netscape, said, "As
far as we can determine, this is the first contest of its kind. Netscape's
whole approach to broad-based beta testing on the Internet was new, and we
hope the contest will enliven the beta testing process."

Users who are the first to report a particular bug will be rewarded with
prizes depending on the "bug class." Users reporting "significant security
bugs," as determined by Netscape, will collect cash prizes, while users
finding any security bugs will win Netscape "merchandise." Users finding
other "serious" bugs will be eligible to win "a choice of items" from the
Netscape General Store.

Siino pointed out that there are no caps on winners. Top prize will be $1,000
for any and all bugs in the top category: Severe Security Bugs. To win, the
finder has to be the first, and, according to the company, it is important to
be constantly using the current versions.

The beta versions are available now for downloading on the Internet for free
evaluation. Netscape's beta testing of 2.0 is already underway. Users who
downloaded previous beta versions of the 2.0 software should download today's
versions, which fix major and minor bugs identified since its initial
release, including security bugs in the pre-release version of the Java
language support integrated in 2.0.

Netscape has released special beta versions of 2.0 that include Java for
users wanting to test it. Because bugs will be reported and fixed on an
ongoing basis, Netscape asks users to stay current on the beta version they
are using, so that the latest software is constantly being refined.

"We are continuing to encourage users to provide feedback on new versions of
our software, and the Netscape Bugs Bounty is a natural extension of that
process," said Mike Homer, vice president of marketing at Netscape. "By
rewarding users for quickly identifying and reporting bugs back to us, this
program will encourage an extensive, open review of Netscape Navigator 2.0
and will help us to continue to create products of the highest quality."

Netscape has created two versions of its Netscape Navigator 2.0 beta,
available for downloading from Netscape's home page at
http://home.netscape.com . Version b1J for Windows 95, Solaris, and Irix
platforms includes Java and is for users who want to participate in the
bounty program.

For general users or those on other Unix environments, Windows 3.1, and
Macintosh, Netscape has posted beta versions without Java. After initial
testing is complete, future beta versions for all supported platforms will
contain Java.

(Richard Bowers/19951000/Press Contact: Roseanne Siino, Netscape, 415-254-
1900)
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