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Peeking at Netscape 8
Andrew Sayers writes "It seems like Netscape 8 has hit blogland, with generally positive review at blogspot.com - although it makes the point that the IE rendering mode could hurt Firefox in the long-run, because it gives sites an excuse to stick with their old IE-only designs." Ah, remember when the release of a Netscape mattered?
I expect the great look turns into great functionality, but what they done to increase the size from 4MB to 12MB?!?!?!
http://www.michel.eti.br
Remember that you can use IE conditional comments
<!--[if IE 5]>
You are using Internet Exploder. Please switch to Firefox
<![endif]-->
to Spread Firefox.
Minimal extra work means you can spoof the gold UI bar, which has the advantage of scaring people. Use Internet Exploder's proprietary features against itself. Standards forever!
If I have windows I have IE(no choices here), if I want netscape rendering I have Firefox/Mozilla. Getting a bloated version of mozilla to replace essentially mozilla seems a little silly.
Having a dual rendering based browser just doesn't make any sence.
I really like the idea of multi bar. On firefox I have several toolbars that I love and really can't do without, but do not use them all at the same time. Is there a firefox multi bar extension out there somewhere?
Is there much point to using Netscape since it uses the same engine as Mozilla and Firefox and Camino?
Netscape was more relevent when it based on the old Mosaic engine because that made Netscape unique. I'm sure they could revamp the old Netscape engine if they wanted to, they would just have to put some money into it... and we all know AOL will never do that. Why use Netscape to browse with the Gecko engine, when you can use a more streamlined and optimized Firefox browser. Firefox was designed by people who know the secret tricks to really get the best out of Gecko, because they are the same programmers who actually made Gecko!!
I still keep a copy of Netscape 2.0 Gold - does everything Internet Explorer can do.
... and in the DRM, bind them.
If you want third party browsers, you should look at Opera or Konqueror. This is NOT a third party browser. Contrary to popular belief, if you take two songs and mix them up, the result is NOT a brand new song. It's a (re)mix.
The "new" Netscape just takes either the IE or the FF engine and slaps an interface on top of it. AOL thus tries to ride on Netscape's reputation and make it look like it still has something to say in browser world. It doesn't. This is just marketing.
Your insights are valid, but not applicable for this release of Netscape. Maybe next time?
Just
So where does this leave Netscape on Mac or Linux? Will the Netscape 8 become available for Mac using IE5? Dear god anything but that.
Ah, remember when the release of a Netscape mattered?
It still does, especially if you're a fed. Many gov't agencies still use Netscape, and will make use of this new release simply because they're all still stuck in the 90's. I don't know firsthand, but I'd be willing to bet Firefox didn't get much attention from the government. Most feds only know "IE" and "Netscape."
You are completely correct, I watched my roommate who is not at all a computer science person convince his redneck friend to use firefox last week and I was surprised to see one of his first points was that it is related to netscape.
It helps to establish familiarity I guess.
forget it.