Mumbai: Netscape Navigator that launched the internet boom will be off life support from February 1, after a 13-year run, its caretaker Time Warner Inc's AOL said.

Netscape, the world's first commercial internent browser and the launch pad of the Internet revolution, faded with Microsoft Corporation's entry into the browser business, and the birth of its open-source cousin, Firefox.

AOL decided to stop further development and technical support to Netscape in order to focus on growing the company as an advertising business.

"While internal groups within AOL have invested a great deal of time and energy in attempting to revive Netscape Navigator, these efforts have not been successful in gaining market share from Microsoft's Internet Explorer," Netscape director Tom Drapeau wrote in a blog.

While users may still be able to download and use the Netscape browser, AOL would stop releasing security and other updates on February 1.

While a separate Netscape internet portal will continue to operate, AOL recommended that Netscape users shift to Firefox instead.

The first version of Netscape came out in late 1994. Netscape also launched an initial public offer of its stock in August 1995. Netscape's stock carried a premium IPO price of $28 per share, a price that doubled on opening day to give the start-up a $2 billion market value even though it had only $20 million in sales.

Netscape's success drew Microsoft into the business, which quickly won market share with its free-to-use Internet Explorer browser and its flagship Windows operating system.

Although Microsoft had to face US justice department probe, Netscape eventually suffered. It too dropped fees for the software, but rather late. Netscape then sold itself to AOL in a $10 billion deal in early 1999.

Netscape launched an open-source project called Mozilla. Mozilla released its standalone browser, Firefox, but Netscape was never able to regain its former standing.