Reasons why Netscape sucks.

Gotta get IE 4.0 to see this Java Applet!

Yes, that’s right, I am going out on a limb here and being politically incorrect by saying that an "underdog" product and company sucks. Especially in this era of anti-trust motions of the Department of Justice versus Microsoft™, I still assert that Netscape™ Corp.’s products of Navigator® and Communicator® and company as a whole, just plain suck. In the following paragraphs, I will offer detailed explanations why this is so.

But first, take notice that I did not title this page "Reasons why IE rules." Even though I think it does, I titled this page this way as a counter to the hundreds and thousands of pages out there that bash Microsoft™ and Internet Explorer®. In opposition to these pages that invariably make statements about the product and offer no proof for their arguments, I will back up my statements with proof below.

I have tried, used heavily, and technically supported on a professional basis, both Internet Explorer® and Netscape Navigator®/Communicator®. I prefer Internet Explorer for the following reasons:

1. Smooth Integration in the OS

• Internet Explorer, especially the latest version, 4.0, integrates smoothly into the operating systems of both Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0. Integration is defined as "becoming one with" or "melding" or "fitting in with." IE integrates with Windows in that you can access quickly your Favorite websites from any open window, from the start menu, and from the desktop. The interface is the same as Windows Explorer. By a smooth integration, I mean that once installed, the Internet Explorer application is almost transparent to the user. It becomes part of the interface layer of the operating system.

2. Integration with Microsoft Office® Applications and Exchange® Email

• The latest versions of MS Office suite allows quick access to the Internet from within the applications itself. Exchange® and Outlook® also recognize IE’s integration into the OS by recognizing hyperlinks and allowing HTML formatting for email.

3. Will allow users a choice of browser.

• Contrary to popular opinion, Internet explorer easily un-installs from the OS and allows Netscape or any other properly designed Software browser to exist and fully function on the System. Internet Explorer does not interfere with the default browser’s registration as a .gif or .jpg viewer or hyperlink text display. I like this function because it is easy to professionally support users if they have a preference.

4. Simple, Intuitive Interface

• The IE browser has a simple interface with the toolbar buttons, location of Favorites folders, address bar, status bar, and drag and select features within the window itself.

I have heard dozens of "lame" excuses for people not wanting to use IE which range from "It puts trash all over your hard drive," to "Microsoft won’t stop till they take over the world." All silliness aside, here are a few technical reasons why some people will not use IE.

1. Java code was altered by MS for IE

• Yep, they did it. They took the source code from Sun Microsystems™ and altered it a little to run faster on the Windows 32 bit platform. Legalities will be decided in court, or Microsoft will release a patch to "fix" this. In any case, it does make Java run faster. But with many java apps, it is not displayed exactly the same as it would be on other platforms. In fact, the java based Chat Page I have posted here will not give me administrator rights to the channel because I use IE. With Netscape, it would be no problem. I choose to live with that flaw, but others do not.

2. HTML code not displayed the same

• Microsoft, for whatever reason, omitted some of the functionality of some HTML tags for its browser. For instance, blink codes do not appear on IE, but on the other hand, Netscape users do not see scrolling text. I live with that too, others will not.

3. IE channels

• With IE4, you get channel technology, a "push" technology designed specifically for IE4. When IE is first installed, the channels show up on your desktop. They are annoying, bells-and-whistles features that I and many others do not enjoy.

4. Fear of "big brother taking over"

• Sure, Microsoft is big and is venturing out into many other technical areas, including television content programming, video games, etc. But if you don’t purchase anything of Microsoft, it’s not like Bill Gates will send in Stormtroopers to format your hard drive. It is still a free country. There are a few other operating systems out there. Remember OS/2 and Linux?
• The fact remains that Microsoft makes high quality software and is a leader in software innovation and design. If other companies were any better, they would be leading the way instead of whining to the government.

Why I hate Netscape™ as a product

1. Buggy

• Yes, Netscape is much buggier than Internet Explorer. HTML code doesn’t exactly mesh well with TCP/IP anyway, and Netscape’s HTML code crashes much more frequently than IE’s, especially Communicator®.

2. Will not uninstall properly

• When Netscape does become unstable, it needs to be reinstalled. However, a reinstallation rarely fixes problems that Netscape encounters in Windows. For instance, host not found errors for every site on the Net is typically caused by a bad registry entry that conflicts with TCP/IP. To fix this, the key must be located in the registry and deleted. Then a reinstallation will work.
• The only problem is that Netscape creates over two hundred entries into the registry when it is installed. And uninstalling it will not remove the registry entries, because Netscape did not want to design it that way. The only way to get it to work is to manually go through the registry and delete every reference to Netscape, and then reinstall the application.
• What if you choose to install a different .jpg or .gif viewer? Or perhaps, reinstall IE? Even after Netscape is supposedly gone from the system, when you try to open a .jpg from off the internet, you will get the error that nescape.exe was not found. It takes a good 3^rd party uninstaller program like Cleansweep™ to get Netscape completely off your system.

