AOL has released the new Netscape browser prototype which is based on Mozilla Firefox 0.9.3. Users can test this release which is an early preview of the upcoming return of the Netscape browser. Being based on Firefox 0.9.3 it also includes the tab/windows settings from the Mozilla Suite as well as the old pre-defined form filling. Besides this you can find the new green Netscape skin, extra privacy buttons, as well as extensions for weather and news.

The most important "feature" is the IE compatibility. Users can set per site if they want it to render in Gecko or IE, giving users the option to view incompatible websites. It also however introduces security issues inherit by using IE. Also of special note is that the development of the Netscape browser was outsourced by AOL to a Canadian software firm Mercurial Communications.

Users of Mozilla Firefox will unlikely switch to this release as it contains no additional value. The weather extension is inferior to WeatherFox, the better Firefox/IE form filling is gone, the skin is only busy and distracting non-standard, based on an old Firefox release.

More information

• gemal.dk: Netscape browser screenshots