New netscape ? When ?

[Benj]

Hi,
i really hate how netscape interprets my HTML code.
It doesn't support some cool css, and most of all, it has a really serious problem with background in tables in some particular configurations.

I heard that a new version netscape with corrections to those problems would be available soon... is this true and if yes when ?

Thanks,
Benj

[Justin]

There is a preview version 6.0 out, which is pre-beta and not really suitable for day-to-day use. But it is nice for being pre-beta - it supports a *lot* more CSS than previous versions, and appears to be faster. It's my browser of choice on my Linux system, as it is the closes thing to IE we'll ever see on Linux :)

Might want to search the forums, as there was a lot of discussion about it a while back. I'm not sure where they are at with it now, as I haven't heard anything in a while... wondering if there's a new version by now...

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Justin Nelson
FutureQuest (http://www.FutureQuest.net/index.php) Support

[wolfstalks]

As you all know I LOVE Netscape,:) and was very disappointed:P with NS 6.0 PR1, BUT I have recently downloaded M-15 which is a later build and it is a lot more stable, at least for me.[nbsp][nbsp]You can get it here:
http://mozilla.com/projects/seamonkey/release-notes/

Good Surfing
Bob
(Edit)[nbsp][nbsp]After I posted this I installed NeoPlanet's browser, the download is something like 2 Mb ????[nbsp][nbsp]It is based on MS, I assume whatever version from 4 on up.[nbsp][nbsp]It's a pretty cool browser that is skinnable and has an integrated e-mail client, I don't know if it's outlook based or not???[nbsp][nbsp]But it has more of a Netscape appearance and function as it's tied to th browser.[nbsp][nbsp]I hate to admit it but so far I really like it and may use it for surfing???
Just when you thought the browser war might be over????
But I am still holding out HOPE for NS 6.0 final release???

[This message has been edited by wolfstalks (edited 05-28-00@09:55 am)]

[sheila]

NeoPlanet isn't a browser, is it? I thought I checked it out once.

To my recollection, it requires Internet Explorer. Isn't it basically an enhancement or add-on that overlays IE?

[wolfstalks]

Shiela,[nbsp][nbsp]It is some sort of overlay or something, it uses your Internet explorer engine, BUT it integrates E-Mail like Netscape does.[nbsp][nbsp]This would be more a question for Justin I imagine, BUT to me it acts more like Netscape and is fast both starting and loading.[nbsp][nbsp]I have switched my Girlfriend over to it, while waiting patiently for a final 6.0 :P[nbsp][nbsp]and I am doing general surfing in it.[nbsp][nbsp]Anyway this is just MHO and we all know what that's worth :þ

Have a Good One
Bob

[Justin]

Neoplanet is a front-end program for IE. It becomes whatever IE version you happen to have installed (4.x and up). Anyone with a copy of Visual Basic or Visual C++ will find an ActiveX control that you can add to any program, and it is IE. You can then put your own buttons/interface on it.

Neoplanet is just that, though the must have added email as well, which it didn't have originally... But as far as browsing/surfing speed, it will be the same as IE, because as far as web browsing, it *is* IE.

I must be the only one not disappointed in Netscape 6.0 - being an Anti-Netscape person, version 6 really is a lot nicer than previous versions IMO. Mind you, it is pre-release and bugs are to be expected. Generally in pre-release software, bugs should not count against it as far as how you rate the software - as long as those bugs don't remain in the final release. I'm not sure if I have cofidence enough in Netscape to hope for that.

My biggest problem with Netscape 6 is that it is NOT multiple-display aware. You pretty much have to run the browser on the primary display, which is not practical for day-to-day use... It is my opinion that all programmers should use multiple displays, partly so their stuff will work, and partly because you have more room to work... but that's just me I guess...

All in all, I do like Netscape 6, especially on the Linux platform - in fact it's my browser of choice on that system, since 4.72 for Linux is a really aweful piece of software IMO.

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Justin Nelson
FutureQuest (http://www.FutureQuest.net/index.php) Support

[cheatindex]

PC World has a nice article on the next Netscape, and they seemed to have nothing but good things to say. The new design looked very sleek.

