Ghostzilla

 This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. You can assist by editing it. (April 2012)
Ghostzilla
Ghostzilla-logo.PNG
Discontinued

1.0.1-free-v1

/ November 2002 (2002-11)[1]
Operating system Microsoft Windows[2]
Engine Gecko[2]
Available in English[3]
Development status Abandoned
Type Web browser[4]
License Mozilla Public License 1.1[5]
Website www.ghostzilla.com

Ghostzilla was an open source web browser for Microsoft Windows based on Mozilla Application Suite 1.0.1.[1][4][2] It runs the browser inside the window space of another application e.g. in Microsoft Outlook, where the page was then made to look like the content one would expect in an email, leaving any passers-by with the impression the person was reading e-mail.[6][4][7][8] When moving the mouse out of the window, the browser itself disappears.[2]

History

Originally launched as a shareware project priced at $19.95, the project subsequently became freeware and then open source.[citation needed] From May 2004 until January 2005, the project was removed from public view, due to a copyright claim from Mozilla. It later returned with code directly derived from Mozilla open source, excluding the core proprietary library used to create minimal pages and desaturated colors. It also came with warnings about the potential for misuse. In February 2007, the site was removed.

In March 2006, users of Firefox had the option of installing a free addon called Ghostfox, which aimed to mimic the behavior of Ghostzilla in Firefox,[9] although from June 2010 this extension was no longer compatible with Firefox 3.5.[10] An open source project, InstaBrowser, had appeared in July 2007, mimicking the ideas of Ghostzilla,[11] and by September 2009 this project had been renamed Ninja Browser, but it, again, proved to be short-lived.[12]

Features

Ghostzilla is a browser which can be used directly of a CD or USB stick.[13] Ghostzilla changes the layout of the web pages pending on the user preferences categorized into 6 different "stealth modes":[13][14]

The user can change the preferences so that the navigation bar turn of.[13] If the mouse gets out of the Ghostzilla window, Ghostzilla hides itself and can be again unhidden by a mouse gesture.[13][3]

Further reading

References

  1. ^ a b "Ghostzilla — the invisible browser". www.ghostzilla.com. Archived from the original on 29 Mai 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060529002108/www.ghostzilla.com/. Retrieved 8 April 2012. 
  2. ^ a b c d Pash, Adam (6 June 2006). "Download of the Day: Ghostzilla". Lifehacker. http://lifehacker.com/179674/download-of-the-day-ghostzilla. Retrieved 8 April 2012. 
  3. ^ a b Zäch, Sascha (16 June 2006). "Ghostzilla – der unsichtbare Browser" (in German). PCtipp.ch. http://www.pctipp.ch/news/betriebssysteme/33498/ghostzilla_der_unsichtbare_browser.html. Retrieved 8 April 2012. 
  4. ^ a b c Donath, Andreas (14 June 2006). "Surfen unter dem Radar: Ghostzilla macht Browser unsichtbar" (in German). Golem.de. http://www.golem.de/0606/45887.html. Retrieved 5 April 2012. 
  5. ^ "Ghostzilla Source". www.ghostzilla.com. Archived from the original on 29 Mai 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060613105810/http://www.ghostzilla.com/source/index.html. Retrieved 8 April 2012. 
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ SLOAN, WANDA (October 11, 2006). "Is that a browser in your pocket?". Bangkok Post (Thailand). 
  8. ^ Ramesh, C. (July 2, 2003). "Beyond browsing". Business Line. Kasturi & Sons LTD. 
  9. ^ Zielenkewitz, Moritz (16 August 2007). "Freeware der Woche: GhostFox" (in German). Netzwelt. http://www.netzwelt.de/news/75988-freeware-woche-ghostfox.html. Retrieved 9 April 2012. 
  10. ^ "Ghostfox 0.2.2.1". Mozilla. 30 December 2008. Archived from the original on 6 January 2010. http://web.archive.org/web/20100106084348/https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2278. Retrieved 8 April 2012. 
  11. ^ "instabrowser". 24 September 2009. http://code.google.com/p/instabrowser/. Retrieved 9 April 2012. 
  12. ^ "Ninja Browser". http://pr.ojectblue.com/ninja-browser. Retrieved 9 April 2012. 
  13. ^ a b c d e Rentrop, Christian (14 June 2006). "Ghostzilla: Surfen ohne neugierige Blicke" (in German). Netzwelt.de. http://www.netzwelt.de/news/74236-ghostzilla-surfen-ohne-neugierige-blicke.html. Retrieved 8 April 2012. 
  14. ^ Shigecky. "Ghostzilla" (in Japanese). http://www004.upp.so-net.ne.jp/kedo/dataroom/ghostzilla/ghostzilla.html. Retrieved 8 April 2012. 

External links

Features
Web standards
Related topics
  • Software no longer in development shown in italics