The new Netscape browser: Does it stand a chance?

Netscape has launched version 8.0 of their browser for Windows PCs. Netscape almost died and when we saw the news of this new version we almost ignored it. We have sentimental reasons to welcome version 8.0, though: Netscape used to be the browser back in the day and it was sad to see how it was squeezed from the market by Microsoft.

However, the market for browsers seems to be well saturated. To stand a chance of gaining market shares, Netscape 8 would have to contribute something unique. Does it?

A combination of Firefox and Internet Explorer

The browser doesn't even have its own engine. On most sites it uses a Firefox engine that's embedded in the Netscape software, but when a site is deemed relatively safe, it uses the Internet Explorer engine.

The combination of the two engines is a security measure. Netscape 8 also utilizes trusted security partners and your own trust ratings to give each web site a security rating. This is presented by Netscape as a great improvement, and compared to the security of Internet Explorer it is a positive development. I would rather surf the web without bothering with security certificates using Firefox, though...

Integrated searching

There is a search box integrated in the main browser menu bar. You get to choose to search in Google, AskJeeves, AOL and Netscape. Given that Google powers Netscape and AOL, this leaves you with only two real choices. Where are Yahoo, MSN, Dictionary.com, Wikipedia and others?

This feature is similar to the search box found in Firefox. But Firefox gives you more real choices and you also get to customize the choice of search engines and services.

Tabbed browsing

Netscape 8 features tabbed browsing. It would be pointless if it didn't, since this is obviously going to be the standard. You can configure how and when new tabs are opened. Like in Opera, you can save groups of tabs to open all your favorite web sites when you open the browser. And you can

Cool tool: the MultiBar

The only really cool thing about Netscape 8 is the so called MultiBar which condenses multiple toolbars and gives you quick access to them with one click. In this way you can regain much needed space in the browser window and at the same time have easy access to lots of useful features directly in your browsers.

The MultiBar can be configured and you can display RSS feeds directly in the browser bar. You can add as many as ten different browser toolbars, many of them with local information like weather, shopping and maps. These only work for US residents, though.

Security trouble

Netscape 8's solution to the security issue with trusted sites seems like only half a solution. The emphasis on security in their browser release information also seems like a bad idea when, only hours after the launch, they Netscape was forced to release a patch, fixing several bugs, some of them serious security holes.

The reason for some of these security problems seems to be three critical flaws that were fixed in the Firefox 1.0.4 update released earlier this month. This fix was not added to the Netscape 8 code.

Does it stand a chance?

There are some good ideas in this browser, though and it has a good looking and uncluttered user interface and features that makes life easier for those of us who live in our lives online.

It would be a real surprise if Netscape 8 gains a large following. The disciples of Firefox are religious about it and the friends of Internet Explorer are mostly too lazy or unknowledgeable to download and install a new browser.

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