Netscape Navigator 9 for Linux
AOL has just released a new version of Netscape Navigator based on the Mozilla Firefox browser just like its predecessor. Besides cross-platform capabilities, and thus Linux support, version 9 adds new features and a new look.
The name Netscape is likely to trigger a wave of nostalgia among computer users. After all, the browser has been around since 1994. At the time, it was still based on the Mosaic browser code. Navigator's zenith with respect to use and distribution was 1996, but things quickly went downhill after this. Problems with Java and JavaScript, and the Browser Wars between Netscape and Microsoft's Internet Explorer hit the Netscape browser hard.
Version 6.0 was the first to use program code by the Mozilla Foundation under the hood of Netscape Navigator. And the latest version, Version 9, also uses Mozilla code. Based on Firefox 2.0, Navigator uses the Gecko engine to support cross-platform website rendering. Netscape is extensible using Mozilla plugins and styles. But the new browser is more than just Firefox with a new look. The developers have come up with a number of extensions to accelerate the browser.
The Link Pad stores temporary links without the user needing to bookmark pages.
The release notes describe the new features and functions in Navigator 9. One of them is the "Link Pad" (see figure) which stores temporary links without the user needing to bookmark a page. Clicking on a temporary link removes the link from the Link Pad. Temporary links are automatically deleted when you close the brower. This function aims to improve visibility in the favorites menu. The URL correction function attempts to correct incorrect entries. Typos such as ".cmo" instead of ".com" are changed to reflect the correct spelling. In our initial tests, we discovered that this function is not entirely reliable; in a few cases the browser failed to identify the typos, and in some cases the suggestions were wrong. A third difference to Firefox is the integrated mini-browser (see figure). The mini-browser is integrated in the sidebar and displays a second website simultaneously with the display in the main window. Navigator removes barriers for users faced with input boxes too small to type in. Users can now click on the frame to scale the frame as needed. Navigator adds a feature to Firefox's highly accoladed tabbed browsing feature. When a user opens a link in a new tab, the tab inherits the history of the window pointing to the tab.
The mini-browser in the sidebar displays a second website parallel to the main window.
Netscape Navigator 9 is available as a download for Linux, OSX and Windows.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Canonical Bumps LTS Support to 12 years
If you're worried that your Ubuntu LTS release won't be supported long enough to last, Canonical has a surprise for you in the form of 12 years of security coverage.
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.
-
New Pentesting Distribution to Compete with Kali Linux
SnoopGod is now available for your testing needs
-
Juno Computers Launches Another Linux Laptop
If you're looking for a powerhouse laptop that runs Ubuntu, the Juno Computers Neptune 17 v6 should be on your radar.
-
ZorinOS 17.1 Released, Includes Improved Windows App Support
If you need or desire to run Windows applications on Linux, there's one distribution intent on making that easier for you and its new release further improves that feature.
-
Linux Market Share Surpasses 4% for the First Time
Look out Windows and macOS, Linux is on the rise and has even topped ChromeOS to become the fourth most widely used OS around the globe.
-
KDE’s Plasma 6 Officially Available
KDE’s Plasma 6.0 "Megarelease" has happened, and it's brimming with new features, polish, and performance.
-
Latest Version of Tails Unleashed
Tails 6.0 is based on Debian 12 and includes GNOME 43.
-
KDE Announces New Slimbook V with Plenty of Power and KDE’s Plasma 6
If you're a fan of KDE Plasma, you'll be thrilled to hear they've announced a new Slimbook with an AMD CPU and the latest version of KDE Plasma desktop.
-
Monthly Sponsorship Includes Early Access to elementary OS 8
If you want to get a glimpse of what's in the pipeline for elementary OS 8, just set up a monthly sponsorship to help fund its continued existence.