🚀 go-pugleaf

Tracy,

        Hummmm?

        On my dual Pentium 200 with NT 4.0, Netscape Communicator
        4.08 almost never fails. The University of MD University
        College uses it as the standard browser for distance Ed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ferd

On Thu, 17 Dec 1998, Tracy Marks wrote:

> Sent to both Nettrain and ISIG-Boston:
>
> I am so fed up with Netscape crashing a dozen times a day
> that I am finally switching to Internet Explorer and may soon start
> teaching IE instead of Communicator. Losing about 1 1/2 hrs.
> work a day (not only rebooting but also having to refind web
> pages that were lost in a crash) isn't worth the satisfaction
> of NOT supporting Bill Gates any more than I have to.
>
> Students often ask: What is the advantage of Netscape
> Communicator 4 over IE4 or vice versa? I'm not sure, except for
> my own personal experience on a Micron 400 pentium and
> Acer 150 pentiums (all pertain to the 4 versions of the browsers -
> and particularly IE 4.01 and Netscape 4.5)
>
> a) IE crashes less frequently. Visiting a website with Netscape which
>  uses java ALWAYS leads to a total system freeze on all computers
>  I've used (with an AWTOOKIT error message, which is NOT solved by
>  the Sun Java Plugin, although that's Netscape's solution for the
>  problem), requiring rebooting. I find that on the average Netscape
>  crashes once an  hour (every 1/2 hour if using the editor),  disabling
>  control/alt/delete and requiring total rebooting, whereas IE crashes
>  about every 3 hours, but doesn't freeze the entire system in the
>   process. IE however consistently shows error messages which
>   keep pages (such as java) from loading properly.
>
> b) Netscape's bookmark mgmt filing scheme is superior -
>     If one has THOUSANDS of bookmarks, keeping several large
>     bookmarks files is often preferable to thousands of individual
>     bookmark files (Note however that bookmark managers such
>     as Compass and PowerMarks do work with both browsers)
>
> c) IE's bookmark ACCESS scheme is superior (with all bookmark
>     folders visible at left, and opening across the screen), though
>     Netscape's personal toolbar is useful for about 15 priority urls
>
> d) IE has bookmark alphabetization which Communicator sadly
>     lacks (a ridiculous absence; just try to navigate through 6000
>     bookmarks all day long when you can't alphabetize them!)
>
> e) Netscape can reliably open new windows by right clicking and
>     choose open in a new window, whereas I have never yet used a
>     computer upon which right clicking and choosing open in new
>     window works in IE (some people say it works on their computers
>     but I have no idea what their solution is; meanwhile the only way
>     to open a link in a new window is to open another window with
>     the same web page and then click on the link on the second
>     page, and to keep doing this repeatedly)
>
> f) Netscape has a better FIND feature for searching web pages
>    for a particular word ;
>
> g) Making even the smallest mistake typing on a web message
>     board or editing on a web page can prevent the entire page from
>     showing in Netscape, whereas it is visible (with errors) in IE.
>
> What I'd like to know, is those of you who've used both extensively
> (preferably versions 4), WHAT DO YOU consider to be the
> advantages or disadvantages of each.....specifically. (And if you
> have  solutions for any of the above issues, PLEASE share them)
>
> I realize that individual experiences differ, and some people do not
> experience Netscape crashes as frequently as I do on my
> temperamental Micron 400pentium with all sorts of hightech
> new hardware in it and the Acer 150 pentiums where I teach (which
> crash less frequently with Netscape, but which still each crash
> about every 1 1/2 hours).
>
> Nettrainers - you can either post to the list....or send your responses
> to me and I'll summarize.....
>
> (Also I'm hearing that IE 5 beta is VERY STABLE. Further
> feedback appreciated, since betas generally aren't reliable)
>
> THANKS...
> Tracy Marks
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Tracy Marks, M.A.   tmar@tiac.net   http://www.windweaver.com/
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>Ferd Lazarus                    Voice: 410-381-6301
>Associate Professor            E-mail: ferd_lazarus@ieee.org
>University of Maryland            Web: polaris.umuc.edu/~flazarus/
>University College
                        Good judgment comes from experience.
                                Experience comes from poor judgment.