Netscape Browser |
Netscape Browser is the name of a proprietary software Microsoft Windows web browser published by America Online, but developed by Mercurial Communications. It is a continuation in name of the Netscape series of browsers, originally produced by the defunct Netscape Communications Corporation.
While Netscape Browser s version numbers start at 8, it is based on Mozilla Firefox, whereas Netscape (web browser) 6 and 7 were based on Mozilla Application Suite, itself a complete rewrite of the codebase developed in Netscape Navigator 1 through 4. As with other recent versions, it incorporates support for AOL Instant Messenger, and other AOL-related features.
=History and development=
Netscape Browser was first released on November 30, 2004 as a public prototype , with several other releases before reaching its first full release as version 8.0 on May 19, 2005. A minor update known as version 8.0.1 was released a few hours later to incorporate the key security patches added in Firefox 1.0.4.
==Release history==
*Version 0.5.6+ – November 30, 2004 (based on Mozilla Firefox 0.9.3) *Version 0.6.4 – January 7, 2005 (based on Mozilla Firefox 1.0) *Version 0.9.4 (8.0 Pre-Beta) – February 17, 2005 (based on Mozilla Firefox 1.0) *Version 0.9.5 (8.0 Pre-Beta) – February 23, 2005 (based on Mozilla Firefox 1.0) *Version 0.9.6 (8.0 Beta) – March 3, 2005 (based on Mozilla Firefox 1.0) *Version 8.0 – May 19, 2005 (based on Mozilla Firefox 1.0.3) *Version 8.0.1 – May 19, 2005 (based on Mozilla Firefox 1.0.4) *Version 8.0.2 – June 17, 2005 (based on Mozilla Firefox 1.0.4) *Version 8.0.3.1 – July 25, 2005 (based on Mozilla Firefox 1.0.6) *Version 8.0.3.3 – August 8, 2005 (based on Mozilla Firefox 1.0.6) *Version 8.0.4 – October 19, 2005 (based on Mozilla Firefox 1.0.7)
=Features=
Perhaps the most noteworthy feature introduced in Netscape Browser is the ability to use either of two layout engines to render websites — either Internet Explorer s Trident (layout engine) or the Gecko (layout engine) engine used by Mozilla and its derivatives. This is used as part of the browser s Site Controls system, which allows security settings to be altered on a per-site basis, and is also touted as a defence against Phishing and similar attacks, with both blacklists and whitelists built in and automatically updated regularly. This system decides whether a site is trusted or suspect , while only whitelisted sites use the Trident engine by default.
However, this feature is actually implemented by using the IE ActiveX control, which is composed of most of IE s architectures.
Other features highlighted by AOL s publicity include improved tabbed browsing capabilities, a toolbar system called the MultiBar , and extra support for Live Content , such as RSS (file format) feeds. In keeping with the security emphasis, a new secure form information and password management system, known as PassCard , is also included.
=Criticisms=
The Netscape Browser has come in for various criticisms. Perhaps the most severe is the claim that, in contradiction to its claimed emphasis on security, its use of both Trident and Gecko rendering engines means it unavoidably inherits all the vulnerabilities of both engines, making it potentially more insecure than either Firefox or IE on their own.
The switching between rendering engines may also confuse users, since the web browsing experience is very different depending on which is used. A standards based website will generally render better in Gecko thanks to its better standards support, but Netscape Browser renders whitelisted pages using Trident instead. As the switching is transparent to the user, users are left wondering why their experience changes randomly across different websites .
The default pale green theme, called Fusion , has also come in for much criticism, and does not conform to the Microsoft Human Interface Guidelines, either Luna or classic style; version 8.0 does however ship with an alternative theme, Winscape , which looks more like a traditional Windows application. There are also claims that the usability of the browser is reduced by not obeying standard Windows manipulations, such as double-clicking the top-left corner to close the window . Similarly, the excessive nesting of tab (GUI)s is often cited as a sign of generally poor interface design.
Inevitably, users have also criticised both the omission of associated applications such as an email client and HTML editor and the inclusion by default of features like a live weather report and news ticker. The former is argued to be a removal of functionality that loyal Netscape users have come to expect, the latter software bloat which new users will not appreciate.
Another criticism is this the browser [http://my.opera.com/larskl/journal/43 collects user browsing behaviour without user consent]. By default, the option Allow Netscape to gather anonymous browser usage statistics is enabled. The option is hidden in the Advanced Settings during installation. As most casual users will just skip the dialogs during installation, this Spyware feature would be turned on in many installations of Netscape Browser.
A few days after Netscape 8.0.1 was released, Microsoft reported the browser disables the XML rendering engine in Internet Explorer by causing IE to render XML pages as a blank page . Netscape fixed the issue in version 8.0.2.
Previous versions of Netscape browsers had the best Cross-platform support of any web browser; they were available for Windows, Macintosh, and several varieties of Unix operating systems. In contrast, Netscape 8 is Windows-only.
=Footnotes=
# [http://blakeross.com/index.phpp=69 NS8, part 1: I need closure]. Blake Ross blog . # [http://blakeross.com/index.phpp=72 NS8, part 2: More horsepower than ever before]. Blake Ross blog . # [http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/05/25/421763.aspx Netscape 8 and Internet Explorer s XML Rendering]. IEBlog .
=References=
=See also=
*Netscape *Mozilla Firefox *List of web browsers *Comparison of web browsers
=External links=
*[http://browser.netscape.com/ns8/ Netscape Browser] *[http://blakeross.com/index.phpp=68 The more things change] — Criticisms from Mozilla Firefox developer Blake Ross.|
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