Netscape 8 beta is out

After a long restricted testing period, Netscape8 beta has been released to the public.
It is based on Firefox1.0, thus not as safe as Firefox1.01.
If you have not been in the testing, it will throw you for a loop and a half.
Get used to the View|Toolbars|Customize, and you are not obligated to use everything you get. and, get used to the multibaron the left side.
My most annoying experience has been with the Tabs. The least troublesome way is to set up Tools|Options|Tab browsing to open in new window, and into blank. The pregiven Site Controls are an abhomination. Too many, and too many opening with IE engine. I want to emphasize what I told elsewhere, to open with IE engine, does not mean open with IE, as it is done with the extension for Firefox, which opens the IE browser. In this case, it uses the engine just like AOL, and other IE-derived browsers. It makes a difference to me, at least.

 

One bug found. It may have existed before, but this time I selected to sign me on with the Passcard info. At no time, I was given the chance to sign on, but I kept losing chances. I exited, and went to another forum, and, there not only I was not signed on, but it blinked repeatedly, as if I was trying, but I was stuck. I was, finally, able to sign on after removing all passcard information.
Oh, yes, on my first attempt, I loaded all the tab, and NS8 closed.

 

It crashed.... it froze... it would not let me enter my personalized Yahoo page... it continued to ask to be the default after I repeatedly made it the default... my back and forward buttons on the tool bar and on the mouse would not function... in short... it is not even close to being in FF's league. I dumped it after an hour. Maybe the next version?

 

Well.... apparently things have settled down once I uninstalled and re-installed the browser.

I'm curious about something though: the cookie manager. It doesn't seem to be as sophisticated as the one in Firefox. What am I missing? In FF I can add exceptions (ALLOW) to a filter and in so doing, I am able to delete all my cookies when I close my browser with the exception of my ALLOWED sites. Where is this allowed in the new browser?

 

Speaking of Netscape's 8.0 beta, is there any reason for a Firefox user with the IE View extension to use it? I don't really care for up to 10 different toolbars or whatever--I keep my FF lean and mean looking. With IE View, the need for a browser that runs both IE and Gecko engines is limited. I'm not trying to run Netscape down at all--I respect anything or anyone that engendered Mozilla. I'm just wondering if all the hoopla is worth a d/l and a try. Perhaps users of both can let me know what I'd be missing by not trying it?

 

Paul,

This is very much a Beta Release, and unless you want to be a tester, you might want to wait for the final release...

Ramona

 

Hmm ok Ramona. I did read the release notes and I saw some flaws w/ the password manager, etc. Oh well. Now that I'll have a few extra months to think about it (if I do wait for the actual release), my curiosity will reallyl be picqued. I guess I was just used to Phoenix/Firebird/Firefox being "beta," yet so fun to use.

 

James,.
take a look at the Site Controls. That feature stinks, because you can remove them, and they will be back the next time. But, cookies for their allowed site are not present, unless you visit the site. I, just, do not like to have a ton of websites which I may never visit in the Site Controls.

 

Paul,

I didn't want to discourage you from using the Beta, just a warning that it will not be a smooth running browser. I am somewhat discouraged and do hope that AOL does some hard work on this browser before releasing the final version.

Ramona

 

Does anyone have some insight (or know where I may find it) into adding all the search engine choices found in Firefox to the new beta netscape? I am thinking it would be the same as adding search engines to FF??


EDIT

Okay I just tried adding by clicking on the Mozilla site to NS 8 and it doesn't work. Apparently this is going to require editing something somewhere....

 

WindsorFox,

Copy the searchplugins folder from your Firefox Program File folder, and paste it into your Netscape 8.0 Beta Program File folder.
OR
There is an extension called Mycroft which you can use to add Search Engines:
http://mycroft.mozdev.org


Ramona