Test by @Macarlo
Windows 2000 Professional Beta Tester
(Screenshots by Embellish)

 Hi All.
I just tested here on my Windows 2000 Professional the latest release of Netscape 6 (Preview 3) and sincerely I'm, surprised! Netscape finally released a decent version for this new browser, that now is surfing fine! After the Preview Releases 1 and 2 I was scared and I downloaded and installed the Preview Release 3 sceptic. But when I started this one and begin a complicated tournée on the Net my opinion changed quickly! The new release is fast and reliable. " Netscape 6 - The most customizable, convenient and connected browser ", said Netscape about this browser. I suggest that you download it and judge by yourself that these words are the true. For me, is not exactly the reality, but is near the true...

But Netscape 6 have again some inconveniences: it can see correctly some forms generated by web editors that uses the latest generation of HTML code. If a banner by remote request is inserted into a cell or into a table, Netscape 6 enlarges the cell or the table and deforms the banner, as you can see in the photo below, where NS6 deforms the search box of my merchant partner Altavista (the search box runs normally but his image is enlarged:

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Netscape 6 PR2 Tested on Windows 2000 Professional

VISIT THE DEVELOPER

Another problem that I verified with this new Netscape 6 is related to his plug-ins. If you choose the recommended install when you download this release, no plug-ins or Java are selected. After the install, if you access any page that have sound or video, the browser send a banner reporting that is necessary download a plug-in and encourage you to click an address in order to suck this one. The problem is just when the plug-in page is loaded the user verifies that are available an extensive list of plug-ins but the appropriate one is not selected and the user must chose it!! In the photo below you can see the banner sent me about plug-ins when I accessed a page with sound in order to test NS6 PR3:

In the next photo below you can see the download of this new release. During the download several fractions of the PR3 will be downloaded in separate and the use can't intervene in this operation; the install is totally automated.

Technical Information by the Developer

The Internet has evolved at an extraordinary pace, and browsing software has brought easy information access to millions of people. While early browsers revolutionized the Internet, browsers have grown in size and complexity with every release and have failed to implement Web standards consistently, holding back the development of richer web applications and content.

Netscape is fulfilling its promise to deliver a new browser that is small in size, leads the industry in standards compliance and can run across a wide variety of platforms from traditional PC desktops to new computing devices. This new groundbreaking browser is Netscape 6.

Photo above shows NS6 PR3 starting on @Macarlo's Win 2000 Web IDE

What's New in Netscape 6 Preview Release 3?

Redesigned User Interface:

You'll notice that Preview Release 3 ships with an updated version of the Modern theme. Significant work has gone into creating this Modern theme with enhanced usability and design aesthetics. The basic, simplified layout of the theme has been maintained, while including many improvements that have been made in response to user feedback:

• Images have been reworked to produce a smoother, more polished appearance.
• Shading effects are used extensively to create a more three dimensional look and feel
• 3-D grooves are used to separate taskbar features and make them more "clickable."
• A print button has been added to the toolbar for easy printing.

The Modern theme gives users a browser with a fresh, unique new appearance. For traditionalists, Netscape 6 also ships with the Classic theme, which simulates the look and feel of Netscape's earlier browsers. Themes can now be easily changed via the View menu.

Address Book Sync:

Now it's easier than ever to access your important contact information from any computer connected to the Internet. With Netscape's new Address Book Sync feature, you can synchronize your Netscape 6 Personal Address Book with the Netscape Web Address Book and access your contact information on the web, using any web browser. Say you're on the road and need an important address or phone number. Since you've synched your Netscape 6 Address Book with your Netcenter Web Address Book, your address book is available through your Netcenter account. Simply log in to Netcenter from the airport, and the information is at your fingertips.

Major improvements to What's Related:

Demonstrating the advantages of Open Source development, the What's Related Tab in My Sidebar has undergone major improvements. This tab now delivers improved links that are related to the individual web page you are viewing and has also improved the user interface. So the links are better and easier to use. These enhancements were offered through mozilla.org so are available to any developers as well as within Netscape 6.

New Sidebar Tabs, including Shopping and Calendar tabs:

With over 600 tabs available for My Sidebar, the number of ways users can customize Netscape 6 continues to grow. Two new tabs of particular note are the Shopping tab and the Calendar tab. The new Shopping tab gives Internet Shoppers instant access to over 50 different shopping departments, the ability to search from a wide variety of products, and information on some hot shopping deals. The new Calendar tab lets users update and keep track of their daily appointments from within My Sidebar, so it is always with them as they browse the web, write email and work throughout the day.

