Today may mark a watershed for web designers and users. America Online, Inc. released a preview version of its Netscape web browser. The new version is based on the open-source Firefox browser; however, it has a twist: it is designed to better display and interact with websites that are designed to specifically work with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser.
Because the new Netscape browsers uses a software engine that is built into Microsoft Windows, rather than into a separate application, the browser will only be released for Windows users, no Unix or Mac versions are planned. Users will have greater control over security details than if they were to use Microsoft’s browser; for example, pop-ups, cookies, ActiveX, JavaScript, and Java may each be individually tweaked for each website visited.
The new preview version is being released to a select group, and a public release is expected early next year.
Dave’s Comments
One of the difficulties I face, both in the office and at home, is dealing with websites that are designed around Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser and drop out when I visit them using Opera or Firefox. Maybe this new version of Netscape will balance IE’s popularity with sound security.
Call for Comments
What do you think? Leave your comments below.
References
Netscape Network
I think Netscape allowing for IE to render websites is not that big of a deal.
Firefox has an extension called IEView which allows a user to easily browse any website in IE when it is called for.
Opera also has a few different ways a user can easily access IE for the currently open webpage, as well.
So, this is being overly hyped as something novel, I believe.
I think you misunderstand. The user can switch to using Microsoft’s IE ActiveX control, which is the same engine used by IE, security risks and all.
I don’t think this will hurt or help Firefox or IE. I think the people it’s geared toward don’t really care about what’s powering their browser as long as it works.