Netscape 7 Preview Release 1 Out Soon

[Brian Rector]

Special thanks to Cherokee of Sillydog.org's "Netscape Browser Archive Forum" for providing the links to Netscape's FTP sites.

Note: The sites are down at the moment, but might be open tonight or perhaps as soon as tomorrow. If you get a "Forbidden" message, try again later.

http://ftp.netscape.com/pub/netscape7/english/7.0_PR1/windows/win32/NSSetup.exe

http://ftp.netscape.com/pub/netscape7/english/7.0_PR1/windows/win32/NSSetupB.exe

Also...this site was open earlier, featuring a preview of what to expect with Netscape 7. It gave comparisons of IE5/6 and Netscape 7 with the system requirements for each browser. However, the site is down as of this posting:

http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/7/default.jsp

[MarkA]

Hmmm, is Netscape 7 still Mozilla based? If not, I'll have to check it out. If so, I'd rather use the real thing!

[Brian Rector]

Yes, it is still Mozilla based. Rumors have been circulating that Mozilla might put out the final release of their Version 1 software the same time as Netscape's PR release, but I really doubt that will happen.

Some people at Mozillazine have maintained that they do have the PR software already. One even posted a screenshot of what it looks like. Hint: looks just like Netscape 6. Some observations I have read hint that the menus are messed up (bug in Netscape 7 PR1).

Here is my suggestion to all: If you are a Netscape fanatic (I do have to admit I am a big Netscape fan), stick with using Netscape 6. However, if you have to have the latest and the greatest (though I dont think a beta version is to be described as "greatest"), download 7 and use it alongside 6.

However, if you are wanting the heart of what makes Netscape tick, go for Mozilla.

[Brian Rector]

One more thing: someone mentioned that Netscape has integrated ICQ into the PR release and dropped Instant Messenger.

[MarkA]

Okay, no point then. I'll keep using Mozilla 1.0RC2 while waiting for Mozilla 1.0

[Steve Mehs]

Communicator 4.75 was the best Netscape browser. Netscape 6.x was a dissapoitment, I dont think I'll ever use a Netcape bowser until they change it again.

[MarkA]

Try Mozilla 1.0RC2, which is the latest version of the browser behind Netscape (Netscape doesn't write their own browser, they just rebrand Mozilla). I think you'll like it a lot.

[ekake2]

yes i second Mark on Mozilla 1.0ec2 i also like the auto bug reporting !
ekake2

[Scott Greczkowski]

I am playing as I type this with Netscape 7 PR1.

So far nothing to write home about but I haven't really played with it that much. I will keep playing.

[Brian Rector]

I am very impressed with Netscape 7 so far. I found no registry errors (Netscape 6 beta had lots of errors when it was installed on this machine of mine); every plugin was detected that I had installed with Netscape 6.23 (which I still have in my machine. I installed Netscape 7 at a different directory); and best of all.....its very stable.

[MarkA]

Is there any reason I should get it when I use Mozilla 1.0RC2?

[Brian Rector]

Mark, dont get Netscape 7. The reason is that there is a compatibility problem when both Mozilla 1.0 RC2 and Netscape 7 are installed. If you have both installed on the same machine, you will have crashes on both Mozilla and Netscape. The problems are on the mail and the sidetab features. Also, people who use the same profile with Netscape 7 and Mozilla 1.0RC2 have reported big time crashes with both installed on the same machine.

[MarkA]

Okay, thanks for the warning Brian!

[Brian Rector]

I had trouble with Netscape 7 PR1, so I uninstalled it and installed Mozilla 1.0 RC3. I even had to delete the profiles in Mozilla and start from fresh. I am very impressed so far with Mozilla. For one thing, I am happy I dont have all that AOL crap with Mozilla.

[MarkA]

Mozilla sure is nice!

[Brian Rector]

Found this at Mozilla.Org:

Mozilla's 1.0 party in San Francisco

http://mozilla.org/party/2002/flyer.html

[Mark Holtz]

I've installed Netscape 7PR1 here at work. Among some of the changes:

* Finally being able to modify the account name/server settings for a mail account without recreating the account. (Somehow, this was missing from Netscape 6).
* ICQ and AIM implementation built in.
* Faster startup.

And, that's only a casual looksie.

[Brian Rector]

One thing about Mozilla: If you do have it, get the SkyPilot skin. This skin looks awesome. IMHO, the only other cool skin out there for Mozilla/Netscape is the Toy Factory skin.

I have went ahead and cancelled my AOL subscription via The Microsoft Network's TrueSwitch. I got tired of the spam and also.....it totally refuses to connect to my second PC, which has made a family member of mine very unhappy. The move wont be made official till about a month from now.

I will still have The Microsoft Network and a real ISP for access to the Internet. I have to wait a few days for the ISP's software to arrive in the mail.

[lee635]

One of the features of IE that I like is that it can remember your passwords for various websites. Has Netscape integrated any sort of feature such as that into their latest release?

[Brian Rector]

Netscape 6 and 7 do have that capability to remember passwords.

On the AOL cancellation news: I havent had any of my AOL mail forwarded to me via MSN yet. Its only been 15 hours since I cancelled via TrueSwitch, so I am not gonna worry about it. The only thing I do want to avoid is calling AOL about cancelling. The experience of cancelling AOL via telephone is so bad (I have heard horror stories from other members) that it makes a root canal seem more appealing. Here's a little what I expect if I should call:

AOL: Hello, welcome to AOL. I am Johnny Slowpokewhocouldcareless. Please hold

(Holding for 30 minutes while music of William Shatner singing "I Am Your Child" and Mama Cass's "Jailhouse Rock" plays in the background)

AOL: Sorry sir, can I help you?

Brian: I want to cancel my membership to AOL

Aol: Sir, you do know that youre gonna miss AOL when you go back to using inferior technology such as a ISP. Keep on being a AOL member. Okay? Good, I will go ahead and notate in the computer...

(Notice that I didnt give an approval. This actually happened when a AOL rep refused to process my cancellation request to AOL's phone service)

Brian: "Sorry, I want to cancel"

This goes on for half an hour....makes watching that one episode of Shangri-a Plaza look so much like Seinfeld.

Eventually, I would be asked to enroll to every program AOL has or will have.

The usual goal of a CSR at AOL is to make the caller so tired of being on the phone that he or she agrees to actually stay on for another year.

[Steve Mehs]

The one thing I wish Netscape would add is the full screen feature like IE has. I know you can collapse the toolbars but I like just hitting F11

[Brian Rector]

Mozilla fans: Version 1 is finally out!!

[MarkA]

"The one thing I wish Netscape would add is the full screen feature like IE has. I know you can collapse the toolbars but I like just hitting F11"

In Mozilla you can, so I don't see why you wouldn't be able to in Netscape7 (though I don't have it)