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Netscape Browser Becomes 'Navigator' Again

By BetaNews Staff, BetaNews

June 5, 2007, 3:22 PM

In a blast from the past, the Netscape Browser, which was resurrected in 2005 by AOL, has become Netscape Navigator once again for version 9.0. The new release, currently in beta, brings a number of new features such as built-in news, URL correction, and link-sharing.

As expected, Netscape Navigator 9 (screenshots) closely integrates with AOL's new Netscape.com site, which lets users vote on stories and leave comments. A new Friends' Activity Sidebar and Tracker provides a quick view of recently posted news and comments on the site.

In addition, a Link Pad enables users to store interesting links that don't merit bookmarking. Navigator 9 can also run any Firefox 2-compatible extension for further customization. On the user interface side, developers have combined the stop and reload button, and brought back the "throbber" from Netscape 7.

While version 8 of Netscape was largely outsourced to Mercurial Communications, AOL has created its own development team for Navigator 9. The new browser is now cross-platform, compatible with Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.

Like version 8, Netscape Navigator 9 is built atop Mozilla's Firefox browser, but AOL has removed the option to use the Internet Explorer rendering engine.

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 plans to pitch Netscape 9 as a complementary desktop application to Netscape.com.

Netscape Navigator 9 Beta 1 is available for download from FileForum.

Add a Comment (19 Comments)

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By Dsfargeg

posted Jun 6, 2007 - 2:34 PM

"AOL has removed the option to use the Internet Explorer rendering engine."

Wow... the first time they got something right.

Score: 0

By melkor

posted Jun 6, 2007 - 3:53 PM

By removing the feature it forces people who still want it to use IE Tab, a third party extension, that they don't have to provide tech support for.

Score: 0

By acey99

posted Jun 5, 2007 - 6:13 PM

Can you say Firefox 2.0.0.4 with a few enhancements ?

why?
let it go.
there should only be FF, no Seamonkey, Netscape, etc, too many browsers to keep track of these days for developers.

Score: 0

By Sven123456789

posted Jun 6, 2007 - 4:47 PM

No seamonkey. Seamonkey is the grandchild of Netscape. Only no aol bs involved. Nothing wrong with having more choices. You don't like it, than don't try another browser.

Score: 0

By flake

posted Jun 6, 2007 - 3:12 PM

I will shoot whomever kills seamonkey.

It's the only one left with the sane and useful progress dialog for downloads. The CPU killing and less functional Goodger download manager is the only thing available on the others!

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 7, 2007 - 9:05 AM

Downthemall [Mozilla add-ons site]

Score: 0

By tenebrusmke79

edited Jun 5, 2007 - 6:11 PM

I am not going to speak for everyone (unlike someone who seems to think he's got the right to do so), so I will say that I am maybe one of the very few people who don't mind Netscape or AOL or any company for that matter.

With using Netscape Nav. 9 (as I am using it while commenting at this very moment), I have to say that I like the way it looks and how I can use Firefox extensions on it, something the older versions lacked. This version gets a 5, for that. Now, I understand that a lot of you will think I am not worth anything, and that's fine. It still doesn't mean anything to me if you think that. I will continue to use what I want to use since I am totally free to do so.

As for that, I am done.

Score: 0

By 33Nick

posted Jun 5, 2007 - 5:56 PM

So again, what's the point? After successfully suffocating Netscape and chasing everyone away into Firefox (which was good in the end), why give old Netscape a boost now that we have good working alternatives?

They certainly aren't after market shares unless they're delusional and have been for some time. AOL is too limited in scope and broad view of the future market.

And they say the man upstairs's ways are unfathomable, they never knew AOL.

Score: 0

By Metshrine

posted Jun 5, 2007 - 5:54 PM

This just in, mozilla to rename firefox back to fireberd

Score: 0

By xyzcb1

posted Jun 5, 2007 - 4:55 PM

I don't understand what was the reason why AOL bought Netscape. They bought Netscape, yet, they use IE in their own program.

I know this nothing relates to this news.

Score: 0

By Wheels of Flames

edited Jun 5, 2007 - 5:26 PM

AOL bought Netscape for the web portal site. The browser was just an insurance policy in case Microsoft tried to screw them in licensing. AOL did conduct a beta test of the AOL client with Netscape as its browser, but that had a lot of problems. I think CompuServe did have a version of their client with Netscape.

Score: 0

By Scary Guy

posted Jun 5, 2007 - 4:26 PM

Remember the days before AOL owned it? I liked using it then. I hate that company so much that I just stopped using it all together. Yes I will cut off my nose to spite my face. Firefox is better anyhow since it's open source.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

edited Jun 5, 2007 - 4:33 PM

lmao...

