SillyDog701

[richard mitnick]

I second James' views completely. What is the point?

>>RSM

Actually, for me there is a small point. I have always kept around an up-to-date copy of
Mozilla /SeaMonkey browser just in case the code guys at FF do something which breaks something I want. It was never a perfect strategy, because Mozilla/SeaMonkey browser was never identical to FF. There are small differences.

Now, with N being a pure FF clone, I can keep around what is, without the Netscape.com junk, a browser which should act exactly like FF. If any one knows of any points where this falls down, I will appreciate being advised.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4

[Ramona]

Technically, it is only a re-skinned Firefox (plus a few add-ons/integrations), but there's always something Firefox does not have... Netscape brand name.

Almost Antony, Netscape brand name, but made by AOL, not Netscape/Mozilla. Netscape will never be the same as when it was 100% Netscape, including developers...

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4

[richard mitnick]

Again, I am an echo. Ramona is so so right. People loved Netscape, when it was Netscape. I am one of them, that is why I am so supportive of SeaMonkey (I just got my hat!!) I mean, I only ever used the Netscape browser, and then Mozilla and SeaMonkey, but the idea of the complete suite is still a valid idea for a lot of folks.

>>RSM

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4

[Berliner]

Hi,
while the first impressions are very positive, I want to ask two questions or suggestions:
- NS 8 has very nice toolbar-integrated RSS-feeds (and - very important: new email notification). Ver. 9 hasn´t this features. Only live bookmarks are possible, isn´t it? Is there a way to get this useful stuff for Navigator?

- NS 9 is FF. FF is a multi-language product. It should not be very difficult to release german, french etc. language packs, because the Netscape-team has them in FF. Somebody has to translate the menu "News". I am sure, there are people around the world, who would make this for free.

Otherwise, the new browser seems to be very fast and nice. Unfortunately, here in Germany the reactions in IT-News, Blogs etc. are: Why Netscape? We have Firefox and Opera (in german versions). The integrated social stuff is useless for the most of users here. Like NS 8, until now Vers. 9 and Netscape.com is a very US-centred product. Please, go global!!!
Sorry for my bad english!!!

Greetings from Germany!

UserAgent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.2; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)

[James]

Why Netscape indeed! I will tell you why I think Netscape has been resurrected. Money. AOL is suffering. It once had a user base in excess of 33 million. Today's figures are more in the neighborhood of 8 million. In short, it is going bust and they're looking for ways to attract former Netscape users back to the fold. Why? So that they can direct them with their News and Social buttons back to their portal and get them to spend money. Perhaps some will even be so foolish as to returning to AOL. Who can say? But with Opera and Firefox and SeaMonkey and IE 7, who really needs Netscape 9?

However, having said all that, like Richard and Ramona and others, I have Netscape 9 installed on my computer to play with it from time to time (for Nostalgia's sake I suppose). I like to see the Netscape throbber! lol

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4

[richard mitnick]

Oh, my, James. You are a caution!!

>>RSM

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; en-US; rv:1.8.1.5pre) Gecko/20070604 Firefox/2.0.0.4 Navigator/9.0b1

[vipergg]

I think ns9 renders pages faster than FF 2.0 . I think it is on par with FF1.5 and maybe a little faster . Anyone know what the "share" button is for ??? I have been using this as my browser for the last couple of days and really see no major issues . i like the restart navigator button .

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win 9x 4.90; en-US; rv:1.8.1.5pre) Gecko/20070604 Firefox/2.0.0.4 Navigator/9.0b1

[Fulvio]

I think ns9 renders pages faster than FF 2.0 . I think it is on par with FF1.5 and maybe a little faster . Anyone know what the "share" button is for ??? I have been using this as my browser for the last couple of days and really see no major issues . i like the restart navigator button .

One of the big deals of NS9 is the so-called social. So, I guess you share whatever with anyone who is in that stuff. As part of it you put a picture of yourself, your interests, etc.
I did that when I have AOL, and all I got were solicitations from some pervert.
I would stay away from that, although you may be able to restrict who is in your group.
As far as rendering pages, this has been brought up at another newsgroup, and it was called an illusion. Very important in rendering pages is all the extra baggage which is carried, such as Themes, Addons and Tabs. I have quite a few of them in Firefox, and it runs at 63MB in the Task manager, and very low CPU. Navigator started at 36 MB, but quickly climbed up to 55MB, and still going, with 100% CPU spikes. Of course, not many addons are compatible.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4

[James]

Heh heh... Richard. We're on the same wave length. And speaking of cautions... what do you think about our Fulvio being solicited by some perv when he submitted a picture of himself? Hey, Fulvio, you must be quite a looker! (Just kidding, Bud)

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4

[Dr Lobster*]

i wish they'd just dump it and move on. bar a few dedicated users, netscape is dead, as has already been mentioned, seamonkey and firefox do the same things, use the same engine and don't have any of the aol marketing rubbish bundled in. i cant' see how there can be a sensible reason for continuing to use this product.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-GB; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4

[Fulvio]

It will go away, except that there are a lot of people who recognize only the name Netscape. NS9 is around just for the marketing rubbish, after all.
Check the blog, if you care. I heard that they are working on a "Messenger" standalone, now in a sort of pre-alpha.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.5pre) Gecko/20070604 Firefox/2.0.0.4 Navigator/9.0b1

[Mandrake]

Netscape, as an innovative company, died long ago. Back in '96 and '97 they were at their peak. From then on things just went bad.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4

[richard mitnick]

Iwill tell you all one good thing that it did for me. I installed it, I imported my bookmarks, ran through getting all of my user id's and passwords up, my bookmarks tool bar, the whole thing.

Then I looked at it and I found it very pleasing and simple.

Sudden epiphany!! It's the default theme!!.

So, I went back to FF and changed back to the default theme, and am happy to have had the lesson.

I mean, you know, I am a chameleon with browsers, so I may change back. But...

>>RSM

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4

[Sonadow]

i dunno...

i just plain love the 'greeny' theme which was the Netscape defining GUI. And on my Macbook, it just looks gorgeous.

Unless there's someone out there who can replicate the color scheme of Netscape 9 into Safari or Camino (no firefox for me, thanks very much), i'm sticking with Netscape 9.

you cant go too wrong with a company that was hugely crushed during the browser wars, and yet still eke out a name for itself today (albeit a very small one)

EDIT: Yes i know Netscape 9 is just a repackaged Firefox. That's another reason NOT to get FF on its own (for me )

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; Intel Mac OS X; en-US; rv:1.8.1.5pre) Gecko/20070604 Firefox/2.0.0.4 Navigator/9.0b1

[James]

Uh.... just one little thing. It "isn't" the same company that was "hugely crushed" in the browser wars. This is the company that took and essentially destroyed Netscape as we then knew it. As for not wanting Firefox, you've got it... just repackaged and reskinned with a lot of AOL add-on stuff that most simply don't want. AS for the "greeny" theme, it can be had in Firefox if that's the main attraction.

UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4