SillyDog701

[W.R.]

just wondering if they were actually the same thing and if one is faster... I'm noticing NS 4.x seems to be a better Windows XP choice than Netscape Gecko versions.

[DJGM]

Netscape 4.08 was a standalone version of Navigator 4 that was released
by user request not long after Communicator was first officially released.
It has not been updated since 1997, and is now therefore totally obsolete.

The best choice of Netscape browsers is the more recent Gecko based
versions such 6.2.3 and/or 7.0PR1. The latter of these these two is the
best to choose, although IMO, until Netscape 7.0 is finalised, it is better
to use either the recent Mozilla 1.0. You could also try Mozilla 1.1 beta,
but that still a bit rough around the edges. Netscape 6.x has had full
support for Windows XP and Mac OS X since version 6.1 last year.

The browser engine used in Netscape Communicator has had several
relatively small updates since it was first released in 1997, but it is
still based on an old technology that has now been superceded
by the Gecko engine in Netscape versions 6.x-7.x, and will
eventually be no longer supported by Netscape, therefore
confirming that Communicator is an obsolete product.

I did use Netscape 4.x on a daily basis, but I have now removed it
from both my computers. It has since been replaced by Mozilla as
my default browser, although I'll certainly be installing Netscape 7,
on them both once it is finalised sometime later this summer.

[Fulvio]

just wondering if they were actually the same thing and if one is faster... I'm noticing NS 4.x seems to be a better Windows XP choice than Netscape Gecko versions.

I use WinXP whenever my son leaves his laptop at home, and I installed 4.78 on it, for no good reason, and it has behaved really well, while 6.x has been shaky.
For now, I have to stay with what I can get, because Netscape threatens of dire consequences, if trying to install as guest, and they are right.
I hung on 4.08 for long time, because though obsolete, it was a good lean machine. I had not encountered any site which were a problem for it in Win98 but I would stick with 4.79 to the bitter end.

[W.R.]

Is there anything that 4.08 can't do that 4.79 does? (other than features like mail&newsgroups) I'm thinking of just using NS 7.0 when it's finally released non-beta (beta is a scary word for me)

[James]

I agree with you 100%: Beta is really not for the average user (I'm a prime example). 4.79 is a good choice until Netscape finalizes version 7 later this summer. At that time I'll take the plunge myself.

[Antony]

Is there anything that 4.08 can't do that 4.79 does? (other than features like mail&newsgroups)

Well, basics are...
better page rendering support.
imporved CSS
imporved Internet keywords/ what's related
bug and security fixes.

The only feature in 4.7x but not 4.08 I can think of is
Integrated Mail and Newsgroups.
However, something is missing in 4.7x
No Netscape Netcaster (anybody remember that?)

[Mr. Tinkles]

However, something is missing in 4.7x
No Netscape Netcaster (anybody remember that?)

Yeah, I do, it slapped that li'l black arrow on the right side of your desktop which could be opened to show channels It was Netscape's brief dive into push technology, which IE tried to copy with their channels bar if I recall. I have a memory of trying to use it after I upgraded to v4.51 and getting some blurb from Netscape about "Well gee shucks, since Netcenter has everything you could possibly need, we're dumping Netcaster" <that was obviously paraphrased >

[Antony]

You are totally right, bhsupernaw.

Just the fact that "push" technology was only a good idea, but did not work that well. It used too much memory and slow. Microsoft's Active Desktop seems to be better than Netscape's Netcaster.

[Luiz]

I have Netscape 4.79, Netscape 7.0 and the trouble maker IE6.0
installed.
I think Netscape 7.0 will be the best in a near future, but it
is still heavy and very slow.
Communicator 4.79 is the faster and easiest browser. Sometimes it crashes with Java but.... it's my favorite anyway.
Do you all think 4.79 will be the last version?

[Antony]

Do you all think 4.79 will be the last version?

It depends on if there are any necessaries for serious security fixes OR new patches/fixes required in order to run latest Java.

Netscape 4.79 has more platforms than Netscape 7.