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AOL Preparing Netscape Browser 9.0

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

February 5, 2007, 2:31 PM

Although it hasn't seen a major update in well over a year, the Netscape browser is about to get a makeover, according to a teaser posted to the Netscape blog. Version 9.0 of the software, which AOL reincarnated in 2005, is due in the coming months.

An AOL spokesperson declined to discuss specifics with BetaNews just yet, but a number of things are already known about Netscape 9. Most notably, the browser will have deep integration with the new Netscape.com user-driven news site that debuted last year and mirrored the functionality of Digg.com.

Also, developers say it will remain a standalone product built atop Mozilla's Firefox code base; it will not contain a mail client or Web page editor. Instead, the browser will integrate a number of different Firefox extensions that relate to Netscape.com, including a Friends' Activity Sidebar and Sitemail Notifier.

While version 8 of Netscape was largely outsourced to Mercurial Communications, AOL has created its own development team for 9.0. The new browser will now be cross-platform, compatible with Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. Smaller features are getting focused on for 9.0, such as a redesign of Netscape's FTP view.

When it was first reborn, the Netscape Browser was intended to be a friendlier version of Firefox, adding more privacy features and phishing protections, as well as the option to render pages using Internet Explorer's Trident engine for compatibility. The software included a "Trust Rating" system that warned users of potentially dangerous Web sites.

However, uptake was slow as Firefox adoption soared, leading many to speculate the effort would simply be abandoned. Now, it seems AOL ostensibly plans to pitch Netscape 9 as a complementary desktop application to Netscape.com.

Netscape developers plan to publish new information about version 9.0 each week on the Netscape Blog.

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By ds0934

posted Feb 6, 2007 - 2:17 PM

Netscape? AOL? In the same sentence? In 2007? Wow.

Score: 0

By marbles333

edited Feb 6, 2007 - 1:33 PM

Lets sort this out.
Netscape Communications Corporation still exists as a holding company to produce its services. AOL is the parent company. Their interests remain seperate. You don't call AOL "Time Warner" because its owned by it, so why call Netscape "AOL" when it has its own division.

Netscape 8 is terrible because it was produced by Mercurial Communications, who didn't really do a good job. Netscape 9 however sees a return to in-house production with some of the original programmers, and has been influenced by months of comments and feedback posted on Netscape's community support board. In addition, the latest Netscape Suite, Netscape 7.2, will also become supported again.

Since Firefox was created from Mozilla, and Mozilla outsourced by Netscape in the first place in 1999, Netscape have every right to use the source code it released, as written in the Netscape Public Licence. If it wasn't for Netscape, there would be no Firefox. Netscape chose to release its code because IE was getting extremely dominant, and NS felt that, even if it couldn't provide a good enough browser itself, the code it could release would help beat IE usage shares. It has suceeded very postively, even though its not Netscape cashing in the usage shares anymore.

The Netscape.com portal is developed separately from the Netscape series of browsers, i.e. different team. Since its relaunch, it has become more popular, and makes NO mention of AOL (except AIM Mail - which replaced Netscape Mail, although it doesn't actually use the name "AOL"). Infact check the site all the way through. No mention of AOL whatsoever.

AOL Browser is written on Trident (IE rendering engine), whereas Netscape uses Gecko (also used in Mozilla, Firefox), and obviously Gecko is the safer and more pleasurable of the two. AOL have signed a multi-million deal which forces them to distribute Internet Explorer-based products until 2010, which after that date it may decide to use Netscape instead.

The UI in the Netscape browsers is completely optional. In setup of Netscape 8, you can opt which theme you wish to use, and by default, the "Winscape" (ordinary) theme is checked. With a bit of tinkering, you can remove anything you don't want on it.

Score: 0

By pigloo99

posted Feb 6, 2007 - 6:59 AM

AOL is awful

Score: 0

By luchalibre

posted Feb 6, 2007 - 1:47 AM

Anyone been to the Netscape.com site lately? Might as well call it AOL too.