[sheila]

I really did like NS 6 the week it came out. And if I only browsed for fun and hobby, I'd use it more. But since I actually do work online, and it's no fun filling out a whole form and then having the browser crash on you..I put it aside for now. Of course, I don't even have a Linux machine running at home right now. But I'll tell you, when NS 6 gets to beta, you can bet I'll be using it more!

[Shalazar]

For those of you that have used it, I've heard it afford less screen real-estate than previous versions due to the "My Links" bar included on the left edge of the program.

Is this an option that one can turn on and off, or is it something we're going to have to live with for the benefit of a standards-compliant browser?

And what are your opinions of it in terms of usability and functionality for bookmarks, personal annotations, etc?

[sheila]

Alright, Shalazar, now look what you made me do... I had to boot up my NS 6 to be sure that I was answering your questions correctly. Actually, reminded me of why I like it. ;)

The "My Links" sidebar can easily be turned on and off. Interesting thing is this... when I viewed the community forums in NS 6, if I turn the "my links" side bar on, then it resizes the page in what remains of your browser "real estate", so the whole page still fits! (Unless there are parts of the page which are not resizable, I guess.)

To double check this, I went to another community forum I participate in. It's password protected. This reminded me of something I don't like about NS 6. The way it handles authentication passwords for .htaccess files. Not as smooth as in NS 4.x.

As far as your other questions, I haven't used NS 6 enough to answer fairly.

[sheila]

Well, the screen shots definitely look interesting. I will probably take the time to try it out within the next few weeks. That PopUpCaptor that automatically closes the popup windows is what sells me!

[tedloh]

For anyone else that wants a new browser which uses the IE engine, try NetCaptor.[nbsp][nbsp]Now I have six tabs open in one browser, rather than six separate windows!

I don't think I can live without NetCaptor now![nbsp][nbsp]There are bound to be some of you who see this and instantly get addicted.

www.netcaptor.com (http://www.netcaptor.com)
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Ted (Chief Do-It-All)
Got2Bet.com - The Net's Winner's Circle
http://www.got2bet.com
ted@tygresystems.com

[wolfstalks]

Additional Note on NeoPlanet.[nbsp][nbsp]I sent their tech support team a message requesting whether their E-Mail client was based on Outlook, as I was concerned about the security issue.[nbsp][nbsp]here is their reply.

"Our email client is not dependant on any other email client in the same way that our browser is dependant on Internet Explorer.[nbsp][nbsp]However, there are certain features (such as Importing and the Address Book) that may not work properly without Outlook Express/Outlook."

What I don't understand is, if they are not dependent on Outlook, then why the need for it for Importing and Address Book.[nbsp][nbsp]But at least for now I am happy to hear that their E-Mail client isn't based on Outlook.

Have a Good One
Bob
Still waiting for Netscape 6.0 Final Release, just can't stand the thought of using I.E. even when cloaked! :P

[Dan Kaplan]

Our email client is not dependant on any other email client in the same way that our browser is dependant on Internet Explorer Did a used car salesman come up with that wording?[nbsp][nbsp]That reads like serious b.s.

Dcipher

[Justin]

What they mean is this: IE is an ActiveX program, which can be embedded within another program. Outlook is not - but it does come with some DLLs you can reference if you want some extra functionality - for example, to import Outlook address books and emails. It also provides the MAPI interface, but you can get that functionality from other sources as well.

They probably designed their own email program interface, but I am willing to bet that its mail display window (for HTML and Rich Text format mails) is still IE (as it is in Outlook and - get this - Eudora).

Writing an HTML interpretor is extremely difficult, especially with the changing standards. So a lot of email programs base the HTML portion on IE. However, when you embed IE within another program you have the ability to control many aspects of it (one example: when a popup window is being created, it raises an event in the parent program. Setting Cancel to True causes the popup to not be displayed).

The other key thing that you can control is disabling VBscript, the culprit in most Outlook-based email viruses (you can disable all that BS in Outlook as well). The only thing that makes Outlook especially vulnerable is the preview pane, which I could not live without (I read all of my email within the preview pane).

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Justin Nelson
FutureQuest (http://www.FutureQuest.net/index.php) Support