Manage updates with the Download AppCNET Editors' review
The new Netscape Navigator takes a Firefox foundation, some neat Sidebar innovations, and an inside track to the Netscape.com social-networking and news site to create a browser that has some great features with minimal wonkiness.
Netscape.com is a huge part of the new Navigator: some new features might not be of interest if you don't hang out there. The Share button inside the address bar connects you directly to Netscape.com. Highlight content from the page and hit Share. The content becomes a summary, in a box that just needs a few tags to be submitted to the collective. Already-posted articles show Vote and Discuss icons instead of Share.
Bookmarks and History are self-explanatory sidebars, but a series of Netscape.com-related ones work well, too. Netscape Friends' Activity shows you what your friends have been doing, Netscape Tracker tracks the latest site updates, and Netscape News tracks only news posts. Non-Netscape.com users--a small, rebellious group, no doubt--will appreciate the Mini-Browser sidebar, which is essentially two tabs opened simultaneously, and the Link Pad, a savable URL notepad. Drag-and-drop adds a URL, clicking on the saved link opens it in a new tab. This is one of Navigator's new tricks that we love, but wish had more traditional notepad functionality. All Sidebar features have toolbar icons that you can add at will.
Most of the bundled features from version 8 have been removed. IE mode, integrated AOL IM, RSS reader, form filler, and security suite are gone, but the compatibility with Firefox 2 extensions and LinkPad more than make up for the loss. The innovations here might make this more than a backup browser.
Publisher's Description
From Netscape Communications:
In addition to high-speed browsing and instant-messaging capabilities, Netscape features one-click searching from the address bar; Quick Launch, which reduces the browser start-up time; Click-to-Search, which allows users to select a word within a Web page and search; improved instant messaging, including support for buddy icons, file transfers, and buddy alerts; and tabbed browsing, which allows users to view multiple Web pages in a single browser window.
Netscape 8.0 offers enhanced protection for phishing and other security threats. New features include extended address-bar searching, enhanced tabbed browsing, and improved downloading.
Note: The Download Now link will download a small (288KB) installation file to your computer. Remain connected to the Internet and double-click the installation file.
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All versions:
3.7 starsout of 378 votes
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Current version:
3.3 starsout of 107 votes
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My rating:
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"Forget Netscape 8- use Netscape Navigator 9 only-"
Version: Netscape 8.0.1
Pros
Netscape 8 installs and runs alongside Netscape 9. Apart from that nothing.
Cons
Netscape 8 is very very very slow. Does not play videos because it does not the recognise the Adobe flash players. Worst web browser ever,so far.
Summary
Netscape 8 has both the IE engine and the Firefox engine in one browser. But it is very very slow. Slower than IE ever was, or any other browser I have tried for that matter. And you cannot play videos in Netscape 8 unless you install both Adobe flash player Active X for Internet Explorer and the Adobe flash player plug in for Firefox. But the download was so slow, I just gave up waiting for it to download the flash player. AND I already have both flash players installed(I have Safefox, a Firefox browser and Internet Explorer) anyway, and all my other web browsers recognise the flash players except Netscape 8. Netscape 8, and previous versions install alongside your existing Netscape 9. So you can use both Netscape 8 and 9 together on the same computer. But what is the good if it does not work? Also I hated the online spyware security scanner built into Netscape 8 that told me I had 3 infected files and wanted to remove them. But NO WAY,I would not let it. As Windows Defender told me I had NO spyware and I trust Windows Defender more than a web browser that does not even work properly. And also Netscape 8 and previous versions,7,6 and 4 installs a lot of extra unwanted software that is out of date and useless.Such as Macomedia Flash player 8(out of date),which broke the flash players in my other web browsers. And so I had to reinstall those again. Also Netscape 7 and 6 install Real Player 8(out of date) and a very old version of Aol Messenger no longer supported. Netscape 9 is fine as you just get the browser and is based on Firefox 2. But FORGET NETSCAPE 8 and the earlier versions 7,6 and 4. They are TERRIBLE browsers.If you must use Netscape stick with Netscape Navigator 9 only,which is the only version of Netscape worth using. And if you want a browser with a combined IE and Firefox engine go for Web Spirit or Lunascape which are decent and very good browsers. Not this Netscape 8. STAY AWAY FROM THIS BROWSER. Andrea Borman.
