Netscape 4.8

[tedster]

I recently downloaded the Netscape 4.8 release from last fall. If you're still testing your pages for Netscape 4, I highly recommend it.

It still has the same rendering bugs as 4.7, but the program seems much more stable -- even on complex pages. It's a joy to work without the freezes that I used to get with 4.7 and still be able to see the peculiarities that come with this old workhorse.

[msr986]

It's nice that NN4.8 seems more stable, but, when I test my web pages, I think I will still choose the less stable versions of NN4. I want to know if my page crashes or freezes NN4. I would not want to take the chance that what works in NN4.8 will work in a less stable version!

Crashing Netscape is part of the testing process!

[tedster]

A very good point - but with the dwindling market share on NN4, I'm only in for just so much aggrivation these days.

[The_Warden]

NN4 is some what of a dieing generation browser. But to let you know that the latest version of Netscape Communicator is 4.8 as you say. Saying that though there has been no major version release since 4.7 but the rest up to 4.8 are security fixes and some in regards to security are major. Just an FYI.

[4serendipity]

One thing that I've observed is that Netscape now places Communicator 4.8 in its product archive. Until this release the latest version of Netscape Communicator 4.x was excluded from the archive. I think that this might finally be a sign that Netscape might stop developing new 4.x versions.

[sun818]

Another change I noticed with 4.8 is the force install of AOL Instant Messenger along with the browser. I had not noticed this behavior in 4.7.

[The_Warden]

FYI, 4.7 was when Netscape quit producing the 4.x browser or as some say the communicator package. The only reason why Netscape has released new versions after 4.7 is for security reasons ONLY. This has been stated by Netscape and shows through there release notes. I think we should give Netscape applause for releasing security updates for a discontinued product. It's nice to see and quite frankly I think they still would release another security update if it was significant. But it's coming close if not already to Netscape that the product is dead even in security updates areas. If you don't have a browser that is at least 5.x or now even more so 6.x your behind the game and missing out.