SillyDog701 • Future of Club Netscape

by **Edward** » Wed 16 Jul, 2003 3:57 pm

DJGM -

Have you decided on the future of Club Netscape, now that Netscape (as we know it), is gone?

UserAgent: Opera/7.11 (Linux 2.4.20-4GB i586; U) [en]

by **DJGM** » Wed 16 Jul, 2003 5:55 pm

To be honest, I don't know whether it's worth continuing with Club Netscape, now that AOHELL
have cut Netscape's air supply. Hopefully, there's a slim chance that some other company will
buy what's left of Netscape Communications Corporation, and keep one of the original web
pioneers alive by continuing development of the Netscape browsers, based upon Mozilla.
The fact is that Netscape is a much more well known and established name than Mozilla.

While Mozilla may now have a future as a non-profit organization, it remains to be seen exactly
how they will promote Gecko based browsers as end user products. Mozilla have always said,
that their builds are for testers and developers only, and that casual end users wanting to
try a Gecko based browser, should download a commercially supported Mozilla distribution
such as Netscape instead. Does the newly established Mozilla Foundation have the same
kind of marketing strength as the likes of AOL and Microsoft, to fully promote Mozilla to
the masses, as a viable (and safer) alternative to Internet Explorer?

While the likes of Sun Microsystems, RedHat, and IBM have pledged full support to Mozilla, will
any of these companies be able to persuade the millions of IE users out there, to use Mozilla
instead, by means of marketing and promotion via channels other than just the internet,
such as advertising in the relevant magazines, and on TV.

This is one of the many missed opportunities that came from AOL's ownership of Netscape. They
could've promoted it, and really made something of it, after the mutual contractual agreements
with Microsoft came to an end in January 2001. AOL put so much into promoting their online
services, but did absolutely nothing with their Netscape acquisiton. They just sidelined it,
when they could've promoted it to the hilt. Now they've killed it off altogether.

So, if no other company steps forward anytime soon and buys Netscape from AOL, to continue
development of the Netscape browser, is there any point me continuing with Club Netscape?

I suppose, if Mozilla release their own CCK app, for people to make their own custom Mozilla
builds, then I could develop "DJGM-i Distros" of Mozilla instead of Netscape, and re-establish
the Club NS website as Club Mozilla. I certainly don't have the time to download the Mozilla
source code, and create DJGM-i Distros from that.

If Mozilla don't have any plans for a CCK, then that's it. The DJGM-i Distros will be no more,
and Club Netscape (or Club Mozilla) cannot realistically continue without it's main feature.

In which case, the "If You're Using IE" section of Club Netscape, will become a permanent
part of my DJGM-i.net website. Maybe this very message board at SD701 could become
the DJGM-i.net Message Board, instead of being the Club Netscape Message Board,
and the Club Netscape Chatroom could become the DJGM-i.net Chatroom instead.

It looks like I've got a fair bit of website re-organisation to look forward to . . . !

Now excuse me while I go and ruthlessly destroy some AOL CD's!

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030624

by **Mandrake** » Wed 16 Jul, 2003 7:18 pm

DJGM: How could you!? Just scratch em up! Then look at this website http://nomoreaolcds.com Help these folks out - don't waste GOOD AOL cds!

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030624

by **DJGM** » Wed 16 Jul, 2003 7:47 pm

No More AOL CD's wrote:We represent all who are sick of receiving unwanted AOL cds. By
sending us your unwanted AOL, Netscape, or CompuServe
cds, you can help us make a statement . . .

Since when have AOL sent out unsolicited Netscape CD's? To my knowledge, they send
out tons of CD's for their own online service, but they've never done this for Netscape.

If you've ever specifically wanted a CD containing just Netscape, you had to buy it.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-GB; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030624 Netscape/7.1 (ax)

by **Edward** » Wed 16 Jul, 2003 8:16 pm

The complete Mozilla apps (Windows, Linux, and Mac) are all under 15 Mb each.

How large of a download could the code possibly be?

UserAgent: Opera/7.11 (Linux 2.4.20-4GB i586; U) [en]

by **DJGM** » Wed 16 Jul, 2003 8:51 pm

Edward wrote:The complete Mozilla apps (Windows, Linux, and Mac)
are all under 15 Mb each.