3. Will not integrate into MS OS or other products

• Even though Netscape knows that Microsoft Exchange comes with every version of Windows 95®, it will not allow the mailto: HTML tag to operate with Exchange®. Instead, it attempts to register its own email program, and if you are not using a pop account, it will not work. You have to edit the preferences file to get it to work, but you can only find that out by going to Microsoft’s tech support site, or Netscape’s tech support site.
• They have neglected to integrate its product into the Windows OS. Other companies, like Norton®, even created a whole new shell for Windows 95 that improved the performance and security of the operating system.

4. Latest versions are bloated with 3^rd party apps on primary interface

• The newest versions are ugly. They are covered with buttons for its secondary applications like its chat programs and shopping bookmarks. And what is the deal with all those gross hashmarks all around the borders? Even though IE comes with chat, web publishing and editing, netmeeting and netshow, they don’t clutter the primary interface. The are neatly tucked away under the start menu.
• Notice, that when they led the web browser industry with Netscape 2.0 – 3.02, their opening logo was a Ship’s Wheel, symbolizing leadership and Navigation? The program was simple, fast and a breeze to support. Now their logo is a lighthouse, shouting, "Don’t crash!" It is bloated, ugly, cumbersome and buggy.

Why I hate Netscape™ as company.

1. They whine like little kids

• Next to fingernails on black boards, the most annoying noise to me is the chronic crying and whining of a child. Netscape is acting more and more like a whiny child lately. They accuse Microsoft of unfair marketing tactics and whine so loud they drag in the DOJ. Remember when you were a kid and you got into a scuffle with another kid in the neighborhood? The other kid was such a baby he had to run home to Momma and get her to come out and stick up for him. That leaves the same bad taste in the mouth as what Netscape is doing.
• Netscape accuses Microsoft of promoting a product that everyone wants just because it is free, and claims that the product cant stand on its own merit. I beg to differ. As stated above, I prefer IE over Netscape any day. It is Netscape that has allowed its work to slip, has failed to either design its own OS or more fully integrate into Windows, and has failed to do either with a three year head start on Microsoft.
• Remember Mosaic? They were the internet software company that dominated the market before Netscape pushed them out of business or at least into obscurity. They didn’t go crying to the Justice Department when things got tough.

2. Cutting own throats on the marketplace with software design

• Netscape is slowly putting its own self out of business due to their blatant anti-Microsoft philosophy of software design. The refuse to allow the browser to uninstall itself, refuse to allow it to integrate with Microsoft OS and products, and apparently, refuse to come to grips with the fact that Windows is on 90 percent of Personal Computers.

3. Promote fears of innovation by bashing Microsoft who carries them Piggyback

• Netscape has been spreading many rumors about Microsoft attempting to monopolize the entire computer industry. They confuse innovation and product design with paranoid feelings of persecution and hatred. If it weren’t for Microsoft providing a platform for Netscape to operate from, Netscape would not even exist today.

4. Pursued and opened Pandora’s box with the DOJ.

• By pursuing the DOJ course, Netscape has invited problems for the entire computing industry. The Federal Government has no right, nor knowledge of what is best in the free market and computer industry. Millions of jobs depend on Microsoft products for daily computer operations, and any actions to stifle innovation or technological growth will hurt the country’s economy.
• Microsoft will not be around forever. But until someone comes out with a competitive Operating System, they are the software of choice for this nation and its economy. The free market will ultimately decide who should replace Microsoft's OS, and the government should keep its intrusive and destructive Godzilla-esque beaurocracy to itself.

5. Forced MS to alter software to include IE4 code to prevent DOJ actions, slowing down software.

• The threats of the DOJ has forced Microsoft to more fully integrate its browser into its operating system and component software, causing its software to be inoperable without its browser code. This has not been the way Microsoft used to make software and the result is a slower, bulkier product. I blame this degradation in Microsoft’s quality directly on Netscape.

Conclusion:

I make my salary supporting Microsoft Products on local area networks. And since Netscape is whining, unwilling to innovate to the point of integration into Microsoft products, and causing harm to a company that indirectly pays my bills, I will not choose to operate any Netscape products on any local area network I build, maintain and support.

Netscape sucks, and until they stop their whining and develop a product that integrates better with Windows, I will steer no business their way.

You may feel free to email me with intelligent comments or questions. Keep your email flames to yourself. My website, my opinions.

Now I'll step off of my soapbox.

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