MathML in Netscape

Hello all,

As readers of this list are probably aware, Netscape Communications is
currently considering whether to include the MathML support already
developed in the Mozilla browser in the next version of their
browser. 

Recently, Dave Barrowman <barrowma@netscape.com> made a posting to
this list soliciting comments in support of MathML in Netscape.  His
message is archived at:

  http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-math/2002May/0000.html

I am writing to encourage people to seize this opportunity, and send a
message to Netscape registering your support.

Later this summer, Design Science will release MathPlayer, a free,
high-performance math display engine that adds MathML support to Windows
Internet Explorer.  We hope MathPlayer will be a significant step toward
support for math on the web.  However, MathPlayer is limited to Internet
Explorer on Windows, and so Netscape support is very important for reaching
audiences on other platforms such as MacOS or Linux.  

I believe the goal of free, widely-available math on the web is
important.  It's important for the free flow of scientific
communication, and it's good for business.  I also think that the best
path to get there is MathML support in web browsers.  As many of you
who follow MathML will realize, years of work at W3C, in academia and
private enterprise have been devoted to making MathML support in
browsers a reality.  

What that effort has achieved, however, is only an opportunity.
Netscape management will, rightly, make its decision as to whether or
not to enable MathML support in its browser based on their perception
of its value in the marketplace. 

So, if MathML support in Netscape would have value to you -- and I
suspect that for many of you it would -- it is critically important to
let Netscape know.

Thanks for your time and attention.

--Robert

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Robert Miner                                    RobertM@dessci.com
MathML 2.0 Specification Co-editor                    651-223-2883
Design Science, Inc.   "How Science Communicates"   www.dessci.com
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Received on Monday, 13 May 2002 15:38:36 UTC