How large of a download could the code possibly be?

I could grab the source code for Mozilla 1.4 here, by selecting either a 30.4MB .tar.bz2 file
or a 40.3MB .tar.gz file. I could then unzip the contents of those files, into a spare folder
on my HDD. I've got plenty of time to do those things, but I've got neither the time, or
the resources to do all the stuff mentioned in the build instructions for Mozilla.

It all seems to require a whole bunch of programming knowledge (Visual C++) that I simply
haven't got. I'm definitely not willing to sacrifice 1.5GB of space on my HDD for it! I would
rather just use a CCK program and tweak the .ini files. Much quicker, and much easier.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-GB; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030624 Netscape/7.1 (ax)

by **Mandrake** » Wed 16 Jul, 2003 9:36 pm

They are much 'rarer' than AOL and Compuserve CDs, but I've got a Free Netscape CD here . . . promoting Communicator 4.5 or something, with it all on it. It came with a computer Magazine, and an AOL CD.

UserAgent: Mozilla/4.76 [en] (Windows NT 5.0; U)

by **Fulvio** » Tue 29 Jul, 2003 4:34 pm

DJGM wrote:
. AOL put so much into promoting their online
services, but did absolutely nothing with their Netscape acquisiton. They just sidelined it,
when they could've promoted it to the hilt. Now they've killed it off altogether.

I must disagree, to a point. AOL had no interest in using Netscape, directly, but they surely made attempts to use the Gecko engine, in place of the IE engine. One would have scarcely noticed that there had been a change.
AOL did change the engine in CompuServe. I do not know if they have been updates or not. And, also in the Mac version, there is/was a Gecko engine.
I am still subscribing to AOL, in which my main function is to beta test, and give them hell.
AOL tried a Gecko-based 7.0, which I still have, and used, when I am in a bad mood. I believe it was updated to the level of Moz1.02, certainnly 1.0. The resistance of the beta testers was so violent that AOL felt that it was no use to replace the former engine which could work with everything with one which, because w3c compliance or not could not do it. This compliance issue killed any further work with the Gecko engine.
There were a few people who requested an 8.0 Gecko, but nothing came out of it.
But, AOL is still using a Mozillasque Mail Client when they introduced AOL Communicator, which allows one to set up non-AOL accounts. AC was the first client with a solid built-in Spam Control, even before Mozilla had one.
AOL Communicator is no longer in beta. They are trying to mess it up by adding content, but I love it.
The main point is that Netscape as we know it and loved it had no place in AOL, other than perhaps to carry AOL mail, and AOL content.
It makes a lot of sense to me.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win98; en-US; rv:1.0.2) Gecko/20030208 Netscape/7.02 (CK-SillyDog)

by **Lorraine** » Tue 29 Jul, 2003 10:13 pm

I have several AOL CD's.
I threw out a bunch too. They used to come in the mail every week, it seemed.

I have a couple of CD's from Sympatico which is with Bell. It is for DSL.
It has Netscape Communicator on it. Of course, it also has ie on there too.
I have never used Sympatico, but they said I could have it for $22.95 per month if I used it by Dec. 31, 2002.
I don't know which version of Communicator is on it.

I am keeping them, they might be worth something someday,
I'll sell them on ebay

Does anyone remember the Elvis plastic record? I think it was red, perhaps it was in Reader's Digest.
I remember having it and it got thrown away. Worth a lot of money today...hehe

BTW, I have never used AOL, just one of the CD's is open.
Out of curiosity, I suppose.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win98; en-US; rv:1.0.2) Gecko/20030208 Netscape/7.02

by **Antony** » Sun 07 Sep, 2003 11:16 pm

With the new NS7.1 DJGM-i Distro is coming, will you reopen Club Netscape?

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030624 Netscape/7.1 (ax) (CK-SillyDog)

My Browser Reference Chart · by **hartlandcat** » Mon 15 Sep, 2003 10:55 am

I got a Netscape Online CD a few years ago, and it included Netscape 4.6. Netscape Online was a UK-based local rate ISP, owned by AOL. This was the most AOL ever really did with Netscape -- the idea was that people who subscribed to Netscape Online would use Netscape Communicator. The service was discontinued in 2000, although many Windows XP computers (including mine) came with Netscape Online pre-installed. So... I suppose that means that some computer manufacturers distributed their Windows XP computers pre-installed with Netscape. I didn't think that they were allowed to do that... hahahahahaha! ^_^

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030624 Netscape/7.1

by **DJGM** » Mon 15 Sep, 2003 11:38 am

If I do re-open the "Club Netscape" website anytime soon, it'll be as a "reduced service".

