Which is 'better' - Netscape or Mozilla? Or is this a stupid question?

[spaceman]

What's the difference (if any) between the latest version of Mozilla and the latest version of Netscape? Is Netscape just Mozilla with a different skin? Can/does Netscape evolve independently from Mozilla, or is 100% dependent on the developments that happen to Mozilla first (and therefore Netscape second)?

As a recent convert back to Netscape from IE (due almost entirely to the 'tabbed' browser window feature of Netscape), I'm just wondering whether I should cut to the chase and ditch Netscape for Mozilla.

Thanks.

[redux]

iirc, netscape is essentially the same as mozilla, only that it lags a version number behind and has extra AOL-TimeWarner-mandated "enhancements" (like realplayer and all the other extra "fluff" it adds at install time). so, the latest version of mozilla always has more "developed" code than netscape, therefore i'd suggest going over to the dark side of mozilla. actually, i'm quite fond of phoenix at the moment, as i never needed the bloat in netscape/mozilla like email client, web editor, etc - just browsing will do me fine (and from what i gather, the code is not just a cut down version of mozilla, but a completely new, clean, "from the ground up" rewrite, which improves speed etc).

hope this helped, despite being rather vague on details...

[xhtmlcoder]

I agree with most of the above, Netscape adds additional commercial components and spyware, for example: Netscape 7.0 has taken it upon itself to remove the option to disable un-requested scripted windows, e.g. pop-under adverts and management of image permission for blocking adverts.

Well, they are both based on the Gecko Layout Engine and Netscape 7.0 is based upon Mozilla 1.0.1 however, there will be some differences it's more a case of how they have used the different browser components.

Also there are various lite browsers based upon Mozilla like K-Meleon which doesn't require the same system overheads.

Personally I'd choose Mozilla or Phoenix over Netscape.

[Geof Harries]

I use Mac OS X, and have found Netscape 7 to be faster, more stable and have fewer bugs than Mozilla. No matter if I install Mozilla 1.1 or even the earlier versions, the browser will inevitably get hung up on the odd page, no matter if it's a Flash movie or a secure web form. Netscape is rock solid this way for me.

I've also never had a problem with Netscape allowing pop-up windows to open (maybe this a Mac only thing?) and my machine was never littered with Real Player, AOL or other wacky content. You Windows folks get to have all the fun

geof

[spaceman]

Thanks very much for your comments. You've helped me to decide to go for Mozilla - and Phoenix sounds interesting too...

[Skunk]

Give Phoenix 0.5 a go - it's faster than Mozilla and has all the features that make Mozilla such a great browser (tabbed browsing, type ahead find, optional mouse gestures etc) but without the mail client / chat client / HTML editor.

[freakysid]

I just downloaded Phoenix - cool

So of the light-weight geko browsers, which is the best, most light-weight ?

[Skunk]

I think that depends on the platform. On the Mac, Chimera is meant to be excellent (although I've heard it is a bit unstable). I have a friend who swears by Galeon on Linux, which uses the Mozilla rendering engine but uses native controls for the GUI rather than Mozilla's XUL interface language - it's very nippy, but the version of the rendering engine lags behind Mozilla by quite a bit from what I've seen.

I only have experience with Phoenix on Windows, but it's very stable (I haven't had 0.5 crash on me yet), small, fast and uses the latest rendering engine from Mozilla 1.2. I just wish they'd release a Windows .exe installer for it so I could start converting my less technical IE using friends