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New Netscape Browser Prototype Available

Posted by Hemos on from the joining-us-here-in-the-present dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Mozillazine.org writes, "AOL has released a new prototype of Netscape Browser. This new version is almost identical to the first prototype but it's based on Mozilla Firefox 1.0 rather than 0.9.3. The browser does not contain the proposed new design concept or any new features, though there are some performance improvements. As before, only registered testers can download the prototype from community.netscape.com/nscpbrowser. MozillaZine ran an in-depth preview of the first prototype.""

15 of 187 comments (clear)

  1. Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why don't they make a linux version? Might help bring linux closer to the desktop - netscape still has more recognition that FireFox.

    1. Re:Linux by naylor83 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      These days I think saying it has Firefox would do more good than saying it has Netscape. Firefox has a much better reputation - Netscape seems to (somewhat unfairly so) be having a hard time ridding people of the memory of it's good old bad days.

  2. Why? stealing Mozillas thunder or what by gilesjuk · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They've just rebranded and repackaged firefox, why bother? it's stealing their thunder to help promote AOL.

    Anyone can tweak and rebadge an open source project, sure they're not breaking the GPL. But you have to ask yourself why would they do it?

    1. Re:Why? stealing Mozillas thunder or what by Tough+Love · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Anyone can tweak and rebadge an open source project, sure they're not breaking the GPL. But you have to ask yourself why would they do it?

      Excuse me, but its a basic principle of open source that you can modify it to suit yourself. AOL is working very much within the spirit of open source. I say, go ahead and tweak and fiddle. Hey, if the AOL browser comes up with anything cool, it goes straight back into Firefox, right?

      The best possible result is, AOL comes up with something they like and instantly swings another, what is it, 10% of IE users over to Firefox overnight.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    2. Re:Why? stealing Mozillas thunder or what by magefile · · Score: 4, Informative

      Hey, if the AOL browser comes up with anything cool, it goes straight back into Firefox, right?

      Not necessarily. Moz is licensed under the MPL, which is very BSD-like.

  3. Wow. by JanusFury · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Does Netscape know anything about user interface design? That has to be one of the most horrible interfaces I have ever seen, especially coming from such a big company.

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    using namespace slashdot;
    troll::post();
    1. Re:Wow. by AnonymousCowheart · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Exactly - they're also breaking consistancy in Windows. They have the file menu on the upper right corner instead of the left, like almost every windows app out there.

  4. ... Profit? by DeathFlame · · Score: 5, Insightful

    1) Color Scheme No one likes
    2) Move the menus from there top left location to the top right...
    3) In fact let's just move completely away from the familiar IE look people are used to, and scare them off
    3) Built in Toolbars most people don't want
    4) ...
    5) Profit?

  5. Re:Isnt..... by Man+in+Spandex · · Score: 4, Informative

    Netscape = AOL
    Mozilla = Mozilla & contributors

  6. Sacrilege? by Almond+Paste · · Score: 4, Funny

    I still think IE is the best, most reliable and compatible all-round browser, especially since SP2, with pop-up blocking etc. Go ahead, hang me!

  7. What has AOL done to Netscape?!? by IO+ERROR · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Now that Firefox and Thunderbird have taken on a life of their own, is "Netscape" still relevant? Why would I want to use Netscape (or even Mozilla) instead of Firefox/Thunderbird/all my favorite extensions?

    Don't get me wrong, I like having more options to choose from. I just want to know why, at this point, I should choose Netscape? After all, that MozillaZine review basically said the interface was horrible...

    --
    How am I supposed to fit a pithy, relevant quote into 120 characters?
  8. Netscape leaves a bad taste in the mouth by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful


    We are sorry, but you will need to enable cookies and Javascript to use your Screen Name with this site.

    Click here to return to Netscape Channels or here to try again after you have enabled cookies and Javascript in your browser.

    http://my.screenname.aol.com/badbrowser.psp?site do main=channelsns&authLev=1&siteState=OrigUrl=http%3 a%2f%2fchannels.netscape.com%2fns%2fforum_center%2 fforumsmemauth.jsp%3fseamlesswebtag%3dhttp%253a%25 2f%252fcommunity.netscape.com%252fn%252fpfx%252ffo rum.aspx%253fwebtag%253dws-nscpbrowser%2526redirCn t%253d1&RefUrl=http%3a%2f%2fslashdot.org%2findex.p l&source=login&lang=en&locale=us

    sorry but visiting Netscape reminds me of visiting a domain squatters site or those other seedy portals, hijacked by their demands and presenting as little content as possible with maximum advertising prominence, why anyone would want to visit Netscape by choice is a mystery, its a horrible experience

    uggh

  9. Brand Recognition by Eric+Hysen · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This looks a lot like the iPod+HP strategy to me. Netscape is still a fairly well-known brand, and many users will probably trust a browser from them more than they would from a company they know nothing about (Mozilla). Despite the fact that the Netscape Browser is inferior to Firefox, it's still easily better than IE and will help reach the goal of reducing malicious programs that spawn through Microsoft's security holes.

  10. One of the oldest computing companies? by rbarreira · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you look at the taskbar in the screenshot, it proves that Netscape was already around in the 30's :)

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    The AACS key is NOT 0xF606EEFD628B1CA427BEA93A9CA9773F
  11. In the proposed design concept... by FuturePastNow · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why does Netscape.com look an awful lot like Google?

    --
    Give a man fire, and you warm him for the night. Set a man on fire, and you warm him for the rest of his life.