Netscape annoyance

[granny]

I use the Netscape mailer (version 4.73) and quite like it. Well, it's familiar anyway.

The annoyance is due to the fact that immediately after I load the program, it contacts "netscape messenger" and loads a page of "news" and advertisement right in the message window. Does anyone know how to disable this feature?

Also, I am aware that 4.73 is probably not the best version to use. I understand that some people recommend using earlier versions in preference to newer ones. Any comment?

Louise

[Budfred]

I am not at home, so I can't tell you the precise place to do it, but I know that it can be done. I believe it is in Preferences under the mail heading, but it is possible that you actually have to log into Netscape NetCenter and change preferences there. I don't remember exactly how I did it, but I don't get that stuff anymore.

Budfred

[granny]

Thanks for taking the time to answer, Budfred.

I have looked in detail into all the options and preferences many times, but I could never find a way to turn this off. It must be a little more esoterical than that. If you ever remember how you did it, please let me know. No rush...

Louise

[Mitch Hatfield]

Good evening from England, Granny - are you really...........?


Read this Netscape 4.74 review, which, paradoxically may answer your question about which version of Netscape is "best".

Of all places, this very comprehensive review comes from PC911!!

http://www.pcnineoneone.com/reviews/sw/netsc474.html

Do post back if you haven't solved your other problem. I'm sure that Budfred will be on-line later.

[Budfred]

If it isn't under Preferences, then I am pretty sure it is a privacy setting under NetCenter. You go the the site, log in, choose privacy settings and OPT-OUT of their overly generous free newsletter (that they try to cram down your throat).

Budfred

[Budfred]

Ok, I'm home and looked under Preferences and there isn't anything helpful there. That makes me more convinced it is a privacy setting under NetCenter.

BTW, I use 4.79 and it seems to work pretty smoothly except for the occasional unexplained crash.

Budfred

[Paul Komski]

Netscape was the first browser I ever used (a decade ago) but I believe that (especially with all the AOL integration) that later versions are considered spyware. Does anyone have a breakdown on this - or is the underlying plain Mozilla a better option? Just asking since I'm still very happy with Opera.

[mjc]

The newest versions are more bloatware than spyware, but they do hav the annoying tendency to have as much AOL stuff as IE does MSN...

I like Mozilla...it is kind of NS lite, none of the AOL stuff at all.

[Budfred]

I don't use the latest versions primarily because the don't let my Logitech Trackman Marble FX scroll in their windows and I hate surfing without scrolling. So far I haven't had luck with Mozilla scrolling either, but I am going to try the 1.1 to see if it is any better.

I haven't had any trouble with spyware type stuff from Netscape at all.

Budfred

[granny]

Originally posted by Budfred
If it isn't under Preferences, then I am pretty sure it is a privacy setting under NetCenter. You go the the site, log in, choose privacy settings and OPT-OUT of their overly generous free newsletter (that they try to cram down your throat).

Budfred

Hmmm... But I never registered with them, I am not a member of anything there. All I did was install Netscape on my machine.

It is not quite a newsletter but some "news" page that gets loaded in the message box unless I hurry and click on the "stop" button or quickly click on a message in my inbox to open it and prevent that news message to load. It is sooo irritating!

All I can think of is that there is something in the software that contacts Netscape MSN messenger or something like that and downloads that page. If I am offline, it tries to use a cached copy instead (although if I have been careful enough and don't let it load, there is no cached copy, so it just aborts the operation )

Still puzzled...

Louise

[granny]

Originally posted by Budfred
Ok, I'm home and looked under Preferences and there isn't anything helpful there. That makes me more convinced it is a privacy setting under NetCenter.

BTW, I use 4.79 and it seems to work pretty smoothly except for the occasional unexplained crash.

Budfred

Well, maybe it is not under Preferences simply because they don't give you the choice to opt out of it. Just ram it down your throat. I just thought there might be some way, somehow, to turn the darn thing off. Maybe in the registry...

Occasional unexplained crash, eh? Sounds very familiar. In fact, it is more than occasional with me. It's like walking on eggshells at times. I really have to pamper the thing. But then, maybe it has to do with my old system with an overfull hard disk. I might try version 4.79, just to see...

Thanks!

Louise

[Budfred]

When you first installed Netscape, did you register it? If you did, you are probably registered in NetCenter and I think that is where you OPT-OUT of the NetCenter bulletin. When you open your mail program and get the bulletin, just click on the NetCenter logo and it should take you to NetCenter. If you don't remember a password, they have some way of getting you logged in again if memory serves. Go to the privacy settings and look for the opt-outs. Uncheck it and you should be free.

I don't think you can get rid of this through the registry unless you simply stop using Netscape and then you don't need to risk messing with the registry.

Budfred

[classicsoftware]

There is no way to Opt out.

Netscape is free, just like Eudora. The free version comes with the advertising pane. Unlike Eudora, there is no pay version you can buy to escape the adds. You can hit the stop button as soon as the program loads or out up with adds. I also use netscape because it is easy to use, less likely (not a lot but less) to bo bothered by the virus' that look to exploit outlook and outlook express...

[sleddog]

It's easy to get rid of that "Welcome blah blah" page that appears when you load the Netscape 4 mail client. it's one of the first things I do whenever I install it

http://www.ufaq.org/commonly/msngr_start.html

[sleddog]

Regards to whether "4.73 is the best version to use"... Netscape 4 is a very solid mail client. I'd say, if you like it then by all means use it. Though you may wish to upgrade to the latest Communicator version -- 4.8 -- which contains security fixes. And speaking of security, of course you have javascript disabled for mail/news....

Not to argue with you classicsoftware, but Netscape mail is generally considered to be much, much, much less susceptible to email viruses than Outlook [Express].

[Budfred]

"There is no way to Opt out."

I'm sorry, but that is just wrong. If you read my earlier posts you would see that I haven't received those ads in a long time and the reason is that I opted out a long time ago.

Budfred

[granny]

Originally posted by sleddog
It's easy to get rid of that "Welcome blah blah" page that appears when you load the Netscape 4 mail client. it's one of the first things I do whenever I install it

http://www.ufaq.org/commonly/msngr_start.html

It worked! Thank you a great big bunch!

(And sorry it took so long to respond. I was busy and forgot to come and check this page regularly)

Louise

[granny]

Originally posted by sleddog
Regards to whether "4.73 is the best version to use"... Netscape 4 is a very solid mail client. I'd say, if you like it then by all means use it. Though you may wish to upgrade to the latest Communicator version -- 4.8 -- which contains security fixes. And speaking of security, of course you have javascript disabled for mail/news....

Not to argue with you classicsoftware, but Netscape mail is generally considered to be much, much, much less susceptible to email viruses than Outlook [Express].

Ok, nice to know about 4.8. I sort of remember reading somewhere that the best version was still 4.08, but if I remember well, it didn't have things like spell check, which I like to use. But then, I also understand that it is a lot less bloated too... And yes, I have disabled javascript for mail.

I hate Outlook with a passion. I tried it once, only for a couple of days and I didn't like its format. Then I made the mistake of clicking on the wrong button and it marked as "read" all the messages I had in my mailbox. I didn't know which one was which. I uninstalled the blasted thing and deleted it from my machine before you could say "Microsoft". And I feel safer too. Happy since then!

Louise