Netscape releases 'preview' of 6.0 browser

The new and improved Netscape browser is officially released Wednesday in preview format and can be downloaded from ZDNet's Web site.

The browser comes with a new user interface as well as a range of new user features including built in instant messaging and search facilities. It is smaller than previous versions and comes with built in features such as XML and XUL compatibility.

Netscape is clearly proud of its new product: when the launch was announced last month, a spokesman commented that the new technology would "revolutionise Internet devices and Internet applications." He also endorsed the open source contribution saying that, "in the long-run, no one can keep up with the power of open source."

The new browser marks a change in developed methods on Netscape's part, as it was developed by a team of programmers on the Mozilla.org project and released to the open source community for review and contributions.

Last week, this preview version of the browser accidentally leaked its way onto the Internet, according to some reports.

Because this is not the finished product, however, Netscape recommends that people, "install this software only if you regularly test pre-release products."

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Download it from ZDNet now.