Tags: Microsoft

Netscape Browser Prototype based on Firefox

I got hold of the prototype Netscape Browser which is based on the Firefox platform. And I would have to say that in 2 hours of usage, I am impressed. No, it is not good enough to move me from my current primary browser Opera or the super duper Unofficial Edition of Firefox but it gives me good vibes.

It is perhaps aimed at getting the old die-hard Netscape browser fans back. It is not as bare as the official Firefox release and comes with tons of features to entice the users from other Gecko based browsers.

Some of the most noticeable features of this version were of course the unconventional interface with title bar merged with the menu bar. There are lots of buttons and some new scrolling bars. Buttons have submenus, which gives access to options normally buried deep in settings. There are RSS Scrollers displaying live news and weather information (if you feed in a ZIP code).

One of the major changes from earlier versions is the integration of Internet Explorer rendering engine as an option. Tabs get individual menus, which let user set custom settings for separate websites. Options include switching the tab to display the IE version of the loaded website. And user can setup individual settings like ActiveX, Java, JavaScript, and others for different websites using the tab menu.

As a result, it is now possible to have individual settings for each website! Microsoft sites can be loaded with IE rendering engine with ActiveX enabled. And other routine sites can be set to load in Gecko engine with separate options. New sites can be told to open in High Security Mode by default, which can later be fixed from the tab menu itself. It is like having a personalized browser for different websites. Very creative indeed.

The download is relatively heavy at 10megs+ and with no IRC, HTML Editor or Mail Client incorporated, it is on the heavy side. Maybe it would end up becoming an inspiration for more extensions for Firefox. However, it is a good effort and if the developers can improve on the interface and make it less cluttered, they have a worthy successor to Netscape legacy.