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[soms]

Anyone who has downloaded or used any recent release of Netscape will have noticed how very similar it is to Mozilla or Firefox.

The reason for this is that it is based on Mozilla, and susequently Firefox and is basically identical to these products except in appearance.

As a result the latest (and last) Netscape does everything Firefox does and will happily work with Firefox extensions.

Likewise Netscape Messenger 9 is basically Mozilla Thunderbird.

Suprisingly though the Netscape era has come to an end with Navigator 9 being the final release.

End of Support for Netscape web browsers

I was somewhat suprised as whilst Navigator is basically Firefox and Messenger is just Thunderbird, they were still very good pieces of software held in high regard by Netscape entusiasts the world over.

The general sense on the web is that the long running MS vs. Netscape browser war has finally come to a close with the end of Netscape altogether, which I think is very sad since Internet Explorer 7 is such a poor excuse for a web browser by comparison and only remains so popular as it the default browser in Windows.

I have noticed that the users of this forum use a variety of browsers and was curious as to what you thought about Netscape in general and its demise?

[roseway]

Surely, if Netscape is just Firefox/Thunderbird with a different appearance then nothing is lost by discontinuing it? I imagine that the owners decided that the effort of maintaining what in reality is just a niche product wasn't worth it.

You're right about IE of course, but FF and Opera provide excellent alternatives.

[kitz]

>> I have noticed that the users of this forum use a variety of browsers and was curious as to what you thought about Netscape in general and its demise?

I used Netscape for many years - starting with Netscape 2.  I can certainly remember Netscape Gold coming out around 97? and thinking it was the doggies do-dahs compared to what else was available at the time.

For many years I stuck with Netscape as my main browser - even when IE has become the most popular browser.
I stuck with it until Netscape 6 which was too big and bulky and had a few odd quirks (similar to how I feel about IE7 now) which iirc was the first time they used Mozilla.
-Although the AOL connection could perhaps have had something to do with it too in Netscape 6 - since IMHO it was AOL that ruined ICQ by putting too much bulk in that too.

[soms]

Surely, if Netscape is just Firefox/Thunderbird with a different appearance then nothing is lost by discontinuing it?

I agree. Technologically it was somewhat pointless, but I found it interesting how now was the time they called it a day for some reason.

[mr_chris]

lol.. am I the only person who gets on with IE7 here?

[jelv]

I can certainly remember Netscape Gold coming out around 97? and thinking it was the doggies do-dahs compared to what else was available at the time.

Normal or decaf?

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[roseway]

Welcome jelv.

[mr_chris]

Hehe - excellent

Howdy Jelv good to see you around here

[kitz]

oh excellent !!!

Very clever - gold navigator icons and "with java beans"



Hiya jelv and welcome