Lindows drops Netscape for "another" browser

Robertson said in an email: "Until now we've shipped with the Netscape suite. Unfortunately, Netscape's development has slowed and necessitated a change."

He adds "It's been tough for us to convince AOL to fully embrace desktop Linux. Our expectation was they would enjoy the opportunity to move out from under Microsoft's OS which clearly is partial to their own service MSN. Unfortunately, that's not been the way it has played out".

That means, he continued, that Lindows will lose the ability to check AOL email from within the new mail client.

But, he added: "On the positive side, we'll be bundling a net suite that offers industry-leading features which will give LindowsOS users the best experience".

This is not surprising to anyone who's been following the "Netscape vs. Mozilla" saga. Ironically, the company that decided to open-source its browser, and which is currently funding the Mozilla.org project finds itself in the awkward position of offering a Netscape-branded version of the Mozilla code base, with a few commercial add-ons, but which lags several months and version revisions compared to the latest Mozilla "builds".

For example, while users can now download Mozilla 1.3 or even try version 1.4a from the mozilla.org web site, the latest Netscape 7 incarnation is still based in the Mozilla 1.0.2 code.

Obviously, Netscape needs to address this "Mozilla fighting Netscape" if it wants its branded browser to have a chance in the long term.

In other words, it needs to release Netscape builds at the same time Mozilla.org releases each new "non-beta" release, so that Netscape browsers always offers a superset, and not a subset, of Mozilla functionality.

After this LindowsOS defection, perhaps Netscape will get the message. Sources confirm the next Netscape release, probably v7.1 and code-named "Buffy", will be based on the current "trunk" of Mozilla code (Mozilla 1.4), instead of the old Mozilla 1.0.x tree like previous Netscape branded releases.

Only time will tell if this will happen fast enough to win back the hearts and minds of LindowsOS or any other major linux distros.

And the rest of us who think Netscape 7 is a great browser and deserves to be given a fighting chance. µ

Fernando Cassia is a 28-yr. old translator, freelance writer, hobby programmer and self-titled computer-geek. He uses IBM OS/2, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD and Solaris platforms. He's also a java advocate. He lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with his dog and surrounded by computers