Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

I'm downloading NS6 right now, as it has finally been released. I'v tried some of the nightlies at http://www.mozilla.org and liked what I saw.

What do you think of it?

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James Hromadka
Old Friend

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

I think Netscape is dead in the water. NS6 is a buggy pre-release. I realize that a stable Mozilla platform is still a ways a way, but releasing buggy software is a no-no.

That said, I hope it helps Netscape gain a bit more of the browser market back.

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We're all naked if you turn us inside out.
-David Byrne

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

I think the most troubling aspect to NS6 is the new odd ball rendering engine. Many sites (including a few I designed) look deformed. And there doesn't seem to be a possible fix. I've tried reformatting my tables and margins, but nothing seems to correct this problem. I have even tried optimizing my HTML code strictly for NS, under Dreamweaver, and still no success. Meanwhile, I have clients knocking on my door asking me what's up with their sites. After sending 3 emails to NS's support center, I received no solution.

IE5 may not be pretty, but it certainly has a better rendering engine.

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My blog: Pocketfactory

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 3

I was a Netscape fan. But all the Mozilla pre-releases and the poor excuse that just came out now (NS6) is really crappy.

Crashes, won't access some secure websites I visit...really upsetting.

Although I thought the themes were pretty cool for it. Maybe the next version will take care of the bugginess.

Registered: Sep 2000
Location:
Posts: 117

dr. watson

I can't even get it to start up without an exception on W2K. I'm going to have to see if I can find Navigator 4.08 to reinstall.

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

quote:

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IE5 may not be pretty, but it certainly has a better rendering engine.

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We're all naked if you turn us inside out.
-David Byrne

Registered: Jan 2000
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 1683

Well, here I am using NN6 (mac). Not too bad. A few gotchas (I hate the way it renders form elements COMPLETELY differently) but so far so good.

Most of my sites game through to NN6 unscathed.

Oops...spoke too soon. DHTML is dead. Damn.

Back to the books...

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We're all naked if you turn us inside out.
-David Byrne

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 2

Well, I used to be a Netscape afficionado but when I started developing ecommerce and dhtml based web sites I rapidly went off it - doubling my workload to write code which works in *bith* the popular browsers was a nightmare... Basically, I guess I just want ONE standard - and I have to say I love IE's active x components as do my clients.

Still, without wanting to get involved in a Netscape vs IE flame (remember the old Amiga vs ST days anyone) I thought I'd give it a shot.

Unstable, slow and some of my fave sites just didn't render proporly. Admittedly this could be due to non-standards based coding / ie specific html etc but they work fine in IE5, so I guess I'll stick with the Micro$oft solution.

It's an interesting reversal of fortunes - I worked for a major UK isp when IE4 rolled out in its initial incarnation, and rapdily killed many a pc with its famed blue screen of death / active desktop crashes. At that Netscape looked like the only stable alternative...

While NS6 crashes aren't as bad as the ones that first release IE4 exhibited, they're still a big enough pain to mean that I've now unistalled NS6, depsite its sleek sexy appearance.

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Mark Ormerod
"In the end you get what everyone gets... you get a lifetime"

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 2

Oh yes, and it completely buggers up 90% of my DHTML. And there is no room for error (agree here with Homer). One unlosed tag and the page is screwed....

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Mark Ormerod
"In the end you get what everyone gets... you get a lifetime"

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 3

After posting my original message I went to work and tried to install NS6 on my W2K machine....doesn't even start as previously posted earlier in this thread.....

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Dallas-area, Texas
Posts: 82

It's a lot more stable than the Mozilla prerelease I had. And a lot more stable than Communicator 4.74. I could show one layer and it would crash 4.74! 6.0 also takes forever to load and won't print any images for me. It's a step up, but not far enough.

Also, the skins aren't half bad. Aren't good enough to take 10 minutes to load, but if I've got time to kill...

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Tim
<A HREF="http://vbq1.tripod.com/"></A>

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 19

N6 won't even start up on my Win98 machine. The install seemed to go fine but it crashes when I try to load it... Oh well, at least it reverted to 4.7 when I uninstalled it. I'm only using it to test my page anyway.

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DLPanther
<a href= "http://www.dlpanther.com">DLPanther's Nonsense Page</a>
"When All Else Fails, Improvise!"

Registered: Feb 2000
Location:
Posts: 70

I've gotten NS6 up on Windows98 & Win2k. There are some sights which render so badly they are unusable. There is also a long load time. Since I am using it on fast lines (T1 & cable) downloading & changing themes is not a long process. I look forward to a more stable release, but I am still in the honeymoon phase with the interface. I was so tired of looking at the same old thing with ns 4x & IE. NS used to be my primary browser, but this one needs some work before I can count on it.

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tuffy