RSSOutsourced Netscape Merges Firefox, IE
By Nate Mook | Published November 30, 2004, 11:00 AM
AOL has unveiled a prototype of its revived Netscape Browser, which serves as a test bed for several new features. The new Netscape is based on Firefox, but with a twist - it includes support for switching to Microsoft's IE engine.
BetaNews has also learned that Netscape's development was not done in-house by AOL, but rather outsourced to Canadian software firm Mercurial Communications.
The Netscape prototype is built upon Mozilla Firefox 0.9.3, which means it utilizes the same user interface toolkit and Gecko browser engine. The browser's theme has been redone to match Netscape's traditional green style and, as expected, customized Netscape-specific extensions have been added to the toolbar offering weather and news headlines.
Surprisingly, Netscape now includes the ability to swap rendering engines, using Internet Explorer in lieu of Mozilla's Gecko. AOL tested similar browser agnostic functionality dubbed Komodo in 2001, but eventually dropped plans to integrate the technology into its AOL client, which solely uses IE.
Like Maxthon and Avant Browser, Netscape loads Microsoft's IE ActiveX control within the browser interface to perform IE rendering.
A source close to the company said AOL opted to include IE engine support in order to offer users more choice, as some sites are optimized for certain browsers. But to avoid security vulnerabilities found in IE, Netscape "gives the user the choice through Site Controls of what sites they trust and don't trust by allowing them to turn off Web functionalities that expose security holes on a per site basis," the source told BetaNews.
Security is a major focus of the Netscape prototype. AOL has expanded Firefox's tabbed browsing to include security settings that apply to a single Web page. In addition, a new "anonymous mode" clears all history and cookies upon Netscape's exit.
By building such added features onto Firefox and offering Internet Explorer compatibility, AOL hopes to reinvigorate a browser whose appeal faded long ago. Netscape has received little attention since the release of 7.0 in August 2002, and its market share has dropped to single digits.
To bring Netscape back to life, AOL tapped Mercurial instead of attempting to rebuild a development team that now leads Mozilla-based efforts including Firefox. In a Web log posting, Firefox developer Blake Ross wrote that AOL was even offered the browser, but the company rejected it.
AOL said Mercurial was an "important technology partner" on the Netscape browser, but would not offer any specifics. Coincidentally, Mercurial has also been working with Microsoft, according to a company news release.
Nonetheless, the new Netscape team is excited at its prospects. With the prototype out the door, development plans include improving the user interface and expanding toolbar functionality. The underlying Firefox core will also be updated to the final 1.0 release when Netscape makes its official public debut.
Eric Steil contributed to this report.
Netscape seems to work okay. The Tabs are a nifty feature with all your webpages loading at once when set to homepage. I've only come across one bug where a lot of the icons in the toolbar didn't load and I was unable to use any buttons. It appeared jammed but I could still use the net!
I really don't like the green layout with the 3D buttons though. I'd prefer windows default classic. Also, having the menus on the top right of the browser just seems morally wrong when used on Windows.
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|can someone put it on their web site for download, i would like to try it and does this mean that you can use the windows update site within netscape becasue it uses the ie engine
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|This is quite possibly the dumbest idea that AOL has ever had. If I need to use IE for a specific reason...I will just open up IE. Why permanently ruin a clean browsing experience with a bloated pile of junk like this. Firefox reigns king now...deal with it.
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|Right now, even with the uglier interface it's more attractive than FF at the moment. Why? Because it supports tabs the way it should be. Those tabbed-browsings hacks (ahem, I mean "extensions") for FF don't help much, as they lack expected usability.
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|Check out Tabbrowser Extension for Firefox (and don't make the mistake of thinking I mean Tabbrowser Preferences). It's got more functionality in tabbing recources than any other client I've ever used (ie: Avant, Opera, Maxthon, etc etc etc...). After trying it, then come back and tell me it doesn't satisfy your complete tabbing needs.
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|That is very good! Thanks for pointing it out. Now FF just needs to change Ctrl+N to open a new Tab and it's good to go. :)
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|Use Key config
http://mozilla.dorando.at/
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|Nice! Now to compare some RAM usage... :)
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|I just downloaded the prototype from FileForum a few hours ago, now the article has no reference to it and and the download page is gone. It looks promising, and it actually works with my systems at work. Firefox 1.0 won't, probably because of ActiveX. Using the IE engine with this prototype worked, but then it crashed. I guess I'll try it again when there's a more stable version. For now I use Maxthon at work, and Firefox 1.0 at home.
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|Hi,
Ya I noticed it was gone too. That sucks I was just about to send out a rave review to all my friends and now I have to track down a download URL or host it myself :). AOL has a long track record of releasing software, saying screw it and pulling projects (waste, and nutella for example), although this time I think their motives are very different. Netscape can create hysteria for their product by a false sense of scarcity. This is too bad though, it's so good on it's own they don't need any sneeky tactics (bloody marketing).
Cheers,
Christian Blackburn
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|Okay it might be on emule, but it's not reasonably available on the web anymore. I tried searching on FileSearching.com, Google.com, and Netscape.com.
Cheers,
Christian Blackburn
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|Hello Again,
Okay I think this text from Slashdot.org says it all "...The browser is currently available for a limited download." So they planned on having a small populous test it first.
Cheers,
Christian Blackburn
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|This was a prototype release intended for a limited test group - only users who pre-registered are allowed to download. Signup instructions were included in the previous article:
http://www.betanews.com/...efox_Backing/1100641540
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|yeah but there isnt going to be a complete blackout. netscape arent that good. has ANYONE got a copy the cand put on torrent or what have you?
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|http://gemal.dk/blog/200...ape_browser_screenshots/
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