NetPositive
Encyclopedia
NetPositive is the default browser that comes with the Be Operating System
(BeOS). It has partial support for JavaScript
, but no Java
or CSS
support. NetPositive originally was the only web browser available for BeOS, but that is no longer the case. The last official version of NetPositive before the Be, Inc. bankruptcy was 2.2 /2.2.1 for US customers, but there also exists a 3.0d3 beta version, and a leaked 2.2.2 which changed from the RSA Encryption Engine
to OpenSSL
, possibly indicating that Be were cleaning the source of commercial code with an intent to open source
, like the OpenTracker
project.
Built binaries of NetPositive, including all encryption libraries, and other tools not provided by the OS itself, such as the HTTP and FTP
engines, weigh in from 1.4 to 1.7 MB
in size, uncompressed, depending on the strength of encryption provided.
NetPositive can be embedded into another application, or into the desktop of the OS itself, using the replicants system provided by the OS. When Active Desktop
was launched on Windows
, Microsoft
promoted it as having been a major achievement. Be later claimed to have cloned the functionality using NetPositive (where Internet Explorer
is used in Windows) in "nine lines of code".
A number of projects exist to clone NetPositive for BeOS, due to BeOS users' familiarity with its interface. The most advanced of these is Themis, which aims to capture the feel of NetPositive in a browser with modern features. There is also Net++, which aims to use the Gecko
layout engine
in the shell of the failed NetOptimist browser. For Haiku there is a successor for NetPositive, based on WebKit, called WebPositive
.
It is still included in ZETA as the default browser for opening saved files and links from other applications, due to unfinished implementation of the native OS bindings in Mozilla Firefox
for BeOS. However, Firefox is promoted as being the primary browser on the platform.
error messages, which lead to the name of Haiku
, an open-source BeOS clone. A late 1990s email joke which claimed that Microsoft was moving to Haiku error messages in Japanese versions of Windows was almost entirely made up of NetPositive error messages. For instance, a user might see the following error message if they try to access a website that is unavailable:
If the user tried unsuccessfully to authenticate against a website, they might see:
BeOS
BeOS is an operating system for personal computers which began development by Be Inc. in 1991. It was first written to run on BeBox hardware. BeOS was optimized for digital media work and was written to take advantage of modern hardware facilities such as symmetric multiprocessing by utilizing...
(BeOS). It has partial support for JavaScript
JavaScript
JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
, but no Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
or CSS
Cascading Style Sheets
Cascading Style Sheets is a style sheet language used to describe the presentation semantics of a document written in a markup language...
support. NetPositive originally was the only web browser available for BeOS, but that is no longer the case. The last official version of NetPositive before the Be, Inc. bankruptcy was 2.2 /2.2.1 for US customers, but there also exists a 3.0d3 beta version, and a leaked 2.2.2 which changed from the RSA Encryption Engine
RSA Security
RSA, the security division of EMC Corporation, is headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, and maintains offices in Australia, Ireland, Israel, the United Kingdom, Singapore, India, China, Hong Kong and Japan....
to OpenSSL
OpenSSL
OpenSSL is an open source implementation of the SSL and TLS protocols. The core library implements the basic cryptographic functions and provides various utility functions...
, possibly indicating that Be were cleaning the source of commercial code with an intent to open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
, like the OpenTracker
OpenTracker
OpenTracker is the open source version of the Tracker file manager for BeOS-compatible operating systems.Be Inc. developed the original Tracker for their operating system, BeOS. In 2000, prior to selling all of their assets to Palm, Inc., Be Inc. open-sourced some of their software, including Tracker...
project.
Built binaries of NetPositive, including all encryption libraries, and other tools not provided by the OS itself, such as the HTTP and FTP
File Transfer Protocol
File Transfer Protocol is a standard network protocol used to transfer files from one host to another host over a TCP-based network, such as the Internet. FTP is built on a client-server architecture and utilizes separate control and data connections between the client and server...
engines, weigh in from 1.4 to 1.7 MB
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
in size, uncompressed, depending on the strength of encryption provided.
NetPositive can be embedded into another application, or into the desktop of the OS itself, using the replicants system provided by the OS. When Active Desktop
Active Desktop
Active Desktop was a feature of Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0's optional Windows Desktop Update that allows the user to add HTML content to the desktop, along with some other features. This function was intended to be installed on the then-current Windows 95 operating system...
was launched on Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
promoted it as having been a major achievement. Be later claimed to have cloned the functionality using NetPositive (where Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
is used in Windows) in "nine lines of code".
A number of projects exist to clone NetPositive for BeOS, due to BeOS users' familiarity with its interface. The most advanced of these is Themis, which aims to capture the feel of NetPositive in a browser with modern features. There is also Net++, which aims to use the Gecko
Gecko (layout engine)
Gecko is a free and open source layout engine used in many applications developed by Mozilla Foundation and the Mozilla Corporation , as well as in many other open source software projects....
layout engine
Layout engine
A web browser engine, , is a software component that takes marked up content and formatting information and displays the formatted content on the screen. It "paints" on the content area of a window, which is displayed on a monitor or a printer...
in the shell of the failed NetOptimist browser. For Haiku there is a successor for NetPositive, based on WebKit, called WebPositive
WebPositive
WebPositive is the graphical web browser included as part of the Haiku operating system since version R1 / Alpha 2. It was created to replace the aging BeZillaBrowser with a native WebKit-based browser....
.
It is still included in ZETA as the default browser for opening saved files and links from other applications, due to unfinished implementation of the native OS bindings in Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
for BeOS. However, Firefox is promoted as being the primary browser on the platform.
Error messages in Haiku
The browser was notable among BeOS users due to its haikuHaiku in English
Haiku in English is a development of the Japanese haiku poetic form in the English language.Contemporary haiku are written in many languages, but most poets outside of Japan are concentrated in the English-speaking countries....
error messages, which lead to the name of Haiku
Haiku (operating system)
Haiku is a free and open source operating system compatible with BeOS. Its development began in 2001, and the operating system became self-hosting in 2008, with the first alpha release in September 2009, the second in May 2010 and the third in June 2011....
, an open-source BeOS clone. A late 1990s email joke which claimed that Microsoft was moving to Haiku error messages in Japanese versions of Windows was almost entirely made up of NetPositive error messages. For instance, a user might see the following error message if they try to access a website that is unavailable:
- Cables have been cut
- Southwest of Northeast somewhere
- We are not amused.
If the user tried unsuccessfully to authenticate against a website, they might see:
- Server's poor response
- Not quick enough for browser.
- Timed out, plum blossom.