Netscape 8.1.3

Slow to Start Up

It takes a little extra time to start up Netscape 8.x, compared to other web brosers like Netscape 7.x or Firefox 2.0. But it is fast enough to access websites.

Safe Without Google Following You Around

Netscape 8.1.3 (or Netscape 8.x in general) is slow to start up, but it does not have Google Toolbar. So I use it when I do not want Google to watch my behavior on the internet. For that purpose I use Opera and Netscape 7.0 too. Having Google watch my behavior all the time is simply too frightening since I am a webmaster. Netscape 7.0 is probably the safest because it does not have a Google search box in the first place.

A Little Confusing to Bookmark

Netscape 8.x is based on Firefox 1.x. Therefore itis a little confusing when you bookmark webpages. It is hard to understand why Firefox had to make bookmarking so cofusing.

Too Safe to Browse Websites

"Security Center" may be a useful feature of Netscape 8.x., but I have never used it. So I hide it by removing the mark next to "Security Center" in the View menu. That way you can browse without the unnecessary popup window of the Security Center.

Use of the Final Version Netscape 8.1.3 is Recommended

The final version of Netscape 8.x is Netscape 8.1.3. I feel it is a little faster to start up than Netscape 8.0 though it is not confirmed. It is a little safer as weill in regard to its vulnerability to computer viruses. Otherwise there seems to be no difference among different versions of Netscape 8.x.

Unusual Feature of Rendering Engine Switching

Netscape 8.x is unique in that it can switch between Firefox and Internet Explorer rendering engines. Since there are some websites that have problems with Firefox, it is convenient to view them with Internet Explorer without having to start it. But actually I have rarely used this feature because Firefox-unfriendly websites are becmoing extremely rare when I started to use Netscaep 8.x. in 2008.

Sennin's Shield > Computer Software > Comparing Web Browsers > Netscape 8.1.3