As you'll have probably already noticed, I've recently transitioned the "If You're Using IE
on Windows" section to the main DJGM-i.net website, and seems to have received more
hits since it's been moved there, than it did when it was still part of "Club Netscape".
Therefore, that particular section is unlikely to be moved back.

As for any "DJGM-i Distros" of Netscape 7.1, I need a bit more positive feedback on the
preview release, before I decide whether or not it would be a viable option to continue
work on these. Assuming the DJGM-i Distros of Netscape 7.1, actually come to fruition,
they'll most probably likely be offered as a "main attraction" of DJGM-i.net.

Even then, there are some doubts on whether there'll even be any minor updates to the
official Netscape 7.1. We know there'll be no more major upgrade releases for Netscape,
since AOL ditched it two months ago, any maintenance updates (7.1.1?) will probably
only be considered if any serious security vulns show up in the current version.

I'm hoping a branch of the Mozilla App-Suite will be maintained to replace Netscape,
made specifically for the end users that Netscape was aimed at, and offer up new
releases that come complete with the relevant browser plugins like Flash + Java,
instead of just relying on users to search out and install the plugins themselves
eperately. With any luck, they'll also have a CCK app to replace the NSCCK.

Either that, or some company buys up what's left of Netscape from AOL, and
continues development of Mozilla based, Netscape branded, browser suites.
Somehow, I sincerely doubt that's likely to happen anytime soon, if at all.

Meanwhile, what I think would be a good idea, would be an "Archive" section for this
forum. That way, all these locked threads can be tidied away into a section where
they can be kept for future reference, but can only be replied to by moderators.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-GB; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030624 Netscape/7.1 (DJGM-i.net)

My Browser Reference Chart · by **hartlandcat** » Mon 15 Sep, 2003 12:00 pm

What are the differences between your distros of Netscape and the official Netscape version?

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030624 Netscape/7.1

by **DJGM** » Mon 15 Sep, 2003 12:24 pm

Previously, with the older DJGM-i Distros of Netscape 7.0 - 7.02, it was a case of offering three
or different builds, with selected plugins and extras. There was a "Lite" edition which contained
only Navigator and Composer. The "Pigeon" Edition included the email and IM clients, plus Flash
and Java plugins. The "Full-On" edition included all of the items in the "Pigeon" edition, and
also included RealPlayer 8 Basic and Winamp 2.8.1.

If I go ahead with making DJGM-i Distros of Netscape 7.1, it'll probably be a similar arrangement
as before, although seeing as RealPlayer was effectively replaced with Radio @ Netscape Plus
in the official Netscape 7.1, then RealPlayer might not be included in the DJGM-i Distros on
this occasion. Also, due to the possibility of infringements with the Winamp EULA, I might
not include Winamp either. These will probably be replaced with selected Mozilla add-ons
like Calendar and Diggler, as currently included with the DJGM-i Distro Preview Release.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-GB; rv:1.4) Gecko/20030624 Netscape/7.1 (DJGM-i.net)

by **Edward** » Mon 15 Sep, 2003 5:37 pm

hartlandcat wrote:I got a Netscape Online CD a few years ago, and it included Netscape 4.6. Netscape Online was a UK-based local rate ISP, owned by AOL. This was the most AOL ever really did with Netscape -- the idea was that people who subscribed to Netscape Online would use Netscape Communicator. The service was discontinued in 2000, although many Windows XP computers (including mine) came with Netscape Online pre-installed. So... I suppose that means that some computer manufacturers distributed their Windows XP computers pre-installed with Netscape. I didn't think that they were allowed to do that... hahahahahaha! ^_^

Had AOL brought Netscape Online over to the US, it would have given Internet users another option from AOL. Can't understand why they didn't...

UserAgent: Opera/7.11 (Linux 2.4.20-4GB i586; U) [en]

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