"As members signed up for the consortium, they advised us about what they wanted to address first. One of the top priorities was network security. Information, such as credit-card numbers, sent over the Web needed to be safeguarded. Netscape was particularly interested because it had a deal looming with mammoth MCI to distribute Netscape's browser on MCI's new Internet service...
"Netscape decided not to wait, and developed the software(SSL) fairly independently. This was one of the first programs that allowed electronic commerce to gain credibility."
-- chapter 8, "Weaving the Web"
"As members signed up for the consortium, they advised us about what they wanted to address first. One of the top priorities was network security. Information, such as credit-card numbers, sent over the Web needed to be safeguarded. Netscape was particularly interested because it had a deal looming with mammoth MCI to distribute Netscape's browser on MCI's new Internet service...
"Netscape decided not to wait, and developed the software(SSL) fairly independently. This was one of the first programs that allowed electronic commerce to gain credibility."
-- chapter 8, "Weaving the Web"