goodmorphing

Join Date 03/2002

IE 6.0 ... end of the line?

I have heard from usually reliable sources that there are no plans to keep developing IE. Instead all efforts will be on the MSN Explorer. I am really hoping this is wrong...

but if it turns out to be true, what alternate browsers will fill the space... Opera? Netscape?

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Phoenix - a mozilla like browser with out all the baggage.. http://mozilla.org/projects/phoenix/phoenix-release-notes.html

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WOM

Join Date 01/2002

+253

Crazy Browser, with pop up blocking.

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goodmorphing

Join Date 03/2002

Thanks.... I find the Explorer to be somewhat lacking....

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paxx

Join Date 03/2001

It's possible. The MSN browser is no longer free. With version 8, the MSN browser is now only part of the MSN subscription service.
MSN is available as an ISP, as before, but what's new is that people who already have an ISP can also now get the MSN software for $10/month. I don't understand why anybody would pay for that. But if they stop developping Internet Explorer, that could explain it.
Check this out: http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/byoa&pgmarket=en-us&RU=http%3a%2f%2fjoin.msn.com%2f%3fpage%3dmisc%2fspecialoffers%26pgmarket%3den-us

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i switched to mozilla a couple weeks ago. the impetus was using chimera on my os x machine. they've actually done a lot of work on it, and it's pretty cool. the main thing is tabbed browsing, which is 'the bomb.'

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If they tied the OS default browser to their own internet service they would reignite a lot of their old legal problems. They might just freeze IE at 6.0 forever and use it as a generic OS browser, but I doubt it. That would place them against other operating systems with newer, swoobier default browsers. MSN might make them money, but I dunno if they would water down one of the most-used components of the Windows to help it along.

The only other option is to offer no default browser at all, but that would be problematic... How would you get anywhere to download a browser? No, I don't see them hamstringing the instant connectivity of the OS unless they are forced to, and I don't think they could force MSN Explorer on everyone that buys Windows.

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goodmorphing's source is a little off, IE7 is planned thought it will probably be the last version

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WOM: Crazy Browser is not a real browser. it uses IE rendering engine. so no Internet Explorer = no Crazy Browser.

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WOM

Join Date 01/2002

+253

moshi, don't tell me that! Means eventually I'll have to get another one.

Doesn't the SB use IE also?

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SB? well, Neoplanet and a lot of other so called browsers do. actually the only real alternatives (for Windows) are Opera and Mozilla and it´s derivates, but i doubt they´ll drop Internet Explorer as it is so much integrated in the OS.

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WOM

Join Date 01/2002

+253

Hope your right.

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That would be quite a gamble. I doubt they would take such steps and risk their dominance. Especially since it's built into the OS and such. What will happen? Will the next Windows ship without browser?

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Windows will always ship with a browser. IE may be hidden in the future, but it will still be there.

Also, they are continuing to develop IE and have no plans to stop offering it.

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Alternatives? If you haven't already tried Mozilla, give it a shot. It will probably make you switch regardless of what happens with IE. My favorite features so far are tabbed browsing, opening up links in the background (new tab) with a single click, popup blocker, and I'm just now getting into mouse gestures.

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I LOVE Mozilla!!

(even if it is bloatware)

I'm just waiting for Phoenix to mature so that I can dump the Mozilla bloatware.

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BTW, what's the deal with those mouse gestures?

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Mouse gestures *could* be the Next Big Thing. I have been playing with them a bit, and I think they are a ways off from being efficient. To me, you really need a setup where the gestures are the only reason to click the window. When you have scrollbars, hyperlinks, etc, there are always gonna be annoying misfires. A standard gesture "language" would be good, too, since memorizing them for several different apps would be a pain in the butt.

The main problem I have with Mozilla's use of mouse gestures is using them inadvertantly. Every time I miss the scroll bar and drag down, I open another window. Same with quickly highlighting text; I ususally fire off something in the process. A lot of people seem to get used to them though.

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I think I'll just stick with my 5 button mouse, that has 16 programmable actions

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Mozilla is a very good browser. I used Mozilla for a long time, but then when Netscape 7 came out I starting using it and I like it a lot. It's really not much different than Mozilla. I like them both, but I decided to stick with Netscape.

So what do yall think...Mozilla or Netscape?

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Mozilla

Netscape has all the AOL promos cluttering the place up. The only advantage I see that Netscape has over Mozilla is Radio@Netscape.

Besides, Mozilla is a much much faster download

(important for us 56k folks)

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When they finally make Mozilla a true MDI browser, I may be interested. But as long as it opens new windows (instead of tabs) for such things as javascript windows, I'll stick with NetCaptor or some other IE shell.

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I use Phoenix .3 and have dropped IE and Mozilla,
I picked up FoxMail for my emial app.. here http://download.com.com/3000-2367-9692109.html?tag=lst-0-1

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I agree with Tarkus. Mozilla's nice but still has a way to go. I'll stick to Netcaptor:

1. All new windows upon up as new tabs. None of this goofy Javascript stuff that launches an entirely new window.

2. User-specified aliases. I type "wcm" in the address bar and it takes me to the wincustomize message board page. I type "au" to go to art uproar. I type "da" to to go dev art and so on. Mozilla has some vaguely similar mechanism but its not a personal, customizable system. Its based off of common set of keywords.

3. When a URL shortcut is clicked somewhere, it displays as a new tab in the current instance of Netcaptor. Unlike Mozilla which either launches a new instance of Mozilla (defeating the purpose of a tabbed browser) or redirecting the CURRENT tab to the the URL in the shortcut (again, defeating the purpose of a tabbeQd browser). So I'm forced to only use Mozilla's bookmark menu.

4. I can drag tabs and reorganize them. I don't think Mozilla can do this.

If Mozilla ever does the above, then I'm sold.

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Does the breakup of Bell Telephone ring any bells?
In the end it's only us the consumers who get the short end of the stick!

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Chris,

With regards to suggestion #3:

If you right click on a link a menu will pop up, one item is "open link in new tab". Also, in the preferences area you can set it so that it opens links in new tabs when clicked upon with the center button. There are several other things in the preferences area that I suspect would make you change your mind about Mozilla.

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