Microsoft to Internet Explorer Users: “Hey You! Uninstall Netscape 8!” - 2,287 Views, 11 Comments
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Well, duh. But, actually they have a good, technical reason for advising their customers to remove Microsoft’s former browser nemesis from their computers: the two can’t peacefully co-exist. Well, duh. No, really. It seems that having Netscape 8 installed alongside Windows Internet Explorer (just which versions of IE Microsoft has not made clear) causes IE to be unable to render certain pages properly. In fact, they come up blank. The pages primarily affected are XML pages. Of course, if you’re really enamored of Netscape 8, then you could, you know… Well, duh.
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Microsoft is advising Windows users who use Internet Explorer to get Netscape 8 off their Windows machines.
Microsoft to Internet Explorer Users: “Hey You! Uninstall Netscape 8!”
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» Move Over Internet Explorer - Make Way for New Netscape with Anti-Phishing Features
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» Download Internet Explorer - Why and Where
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Do you never substantiate anything with a link? You claimed Microsoft of advising users but haven’t shown where this advice is. Try searching Microsoft.com for ‘Netscape 8′ and you will find no entry whatsoever, a search for ‘Netscape’ documents many problems with actual information about what the problem is, what it affects and ways (if possible) to mitigate it. Not ‘don’t use anything we didn’t make’ as your charge implies.
Try putting actual substance with factual links into your articles. Groundless rants and bashing Microsoft are cheap shots.
Comment by Jim Andrews — 5/28/2005 @ 7:52 am
It was posted on a Microsoft blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/05/25/421763.aspx .
According to ZDNet the poster “Dave” is “Dave Massy, a senior program manager for IE” (http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-5721852.html).
Comment by Bill Birmingham — 5/28/2005 @ 11:55 am
Jim u can be a A$$ you know thats not right.. and you out to apologize for the comment made.
Comment by Rick Parker — 5/28/2005 @ 7:39 pm
Well, if anyone is using Netscape 8 because he/she considers it a better browser (like me), why in the name of the nine hells would he/she want to install or use Internet Explorer??!! If he/she is using Netscape it is because he/she DOES NOT use Internet explorer!!
Well.. DUH!!
Comment by Gehenna — 5/28/2005 @ 9:45 pm
I have not been using IE as my default browser for some time now. My default browser is Firefox, and sometimes I use Opera. However,I keep IE on my machine because from time to time I come across something that will only download in IE. I have not yet tried Netscape 8, but plan to do so after I hear more about it
Comment by esmo — 5/29/2005 @ 11:15 pm
I use Netscape Browser for everything; Yahoo Asia/Philippines is my default browser!!
Keep up the good work Aunty Spam; I look forward to all of your emails!!
Comment by Donald L Streu Sr. — 5/30/2005 @ 7:20 am
I ditched IE in favor of FireFox some time ago, which works great compared to IE. I added the ieview extension that allows me to right click to view a page in IE when I run across a non-standard compliant, EI proprietary web site. It appears they are getting to be fewer and fewer since I rarley have to use it.
I’m thinking NS8 highjacks the EI registry in order to use the feature that allows you to view the page with the EI engine from within NS8. So whay would anyone need to open EI at all.
Comment by D Nichi — 5/30/2005 @ 11:25 am
Actually, it looks like that Firefox extension causes IE — WTF is EI????????? — to open to the page then current in Firefox.
Getting back to the original comment, While I certainly agree that the accusatory tone was uncalled for, the suggestion that a link to the evidence would be useful has merit. It puts things in a slightly — and perhaps only slightly — different light that the advice from MS was in an employee blog. Besides leading readers to more information, such links may persuade — or at least silence — some of the doubting Thomases out there.
Comment by Ken — 5/30/2005 @ 2:04 pm
In answer to Gehenna:
For the ordinary user, one browser is enough. In spite of all the highly biased opinions, I think it is almost entirely a matter of personal preference which one to use. But anyone who is developing or maintaining websites needs to have more than one–at the very least both IE and Netscape.
Comment by Dick — 5/31/2005 @ 1:10 pm
I have installed NS8 and it is residing on my machine along with Netscape 7.2. Unfortunately I can’t even USE NETSCAPE 8 because it crashes every single time I try to open it. IE still works wonderfully and has never had a problem with ‘blank pages’ (unless the server crashed or my temp file is so huge I have to empty it…). I’m inclined to hate on Netscape because the most recent incarnation is so bad I can’t even open it! (and its a common error too…check out the Netscape message boards). As for the comments above…this is the first I’ve seen of it. No one has mentioned that on the netscape boards.
Comment by Chris — 6/29/2005 @ 5:17 pm
Hello, I’m new here. Glad I found this. I love NS8 and both NS8 and IE6 (and FF) have all worked fine for me. (As fine as IE gets that is).
Ran into a teeny NS8 problem… How the heck do I change back to my original user? The default. Accidently got into a new user and I can’t get back! Any help would be appreciated.
Nice to meet ya.
Comment by Thomas H. — 1/1/2006 @ 1:20 pm