Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : MSFT Internet Explorer vs. NSCP Navigator -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: drmorgan who wrote (14430)	11/24/1997 9:06:00 PM
From: Charles Hughes	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

>>> hard to find? It's right on the top banner and on the top and side menu for Netscape users. Actually, I have been finding the Netscape site more and more obscure lately. Poor (too complicated) layout. After reading this exchange I decided to finally download the latest netscape browser. I have been on 3.1 for quite a while. I would have preferred Nav 4.x but the only way to get editing features was to get Communicator 4.04. It took me almost five minutes of shuffling around the site to determine that the was no Navigator 4.x 'Gold' (the editing version previously was 3.x Gold.) Therefore I needed Communicator, but this was not very explicitely announced. Then, of course, I had to lose 5 minutes trying to make the full encryption download work. It failed, I think because my ISP supports some Japanese websites as well as American. In spite of my own domain name being registered and paid for and located in the US. A side effect of this downloading versus CD based or Windows-included distribution is that when you have the stupid encryption export stuff still going on (thought we got rid of that) is that it is hurting Netscape at their point of sale by complicating things. Meanwhile my local Egghead store has moved all the Netscape stuff away from the front door and put IE and other MS stuff there. (Why?) Used to be to get Netscape downloaded you pressed the omnipresent 'Netscape Now' button on any of a hundred thousand websites. Between all the other problems and the fact that Netscape should have started offering incentives for that virtual 'shelf space' but hasn't (so you see few of those buttons these days,) I'm beginning to think Netscape has developed some marketing myopia these last few months. I hate to give the chittering hordes of the evil empire this point (;-), but a little honesty is called for here. Chaz

To: drmorgan who wrote (14430)	11/24/1997 9:35:00 PM
From: Dermot Burke	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

Derek, the problem is when newbies get a new machine and want to establish an ISP account the MSFT set-up wizard nails them.The more current the win95, the more difficult the integration.They will end up w/IE4 before the are able to establish an internet account.That is where the problem is.

To: drmorgan who wrote (14430)	11/25/1997 10:49:00 AM
From: Pacing The Cage	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

<<hard to find? It's right on the top banner and on the top and side menu for Netscape users>> Yes, I said hard to find. Otherwise I wouldn't have all of these newbies asking me for help. I agree with Chaz on this issue, the old 'Get Netscape Now' button was a great help for directing people to the Download page. Many people don't have any idea what might be under the small 'Download' on the banner if they notice it at all. The page is very busy. As for the side menu, you are assuming that they have Javascript enabled in order to view it. Many people have been told to disable Javascript for security reasons and will never see it. Another problem with the side menu (not a newbie problem) is that it was designed for someone using a PC. I for one use a UNIX machine most of the time (IBM RS/6000) and can barely make out the text (other than the words 'Netcenter','Netscape' and 'Utilities' making it useless. <<Newbies can get confused by almost anything when they first get on the Web.>> That is the whole point. You want market share? This is the vast untapped market that Netscape should be looking to bring into the fold. Make it easy for them to get the software, don't make it a frustrating experience. Some will have input into Enterprise decisions, some are small business owners and others will tell their friends and co-workers. Ask yourself "could my mother do this without help?" Remember, IE is probably already on their machine. They do not NEED Netscapes product, they WANT it or they are at least curious enough about it to go looking for it! Make it easy. <dismount soapbox> -Ken