Mozilla (mascot)

Mozilla was the mascot of Netscape Communications Corporation and subsequently the Mozilla Foundation. Its appearance has varied and the mascot has been retired from active use.

Statue of Mozilla on AOL campus

Description

Named after the code name for Netscape Navigator, Mozilla was the mascot of the Netscape Communications Corporation and subsequently the Mozilla Foundation.

History

Green design

The name "Mozilla" was already in use at Netscape as the codename for Netscape Navigator 1.0. Programmer Jamie Zawinski came up with the name during a meeting while working at the company. The name stood for "Mosaic killer", as the company's goal was to displace NCSA Mosaic as the world's number one web browser.[1][2] Initially the mascot took various forms, including that of a helmeted astronaut or "spaceman", but the eventual choice of a Godzilla-like lizard which went well with the theme of crushing the competition, especially because of the similarity between the names. This design rendered Mozilla in the form of a green and purple cartoon lizard, designed by Dave Titus in 1994.[3][4]

Mozilla featured prominently on Netscape's web site in the company's early years. However, the need to project a more "professional" image (especially towards corporate clients) led to him being removed. Mozilla continued to be used inside Netscape, though, often featuring on T-shirts given to staff or on artwork adorning the walls of the Netscape campus in Mountain View.

When Netscape acquired the website directory NewHoo in 1998, they rebranded it the Open Directory Project with the nickname "DMOZ" (Directory of Mozilla) due to its similarity to the Mozilla project. A green and purple image of Mozilla was placed on every page of the site, which continued even after Netscape's disbanding when it was acquired by AOL.

Red design
Modern red Mozilla mascot.

The name "Mozilla" later became more prominent when it was used for the open source browser of the same name. With the launch of the mozilla.org web site in 1998, the mascot was redesigned as a larger, fiercer red Tyrannosaurus rex. The new design was by Shepard Fairey of "Obey Giant" and Barack Obama "Hope" poster fame.[5]

The mascot has since been "retired from active duty", removed from official Mozilla branding and replaced by the current Mozilla wordmark, set in Meta Bold typeface.[6]

See also

References
  1. Newman, Nathan (2010-11-01). Net Loss: Internet Prophets, Private Profits, and the Costs to Community. Penn State Press. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-271-04681-5. Andreessen recruited five other Mosaic team members from NCSA to design what, in house, they called Mozilla, the Mosaic-Killer.
  2. "Marc Andreessen Revealed (Bloomberg Game Changers)". YouTube.com. Retrieved 2019-06-13.
  3. "Portfolio of freelance illustrator and animator Dave W. Titus". Retrieved 2010-10-29.
  4. "The Original Mozilla Mascot is Back!". MozillaGear.com. 2009-09-23. Archived from the original on 2009-09-23. Retrieved 2019-06-13.
  5. "Shepard Fairey: From Mozilla to Obama". Acts of Volition. March 5, 2009. Retrieved 2010-10-29.
  6. "Mozilla branding". Mozilla Foundation. Archived from the original on 2014-09-10. Retrieved 2014-09-11.
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