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"Slow Cold Boot and Firefox Engine"
Version: Netscape 8.0.1
Pros
Netscape is relatively secure because it is built off of the Firefox engine, which is extremely secure. For trusted websites, Netscape uses the Internet Explorer engine for maximum compatibility. It supports a Multibar, which is a toolbar that you can switch panels from (so called trays). RSS Feeds can be read and it is like Firefox.
Cons
Installation fails easily. It is slow to start.
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"Netscape just keeps getting better and it's my favourite web browser"
Version: Netscape 8.0.1
Pros
I am so impressed with the latest version of Netscape web browser. That I have chosen it to be my default web browser. I love the latest Netscape version because of the new security features like the Security Center. Which shows user the status of security protection and will automatically let you know when there is a problem. I also love the new spyware & adware protection in the latest Netscape. It allows users to scan download files from the web and also omplete memory and disk scans. I also like the improved phishing protection in the latest Netscape web browser and the Security Center will warn users if there's any phishing dangers. Besides these new security features, the latest Netscape web browser has improved tabbed browsing and dramatically improved the performance of Netscape. It rarely crashes now compared to the previous version.
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"Brilliant new version, many new, effective features"
Version: Netscape 8.0.1
Pros
This version of netscape is simply brilliant. The new and added security features allow for the user to feel safer and more secure whilst browsing the internet. The really impressive thing about this updated version, is the built-in spyware and adware scanner. The free netscape scanner picked up two keyloggers and three adware programs, which webroot spy sweeper did not pick up. Also the search is very thorough, and may take a while to complete depending on the amount of files on your computer. Another great feature is that it can be displayed like IE (internet explorer), which resolves display errors sometimes, and also allows for windows updates.
Cons
The only issue that occurred to me was the issue that it isn't as fast as firefox, which itself is brilliant.
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"Still the worst alternative browser ever - and the years roll on"
Version: Netscape 8.0.1
Pros
It has an auto sign-in for user names and passwords - that's all it's good for
Cons
It is SLOW SLOW SLOW, Splash Screen, doesn't display some web pages still (you'd think they would have fixed this ONE basic web browser requirement after all these years! It has too much complication. It becomes plain ANNOYING to use. Stick with IE. IE is the standard.
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"Nice browser but will prefer to work on my opera."
Version: Netscape 8.0.1
Pros
1.facilities like mail checking directly without going to the site of your HTTP mail server(gmail,yahoo).
2.greatly customisable eg. news headlines etc.
Cons
1.Not as fast as opera.
2.Ostentatious but not upto mark,it slows the computer and also takes a longer time to load and start.
3.no in-built feed device.
4.crashes,buggy.
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"Nice Upgrade From Netscape"
Version: Netscape 8.0.1
Pros
It's been a while since I last used a Netscape browser, so I was pleasantly surprised with this version. Here's what I liked:
- Gecko and IE engines
- Tabs
- Multiple custom toolbars
- Custom sidebar
- Fusion Theme is nice
Cons
- Uses lots of RAM (Not a problem for me)
- Ugly splashscreen (Easy to change)
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"Its just FireFox with a Netscape skin."
Version: Netscape 8.0.1
Pros
Its built off FireFox.
Looks and feels like a Netscape browser.
Cons
Its just FireFox with a Netscape skin. There is no more "Netscape" browser...its just another FireFox version.
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"Very efficient, nice design, easy to use, and great browser."
Version: Netscape 8.0.1
Pros
Skins to chose from. Easy to use. Has easy search method. Has a great download manager.
Cons
Made from Mozilla.
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"love it, but..."
Version: Netscape 8.0.1
Pros
I love the fact that the user is able to seamlessly switch between IE and Firefox browing, without having to have 2 browsers open. I LOVE the formfill that netscape has implemented.
Cons
Nothing fancy about interface. Crashes too often. I hate the fact that it eats up twice as memory as any other browser (avant, ie, firefox).
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