Netscape Browser
Developer(s) | Mercurial Communications for AOL, Netscape |
---|---|
Initial release | 8.0 (2005) |
Stable release | 8.1.3[1]
/ 2 April 2007 |
Preview release | 0.9.6[2]
/ 3 March 2005 |
Operating system | Microsoft Windows (XP, 2000, Me, 98) |
Predecessor | Netscape 7 |
Successor | Netscape Navigator 9 |
Type | Web browser |
License | Proprietary |
Website | archive |
Netscape Browser (or Netscape 8) is the eighth major release of the Netscape series of web browsers, now all discontinued. It was published by AOL, but developed by Mercurial Communications, and originally released for Windows on May 19, 2005.
Netscape Browser was the first browser of the Netscape series to be based on
As with other recent versions, it incorporates support for
Netscape Browser was succeeded by Netscape Navigator 9, which reverted to the Navigator name.
Release history and milestones
Netscape Browser version | Release date | Based on Mozilla Firefox version |
---|---|---|
0.5.6+ | November 30, 2004 | 0.9.3 |
0.6.4 | January 7, 2005 | 1.0 |
0.9.4 (8.0 pre-beta) | February 17, 2005 | 1.0 |
0.9.5 (8.0 pre-beta) | February 23, 2005 | 1.0 |
0.9.6 (8.0 beta) | March 3, 2005 | 1.0 |
8.0 | May 19, 2005 | 1.0.3 |
8.0.1 | May 19, 2005 | 1.0.4 |
8.0.2 | June 17, 2005 | 1.0.4 |
8.0.3.1 | July 25, 2005 | 1.0.6 |
8.0.3.3 | August 8, 2005 | 1.0.6 |
8.0.3.4 | August 17, 2005 | 1.0.6 |
8.0.4 | October 19, 2005 | 1.0.7 |
8.1 | January 25, 2006 | 1.0.7 |
8.1.2 | September 27, 2006 | 1.0.8 |
8.1.3 | April 2, 2007 | 1.0.8 |
The browser was finally released 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.
Features
Perhaps the most noteworthy feature introduced in Netscape Browser is the ability to use either of two
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
In Netscape version 8.1, the Security Center feature is much more integrated into the browser, and extra features, such as ID Theft Protection and Spyware Protection have been integrated.
Netscape includes a host of "widgets" designed to improve the browsing experience, including Local Weather information, Movie Times and reviews, Mapquest maps, Yellow pages, White pages, Stocks, and a City guide, all integrated into menu-enabled toolbar buttons.
Furthermore, a webmail button is included in the toolbar, which links directly to multiple webmail homepages and is configurable for multiple webmail accounts. A button to run the user's default
There are multiple smaller features included, including a shortcut menu that appears when text is selected to paste the selected text directly into a search engine of choice.
Finally, the browser includes a pop-up advertisement blocker which can be configured to allow pop-ups for individual sites, block only
Criticism
The Netscape Browser has been criticized for various reasons. Perhaps the most severe is the claim that, in contradiction to its claimed emphasis on security, its use of both the
Renderer modality problems
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".[2]
User interface issues
The optional theme "Fusion" has also been criticized because it does not conform to the Microsoft
Helper programs removed
Some users have argued the formerly included
Collection of personal information
Another criticism is that the browser collects user browsing behavior by default [6]. By default, the option "Allow Netscape to gather anonymous browser usage statistics" is enabled. The option is found in the "Advanced Settings" during installation. As many casual users may skip the dialogs during installation, this feature could be turned on in many installations of Netscape Browser. Some[who?] argue this feature should be called spyware, however this term usually applies only to software that attempts to send private information to companies often later selling this to advertisers, whereas the information collected is actually anonymous.[citation needed]
Password issues
A related possible criticism is that in the browser's password manager menu, saved passwords can be viewed in plain text. Thus, if a user has access to another's account, they could retrieve all their usernames and passwords in plain text with little effort. Further, this option cannot be turned off or removed without editing the software. This problem doesn't happen in version 8.1.3.
XML rendering issue (fixed)
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.[7] Netscape fixed the issue in version 8.0.2.
Footnotes
- ^ NS8, part 1: I need closure. Blake Ross' blog.
- ^ NS8, part 2: More horsepower than ever before. Blake Ross' blog.
- ^ Netscape Browser 8.0 Released. MozillaZine.
- ^ Netscape 8 and Internet Explorer's XML Rendering. IEBlog.
- ^ Netscape Gecko and Trident Rendering Engine Security Issues. Chris Ilias' Blog.
See also
- Netscape
- Mozilla Firefox
- List of web browsers
- Comparison of web browsers
References
- ^ "Netscape 8.1.3". 2 April 2007. Archived from the original on 7 June 2007.
- ^ "The Netscape Browser, 8.0 Beta Version 0.9.6 - based on Firefox 1.0". 3 March 2005. Archived from the original on 8 March 2005.
- MozillaZine. (2004). First Look at Firefox-Based Netscape. Retrieved December 4, 2004.
- MozillaZine. (2005). New Netscape Browser Prototype Available. Retrieved January 17, 2005.
- BetaNews. (2005). Netscape Browser 8.0 Beta Goes Live. Retrieved March 3, 2005.
- MozillaZine. (2005). Netscape Browser 8.0 Released. Retrieved May 20, 2005.
External links
- Official website , Netscape Archive
- Netscape 8 - Netscape Browser Archive, SillyDog701
- Vulnerability Report: Netscape 8.x, Secunia
Preceded by Netscape 7 |
Netscape Browser (8) | Succeeded by Netscape Navigator 9 (final) |