Not long ago I tried their AOL Browser. Sweet.. but way too AOL-centric and not usable for someone who isn't using AOL services. They apparently are going to do the same with the Netscape browser but with Netscape.com being so AOL-centric, what's the point? It'll just be another branded browser to a site that slowly no longer holds any meaning to the old Netscape legacy.

Both of the sites (netscape/aol) are also slowly moving away from standards. Try accessing aol/netscape mail with Opera and you'll get a small list of supported browsers. This is true on a number of AOL services.

Since AOL has made the move to the web, their arrogance continues to display in much the same way MS's arrogance displayed a few years ago. You don't enter web services and start locking out users unless they play and pay for your wares. AOL continues to suck on both the Desktop and now the Internet but are too arrogant to get a clue.

Score: 0

By Sven123456789

posted Feb 5, 2007 - 8:49 PM

I was a netscape fan back in the day. But it became trash. Converted to mozilla than seamonkey. I have firefox 2 also. I have tried netscape 8.0 and its pretty bad. Its a aol watered down version of Firefox as everyone knows. Even if u had aol, or the netscape isp like my sister, why would u use this. It has none of the extensions or themes of firefox. But hey, they want to keep this nightmare going, let them. Everyone loves a horror story.

Score: 0

By frankwick

posted Feb 5, 2007 - 5:08 PM

They shouldn't even put AOL on this browser. It will cause confusion and make AOL-haters avoid it. Leave it branded Netscape and the browser stands a small chance of survival.

Score: 0

By treworld

posted Feb 5, 2007 - 7:55 PM

Agreed. What the hell were they thinking??? They should also stop trying so hard. Just make a simple program that doesn't use up so much system resources and the public will like it. How hard can that be? Mozilla has done the job, so why not copy them?

Score: 0

By deminicus

posted Feb 5, 2007 - 2:56 PM

what's AOL?

Score: 0

By ekkodieleman

edited Feb 5, 2007 - 3:24 PM

America Online. See www.aol.com.

Score: 0

By deminicus

posted Feb 6, 2007 - 7:02 AM

yes, sarcasm. I was trying to allude to the fact that AOL is no longer relevent. It did have its role in this whole internet thing. Socially I would call myspace the new aol, well at least that's probably where most of the demographic that fell as their customer base now reside.

Score: 0

By frankwick

edited Feb 5, 2007 - 5:12 PM

I think that was something called sarcasm.

See http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/sarcasm

Score: 0

By TomA102210

posted Feb 5, 2007 - 7:08 PM

"I think that was something called sarcasm."
---------------------------------------
Sarcasm or not, it's still good advertising for AOL.

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

posted Feb 5, 2007 - 3:26 PM

Something you'll wish you never knew about.

Score: 0

By TomA102210

posted Feb 5, 2007 - 7:10 PM

"Something you'll wish you never knew about."
--------------------------------------------
You wish. Flame away on one of the best on line services out there. I'm sure glad I found out about it and like it. And no, I'm not a newbie.

Score: 0

By wincement

edited Feb 5, 2007 - 9:26 PM

I will also join the ranks of someone who's used it, and hates it. AOL works, for the people that use it. But boy are you in trouble if you don't.

You can't get rid of the AOL virus. Instead of completely removing the program that I told the uninstaller to remove, it actually replaces the shortcuts that I deleted when I first installed it.

Aggressive adware at best. Spyware at worst.

Fortunately, they stopped doing this with their most recent software (Xdrive, Active Virus Shield, Active Security Monitor, etc.), but who knows how long that will last.

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

posted Feb 5, 2007 - 7:49 PM

"Flame away on one of the best on line services out there."

I've used it too, and yes, I have made an educated decision to say that I dislike it with a passion.

It's got the crappiest browser known to man for starters.

Then you try and get away and you can barely do that.

Score: 0

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