The internet bubble started pumping up when Netscape was launched on the market. During its first day of trading, August 9 1995, its shares came close to tripling in value. Irrational exuberance famously followed, but there was good reason for the excitement about Netscape's Navigator. The easy-to-use internet browser gave ordinary human beings their first-ever window on to the world wide web.

Before long Explorer was everywhere, and Navigator withered away. In 1998 Netscape was bought out, in 2003 many of its staff were laid off, and - as of today - Navigator is no longer being supported at all. But out of its ashes Firefox has arisen, developed by redundant Netscape staff. Along with other browsers, such as Flock, it is giving web users a choice. Its hour may have passed, but Navigator should be remembered with awe for having untangled the web.