Netscape 8 may have hit another snag in the one time browsing giant’s effort to move back into the market place. Microsoft reported the browser doesn’t work the XML function of Internet Explorer (IE). Microsoft is telling people not to fool with Netscape 8.
Microsoft senior programmer David Massey reported the glitch when he put up the info on Microsoft’s blog yesterday. Microsoft decided this issue was worth mentioning because it screws with the rendering on the XML aspects of IE. He recommends users not to install Netscape 8 and gives measure to remove it on the blog site.
“We are currently continuing our investigation and are looking forward to working with Netscape to resolve this issue,” said David Massey at the IEBlog site.
AOL spokeman Andrew Weinstein begs to differ. Mr Weinstein told Murdok, “This issue should affect almost no users in the real world, as it only affects a user’s ability to render the code underneath XML programming. Although the issue is only likely to affect a small number of programmers who might need to see that code, we are actively working on a fix, and we hope to deploy an automatic patch to users that will address it next week. Pending that resolution, users do not need to uninstall their browser or take any other action.”
Netscape, once upon a time, was the preeminent Internet browser until Microsoft managed to get computer makers to install Internet Explorer (IE) on all their machines. Through what some might call dubious tactics, IE supplanted Netscape as the top dog in Internet browsing and while their market share has gone down IE still has a staggering 87% of the market and Firefox from Mozilla has nearly 9%. Netscape has dropped to a measly 1%
Their new browser hoped to recapture some of that market by allowing users to utilize Firefox and IE both in their new format. They claimed the security of Firefox and accessibility of IE would be their strength. Flies quickly landed in the ointment as an outside security firm incorrectly announced dozens of bugs and all but 3 of those bugs had been corrected before Netscape8 was released. Unfortunately, the bad press for Netscape 8 kept on coming as Microsoft made the announcement and advised people not to download the new browser.
With any luck, AOL can work this problem out of Netscape and perhaps make it a good alternative to Internet Explorer again.
John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
