Netscape browser makes comeback

Netscape also sports "multibars," a way to cram the equivalent of 10 toolbars into the space of a single one. Just click on "1," "2" and so on to switch among them. Each is customizable with whatever features you happen to want. Choose from Netscape's preprogrammed tools, like news headlines or maps, or add your own using Really Simple Syndication, or RSS, a technology for pulling content from sites (A bug that's supposed to be fixed before the final release in the next several weeks currently prevents you from fully doing so, though).

I particularly liked the feature that lets you check Web-based e-mail from Netscape, AOL, Excite, Gmail, Hotmail, Lycos, Mail.com or Yahoo. You get automatically logged in with a single click, though for now you don't get alerts for new mail. I did have occasional problems with the auto sign-in, but found the tool useful overall.

Netscape also sports a few improvements to Firefox: It's easier to open and close tabs and to instantly clear sensitive information like Web sites visited.

And while Firefox has a tool for remembering passwords, Netscape automatically logs you in.

My one major fault with Netscape is, however, a show stopper.

Most of its tools are geared toward generating traffic for AOL properties. The maps tool gets you MapQuest, the movies tool reaches Moviefone. Weather gets you AOL partner WeatherBug.

AOL says other companies, such as Yahoo Inc. and Fandango, are free to develop tools for Netscape, but that'll take time, limiting choice in the meantime. And while some of the third-party add-ons already developed for Firefox may work with Netscape, the ones I tried didn't.

Likewise, the built-in search box automatically runs Netscape's search engine, unlike Firefox, which lets you easily switch among Google, Yahoo and four others, while letting you add hundreds more.

The tools for the other engines weren't done in time for the test release, and even so, switching is more complicated with Netscape.

So until I get more choice, I plan on sticking with Firefox, even if it means occasionally having to run IE for those sites that need it.

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