[l008com]

I would never be caught dead using Netscape for OS X. But a school that has recently contracted me, is installing netscape on all their brand new panther emacs, and hiding mail and safari. I don't think they have any real reason for using it, probably just someone who used it back in 1998, and never switched. So I'm probably going to have to acutally defend a 'switch' to Apple's own programs. And I'll need better reasons than my own, "Safari is friggin awesome. And Mail is the best mail program like EVER."

GO_SOX!

[PurpleGiant]

Is this for students in labs, or for the teacher's machines?

[l008com]

Teachers

[PurpleGiant]

No good reason to use Netscape. They may be using the logic that they want one program for both Mail and Internet - if so, Mozilla would be a much better option. Choosing Netscape over Mozilla alone is usually enough to know someone is still clinging onto 1997.

Reasons for Safari/Mail:
1) Included with the OS, so updates are guaranteed.
2) Smaller footprint/quicker to launch
3) Hmm, from a more 'management' point of view, I can't think of many more reasons! Obviously us real Mac users know about the superior interface, system integration and whatnot, but I don't think management gives a sh*t about that

[Macola]

For whatever reason, Netscape is popular in academia, at many levels. You will be dealing with a lot of inertia--good luck!

[Thinine]

Aside from the fact that they're much better than Netscape? Just find a few websites or emails that Netscape chokes on and you'll be golden.

[JLL]

Originally posted by Thinine:
Aside from the fact that they're much better than Netscape? Just find a few websites or emails that Netscape chokes on and you'll be golden.

Netscape 7.2 (and Mozilla 1.7+) is much better than Safari at certain sites - especially if JavaScript is involved. If they are accessing https pages, Safari is also dog slow.

[calimehtar]

Netscape is actually great. Can't vouch for mail, but the browser is probably more reliable besides having better support for obscure features and web standards. Firefox and Thunderbird are better (and probably 75% or more the same code) but the final release of Firefox is still a couple weeks away, and I'm not sure about Firefox.

I don't use Safari much, but I've noticed one _major_ quirk with Mail.app that would cause me to switch if I could find a substitute that would sync with Address Book. Attachments tend to be altered slightly when you send them -- images seem (by some recipients) to have been sent twice and MS Word attachments get mangled (sending the same thing from gmail and from Mail, the one sent via Mail doesn't work, the one from Gmail does.)

In short, don't worry about it. I bet they want Netscape because it's teh only browser they can install on Mac, Windows and Solaris and it basically acts the same, which is as good a reason as any.

[JLL]

Originally posted by calimehtar:
Attachments tend to be altered slightly when you send them -- images seem (by some recipients) to have been sent twice and MS Word attachments get mangled (sending the same thing from gmail and from Mail, the one sent via Mail doesn't work, the one from Gmail does.)

Edit > Attachments > Always Send Windows Friendly Attachments

[wataru]

Originally posted by calimehtar:
Netscape is actually great.

But there's still no reason to use it over Mozilla. If the original poster had asked about Mozilla vs. Safari & Mail then we could assume his superiors might know what they're doing. But since they specifically mentioned Netscape, it's a good bet that they are clueless.

[l008com]

I agree. And for my normal clients I usually do download FireFox as a backup browser because its always good to have a second opinion. I think PG said it best, someone is still clinging to 1997

[Sharky K.]

Safari and Mail make better use of the technologie available in the OS such as:
Keychain, Rendezvous, Address Book, build in Java, iChat, smart folders (in 10.4), Spell Checking, language support (login language) and RSS reader (10.4)
Better quality: nicer layouts, icons, size, speed, cocoa extra's.

Apple always uses its applications to demonstrate the features available for developers in the OS what makes these applications much better than the rest, while the rest can do the same.

Not using applications that should use Apple's technologie build-in the OS is the same as using less Mac OS.

[angelmb]

kinda not related, but to my surprise I saw today that my Netscape Mail Inbox size grew from 5 MB to 250 MB