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This subject has been discussed before on RO, but I thought I'd bring it up on this new Mac forum.
I don't defrag my Mac. Every now and then, I just reinstall my software and get rid of stuff that I don't use much and can do without. At this time, I also check to make sure that everything is up to date.
SO ... I'm getting ready to do my reinstall thang, and have been giving thought to my browsers...
First of all, I never find myself using my Opera browser ... so it's history.
I love my iCab browser .. it's hella fast ... great for power surfing ... but it's features and usability aren't as good as IE. Definately a keeper.
But here's where my current thinking comes-in ... Netscape vs IE
In the previous RO discussion, the general concensus was that Netscape is great if you don't have IE on your Mac, and IE is great if you don't have Netscape on your Mac.
Well, I got rid of Netscape a long time ago, and IE has been pretty good. But from what I gather, iCab is supposed to be more compatible with Netscape. Also, pluginsalways come with the Netscape logo on them, so I'm wondering if they might be better suited for Netscape. I haven't used Netscape in a long time, so I obviously haven't tried the latest versions, and I've never tried Netscape without IE on my Mac.
The reason that I got rid of Netscape before was because it wreaked havoc on my Mac. However, now I'm wondering if it might be worth trying it and removing IE. I'm just a little spooked with the idea due to my previous bad experience.
So what do you think? Should I try it?

Comments

SonOfSmawg Fri, 07/05/2002 - 20:29

Well, I tried. Fucking nightmare. I couldn't get Netscape 6.2 to download. I kept getting a -1003 error. I searched for the error code but couldn't find it. I thought maybe it was a IE conflict prob, so I uninstalled everything IE and installed Netscape Communicator 4.7 from my OS 9.1 disk, figuring that if I downloaded 6.2 using Netscape it would work. No such luck.
Does anyone know what a -1003 error code is?
...And if 6.2 isn't better than this POS, I'm going back to IE. This browser blows BIG TIME. And, no, I'm not going to be a Netscape7 beta tester...lol.

SonOfSmawg Sun, 07/07/2002 - 12:48

99% of problems are solved. 6.2.3 is installed, and I like it. The error problem that I was having had to do with their installer. I did a direct full download using iGetter ... problem solved. I also just downloaded Mozilla, which I'm on right now, which appears to be Netscape in disguise ... lol. I don't see the point in keeping it, so I'm going to dump it.
I actually like Netscape 6.2.3 better than IE! I like how it's very integrated. The customizable sidebar is much nicer than IE's. Also, with all of the toolbars expanded, you are left with much more screen room than IE leaves you with. As far as appearance, Netscape is much more modern-looking, and has 5 different skins for Mac. So far, I'm happy with the switch.
The only problems I'm having are...
1. When I type in text fields, like I'm doing right now, my text is light grey instead of black. This was happening with Netscape before I installed Mozilla, and now it's happening here on Mozilla, too. In both Browsers' preferences, the text color is set to black. I have no idea how to correct this.
2. My cursor isn't blinking. It's solid.
If anyone has any ideas on how to correct these probs, please let me know.

SonOfSmawg Tue, 07/09/2002 - 06:25

Problems solved. Everything's working great. Again, so far I'm glad I made the switch to Netscape 6.2.3. I'm still getting used to it, but I really like the feel of it. It seems to run a little faster than IE did, and I haven't had any instability probs. I gotta comment on the "My Sidebar" again ... it's VERY handy ... a big advantage over IE if you're into time-saving conveniences.
The only disadvantage that this Netscape browser has, when compared to IE, is that the temps (cache and cookies) are more difficult to clear. I used to have a utility called "MacWasher" that worked real well for one-click clean-up of all that stuff, so I guess I'll get it again, or maybe find something similar. I'll scout-around and see what's available now.
BTW ... RO is my Homepage! :cool: