The unforeseen aggravations of upgrading from Netscape 4 browser to Netscape 7.1 browser.

by James K. Sayre

The unforeseen aggravations of upgrading from Netscape 4 browser to Netscape 7.1 browser:

I have been continuing to use an older Windows 98 - Version 2 personal computer as my Internet connection for a couple of reasons. I don't want to expose my main computers (Macs) to any possible Internet snooping or surreptitious downloading of nasty software. Windows 98 is also happily not the target of the many Internet hackers who attack products and devices operated by Microsoft Corporation software. They always seem to go after the latest Microsoft operating systems, which is now XP.

That being said, many websites are increasingly non-functional under the old Netscape 4 browser, so I finally downloaded version 7.1 Netscape a few months ago. Unfortunately, the corporate powers that produced Netscape 7.1 also provided some awful busy-bodying questionnaire software which is something triggered by merely trying to print out a web page. This "Talkback" software cancels your requested printout, and instead presents with the chance to fill out an online questionnaire by "Full Circle Software" about how you evaluate the Netscape 7.1 browser software! Like, how much you like having your print request canceled and this obnoxious online questionnaire put in its place. Maddening. This feature of Netscape 7 brower led me to try the FireFox browser.