Netscape working on Firefox based browser

THE REMNANTS of what once used to be Netscape Communications Corp are apparently working on a Netscape browser update, but this time based on the Mozarella Foundation's Firefox stand-alone browser instead of the "Mozilla Suite" which was the base of previous releases.

Some users reported an invitation that read: "Netscape is looking for some testers for a prototype of our new browser. Based on Firefox, the new browser incorporates several new features, enhanced UI, etc. If you or someone you know would like to test the software, please go to http://community.netscape.com/nscpbrowser".

Once you join the web based discussion group, you quickly realise that so far there's nothing to download. A message on the site notifies visitors that the first build will be released November 30th.

Strategy, they've apparently heard of it
As you can see in the examples below, the folks responsible for the Netscape.com portal have been promoting their Mozilla based browser as a safer alternative compared to Microsoft's IE in the recent months, an interesting departure from the months of neglect after Netscape axed most of their developers and kissed the devil. They have even added now the slogan "Built with Mozilla" to the Netscape browser's download page.

After the change of heart early this year that led to the Netscape 7.2 development, the AOL division is trumpeting that its Netscape 7.2 browser and E-Mail client -based on the Mozilla 1.7 Browser Suite, surpassed two million downloads in the two months following its release.

To continue with the "Netscape promoting Netscape shock" trend, we noticed that the company has also started selling a Netscape T-shirt bearing the familiar green "N" logo on the front, and with the message "Choice is Everything" stamped in the back.

On a slightly related note, there's speculation that Opera's recent losses are a consequence to Firefox's surging popularity. This puts the Netscape move on an interesting light. Netscape can piggiback on Firefox' s development and surging popularity to bring the green N browser back into the fight. Just when quiet, whispering Ballmer thought the browser wars were over.
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See Also
Netscape Webmail free accounts jump to 250MB
AOL releases Mozilla-based Netscape 7.2