Hub, portal, gateway - whatever you call it, Netscape (NSCP) wants to be one. This morning it took the first step in that direction, announcing formation of a Web division.
Engaged in a long war with Microsoft (MSFT) and others on the software front, Netscape will now do battle with the likes of Yahoo (YHOO), America Online (AOL), and Excite (XCIT) on the the Web-site front. Lurking, too, is Microsoft and its planned "Start" site.
"We recognize the tremendous business opportunity Internet hub sites represent and we intend to grow our leadership with Netcenter," said Jim Barksdale, Netscape's president and CEO. Barksdale said the Web division would be headed by Mike Homer, who has been Netscape's sales and marketing chief.
Netscape has struggled of late, giving rise to talk of a buyout - or of the company selling off its homepage. But for now, at least, the company appears ready to try and build that highly trafficked site - the second busiest on the Web, according to RelevantKnowledge - into a moneymaker.
In a statement released this morning, Homer said the company intends to expand its "service offerings - business and consumer - and to make Netcenter the premier destination site on the Web by leveraging Netscape's installed base of more than 68 million client software users."
Homer's position in sales and marketing will be filled on an interim basis by Barksdale, the company said.
