Erwise is a web browser that is an invention of a four student group, under the supervision of Ari Lemmke of Helnisky University of technology, Finland. Written specially for UNIX computers with X-windows, Erwise was a web browser with a graphical user interface, which could be used by non-NeXT computers. Significantly this browser program was inspired by Robert Cailliau, the collaborator of World Wide Web surfer and projects of the web. It was first launched in April, 1992.
Following are some of the significant features of Erwise:
• Erwise used a multifont text
• The links of Erwise browser were underlined. To visit the links you had to double click on the links.
• Erwise could execute multiple window operation, though the optional single window mode was also available.
• Erwise was featured by open local file
Disadvantages of Erwise:
• Erwise was supported by no documentation
• It apparently destroyed some displays. Erwise worked with display on Sun4, NeXT/Cub X, and crashed displaying on DECstation.
• Many of the buttons existed but actually would not work.
Finally the project of Erwise never made it because of certain subjective hindrances like lack of funds followed by the abandonment of the project by the Finnish students. Tim Berners-Lee of World Wide Web would have continued with the works of Erwise. He could not do so because Erwise was so far written in Finnish language.