During the automated install all bookmarks that you have are imported (photo above)

More about Netscape 6

Netscape 6 offers users unmatched convenience features and the ability to stay connected to important information, while offering users the flexibility to deeply customize the browser to fit their individual needs and personality. To deliver these benefits, Netscape 6 offers innovative functionality in these key areas:

• Standards support
• My Sidebar
• Search
• Same time messaging integrated with browsing and mail
• Themes
• Small download size and speed

Best standards support from desktop PCs to home appliances:

As content developers take advantage of accepted web standards, the result is a richer Internet for developers and consumers. The revolutionary Netscape Gecko Technologies, developed as an open source project, provide the basis for Netscape 6. With full support for XML, CSS level 1 and DOM (among others), a new class of rich web applications is possible. And Netscape not only delivers support for rich web content and applications across a variety of desktop platforms (such as Windows and MacOS), but also across a new class of web appliances that run on the Linux platform.

My Sidebar keeps you connected to what's important:

Located on the left side of the Netscape 6 interface, My Sidebar gives you a convenient place to keep track of the things that are important to you. Read the latest news, set up a custom stock portfolio, check your Buddy List for instant messaging, track auctions or listen to music. With nearly 600 tabs available from Netscape and third parties, My Sidebar is your customized connection to the sites and people that you care about.

My Sidebar Central brings together all the information about My Sidebar - cool tabs, how to create your own tabs for My Sidebar and the ways that you can get involved in the My Sidebar phenomenon. For more information, click here.

Hundreds of My Sidebar tabs give you the power to customize your Internet:

• Hundreds of Netscape tabs, including Stocks, News, Calendar, music and more! Instant Messaging Buddy List tab lets you keep track of your buddies and communicate with them in real time.
• Third party tabs from CBS, CNN and other web sites from around the world.
• Open architecture enables web developers to easily create My Sidebar tabs and link them from their sites.

Same time messaging integrated throughout the browser and mail:

Instant messaging is the third ‘killer app’ on the Internet, after browsing and email. Netscape 6 is the first Internet software suite to seamlessly combine browsing, email and instant messaging. You can now manage multiple email accounts and communicate with friends who use the popular AOL Instant Messenger service (over 50 million users and growing) – all in an environment integrated with the Navigator browser. With Netscape's new Address Book Sync feature, you can synchronize your Netscape 6 Personal Address Book with a Netscape Web Address Book and access your contact information via the Web, using any web browser.

Integrated communications keeps you connected:

Multiple email accounts, including Netscape Webmail and AOL email accounts Integrated instant messaging with Buddy presence in My Sidebar and Mail messages Automatic collection of contact information from the people you communicate with in the Netscape 6 address book. Address Book synchronization gives you access to your contacts on your desktop or on the Web.

Fully customizable, integrated Search:

Netscape Navigator now includes a search field in the main toolbar. That means that at any time, from anywhere on the Web, you can type what you want and click "Search" – you no longer have to take the time to load a special search page or open a frame.

This search field doubles as the web address field. So whether you have a web address, an Internet keyword or a word or phrase to search for, enter it in the search field and get what you want quickly.

Search highlights:

• Includes the Netscape Search service (powered by Google, the #1 search engine) and Netscape Open Directory Project (the #1 search directory).
• Customize with your choice of Search services.
• Search results are opened in My Sidebar, allowing you the flexibility to check multiple results without time consuming return trips to a search engine.

Themes add personality to your browser:

With Themes, you can personalize the look of your browser. Choose a custom appearance for your Netscape 6 software that best matches your personality. Web sites and businesses now have the ability and tools to create custom browsers to best communicate with their customers.

Customize the browser interface:

• Quickly and easily change the appearance of your browser.
• Any organization can create and distribute a custom browser.

For more information on Themes and how to create them,click here

Small download size and speed – quickly install the Internet software you want:

Netscape 6 is a full-featured yet lean browser that bucks the trend in software bloat. Netscape 6 was developed from the ground up to be as small as possible while still providing a rich feature set.

Small size for faster download:

Installer is less than a 300k download andallows you to customize your installation with just the components you want.

Browser is only 7.5 MB download – smaller than a comparable install of Internet Explorer.

Typical installation is9.5 MB – smaller than a comparable installation of Internet Explorer 5.5.


About Netscape 6 Preview Release 3

Netscape 6 Preview Release 3 is a pre-release version of the next generation browser from Netscape. Given its pre-release status, Netscape recommends that you install this software only if you regularly test pre-release products. Installing Netscape 6 should not interfere with current installations of Netscape software, other browsers, or your system software. However, as a precaution you should back up your system prior to installation. Downloading this version assumes you have read the licensing agreement and understand the potential issues associated with using pre-release products.

Netscape does not provide technical support for preview releases of Netscape 6. If you have a question about using a preview version of Netscape 6, try posting the question to one of the newsgroups listed at http://home.netscape.com/browsers/6/feedback/.

@Macarlo, Inc.
@Macarlo's Shareware & Web
OS/2
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