Browser wars are over!

Netscape always reigned supreme in comparison to the dreadful Microsoft browser Internet Explorer.

When Netscape was devoured and killed by AOL, the Netscape development team at Mozilla created SeaMonkey. Then Firefox from the same team, made browsing a dream, but lacked the integrated email that Netscape and SeaMonkey had. So that required using Thunderbird, a separate email program.

NOW - Seamonkey 2.0 is .. get this: A combination of Firefox and Thunderbird.
Are you dizzy yet?

AND the combo now includes the badly needed online, integrated calendar, so Lightning was embedded in Thunderbird.

So my personal experiences with the new Windows 7 operating system will immediately include launching SeaMonkey 2.0 to give me all three in one program:

SeaMonkey: Part 2 - It's a winner

As a follow-up to my post on January 26, 2007, SeaMonkey, from Mozilla, makers of Firefox, is a worthy contender for your web browsing and email management.

I mentioned my search for a replacement for the Netscape browser. It's a good product, but v. 7.2 has been crashing in many multi-media and ad-filled web sites, such as CNN. And v. 8.3 is dandy but Netscape abandoned the integrated email feature after v. 7.2.

Netscape, invented at the University of Illinois, used to be the dominant browser in the PC marketplace, until Microsoft embedded IE on every computer sold. Even the US Justice Dept. couldn't manage to unravel that theft of market share. Netscape remained relatively safe from hackers, offered tabbed browsing, robust email with an excellent junk filter, labels to sort mail by priority and sub-folder support.

I started looking for a replacement because I also need Netscape's Composer feature to edit web pages and publish them on the fly. The HTML editor was unique to Netscape. Copy-cats IE and Firefox didn't add that to their browser, and never figured out a way to include integrated email.

So I downloaded SeaMonkey and recommend you do the same. While Firefox is a dandy browser, SeaMonkey's integration of browsing and a terrific email program is a real asset. The download is quick. You can get it here: http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/.

It completely configured itself - importing bookmarks, address book, email settings and took about ten minutes. If you're not sure you love it, don't make it your "default" browser, and you can always go back to old habits. But SeaMonkey, which is a Firefox product, is finally one program for all web needs. I recommend it. To prove how closely these products are based on Netscape, SeaMonkey looks EXACTLY like Netscape 7.2, except for the logo.

SeaMonkey

Our loyalty to Netscape as the most secure browser, with best features, is likely coming to an end.

I'm currently evaluating SeaMonkey from Mozilla as an alternative.


Many clients report Netscape crashes when opening web pages that are created with advanced graphics, flash screens end embedded video.

Netscape v. 8.3 is stable, but many of us are holding on to v. 7.2 because it is the last version to include email. Newer versions are browser only, exactly like IE and Firefox.

But Netscape was always fantastic. It was relatively safe from hackers, offered tabbed browsing, robust email with an excellent junk filter, labels to sort mail by priority and sub-folder support.

Then there was the outstanding ability to edit web pages and publish them on the fly. I used this feature every week. The HTML editor was unique to Netscape. Copy-cats IE and Firefox didn't add that to their browser, and couldn't seem to figure out a way to include email.

SeaMonkey, from the original makers of Netscape looks like a good replacement. You can download the product here: http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/
or wait til I have a chance to conclude a 30-day test of the program. Write to me at Helen@cclarity.com if you have questions or opinions about SeaMonkey.