Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/1998/12/03/bungs_browsers_and_bowwows/

Bungs, browsers and bow-wows

Staff offered incentives to stay at Netscape

By Linda Harrison

Posted in On-Prem, 3rd December 1998 13:38 GMT

Netscape is wooing staff with cash and perks for their pets to stop them jumping ship before AOL's takeover comes into being. One of the bung-like incentives on offer is an extra month's pay, as the browser giant attempts to ward off industry poachers. AOL CEO Steve Case told Netscape's 2300 staff in Mountain View, California, that they were prime targets for headhunters. But Case said he wanted them all to stay at the "cool company", saying staff will still be able to have their beloved pooches sitting at their feet in the office. Those crazy Americans will also be able to enjoy roller hockey at lunchtime. Netscape was started four years ago by Marc Andreesen, the company floated one year later, but saw its share of the browser market halved to 40 per cent after Microsoft started giving away Internet Explorer. Netscape will disappear as a separate company after the $4.2 AOL takeover. ®