You *do* know Netscape is now based entirely on Firefox, right? Right down to the ability to use the Firefox extensions.

Score: 0

By Scary Guy

posted Jun 5, 2007 - 7:31 PM

Yes... yes I do. So why not just use firefox since it's also not owned by AOL and open source as well.

Score: 0

By djboo

edited Jun 6, 2007 - 4:57 AM

"So why not just use firefox since it's also not owned by AOL and open source as well. "

actually, think ull find, mozilla foundation? thats AOL. sorry bub. if u wanna go hippy friendly and not support some uber corporation, opera is your best bet. If you wanna go totally hippy, lynx is ur only real option unless ur an amiga owner.

Score: 0

By DJGM

edited Jun 6, 2007 - 2:21 PM

Correction: The Mozilla Foundation is NOT part of AOL. It never has been and never
will be. Get your bloody facts right before publicly posting untrue nonsense. Idiot!

Score: 0

By djboo

posted Jun 8, 2007 - 7:13 AM

i didnt say part of AOL, but it was created by AOL, funded by AOL, run on equiptment provided by AOL and AOL gets first dibs on the rights for commercial versions.

they just worked out a way of making mozilla/firefox AOL without the stigma of being AOL. for all intents and purposes it might as well be AOL.

If MS spun off IE to the IE foundation that was totally 'non profit' and a total seperate entity, would you beleive that clap trap either? is a marketting thing, just a good one (they good at that, look at how popular and loved firefox it is despite some clear and obvious flaws - firefox gets the praise opera deserves).

and as it seems customary to throw one word insults at the end of posts on here: Bumhead!

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jun 5, 2007 - 4:03 PM

Now, it seems AOL plans to pitch Netscape 9 as a complementary desktop application to Netscape.com.

Because, as we all know, only Netscape can render the netscape.com site (which I am sure we all visit regularly for ... well, whatever's on it) properly.

Score: 0

By JphRAWst

edited Jun 6, 2007 - 5:45 AM

i love NS8 and i hope it is still being improved. i like the fact you could add RSS feeds as buttons and read the headlines right there in the browser on the button (scrolling or ticking). that saved me plenty of useless "RSS READER" downloads. With NN9, i hate having to *click*click*click* just to see if news has been updated now. i dunno about other people but NS8 worked beautifully for me with each bug/security update. it actually got more stable with time.

the feel of NN9 is too PLAIN too "FireFoxy". the reason i didn't like FF is because it was so light weight you had to download an extention FOR EVERY SINGLE THING! man i don't have the time to browse and keep updating little tweeks and functions that should already BE IN MY BROWSER. Sure FF has an abundance of themes/extentions but themes don't make up for NS8's functionality i mean the SECURITY CENTER, AUTO-FILL options, the WEB EMAIL button that kept all your e-mail accounts, the "site to site" options, the MULTIBAR, the dual engine (which was a god send) etc. i just hope they update NS8's core to FF2 too, making it compatible with the FF extentions also, so the people who LUV the look and functionality of NS8 can download and load little extentions like "add wikipedia to Browser Search engine". or being able to "slide tabs" left or right and place them in a customer order.

I still love the netscape brand though...but NS8 was innovative, seriously. NN9 is more like FF's lil brother...
and again NN9 is not an update of NS8 but a stand alone, but i hope they make that "stand alone" live up to that name! i mean stand out, be innovate, be refreshing! i remember when NS8 moved the "menu bar" to the right side of the browser and everybody on the web sh!t there pants, and hated it completely just because of that.
but i loved that because it was taking advantage of "UN-USED/DEAD SPACE". a very innovative "UI" idea. dawg, i left IE cuz i was plain, and FF looked like IE's plain UI (i know it has themes and all) but the basic UI was/is the same! NS8 proclaimed "were're different" with it's release, and challenged what a "standard browser" should/is suppose to look and function like, and that's what impressed me about it.
NN9's not competing in the browser market by making a carbon copy of FF2. end user will be like "what's the point?"

Overall: NN9 is NOT IMPRESSIVE AT ALL! all the hype of "NN9 being sourced IN-HOUSE" made me expect WAY more NEW CAPABILITIES to BROWSE THE WEB. so far my eye browse didn't even raise a millimeter. and thats not good when it comes to a "DEBUT/MAJOR UPDATE such as this. (it is a beta though)...i and i love NS8.

Score: 0

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