What's New in Netscape Communicator 4.5

Smart Browsing(tm)

Smart Browsing can intelligently recommend other Web sites and information related to what you are currently viewing, filter out pages with inappropriate content, and even understand regular words in order to guide you to the correct information. With Smart Browsing, you find the information you need more quickly and easily.
 

What's Related

How often do you wish to know more about a topic or information on a Web page that you are browsing? For example, if you're reading a news article about Indonesia, you may want more in-depth information on the country's history, location, economic and political structure, etc. Or, if you're looking for information about a particular automobile, you might also want information about similar cars or information from independent sources (such as magazines or reviews).

With the What's Related feature of Netscape Navigator, you can easily view a list of other sites and information related to the Web page you are currently viewing by simply clicking the "What's Related" drop down list next to the Location field on the toolbar.

Internet Keywords

URLs can sometimes be complex and difficult to remember. With Internet Keywords, you simply type common words or brand names you are looking for into Navigator's Location field and get what you really want. Typing "shoes" delivers you a list of places to buy or research shoes while "Air Jordan" delivers you to the Nike Web site. You no longer have to remember or bookmark the exact URL. For example, typing "Ford Ranger" from any Web page delivers you to the Ford Web site.

"My Netscape" Button

private

fast and easy to set up

accessible anywhere

customizable

Whether you're at work, home, or on the road, you'll be able to access your own start page and enjoy all the information you want from a wide variety of compelling sources.

NetWatch

Select the types of Web sites you want you and your family to view. Navigator intelligently screens which pages you can view based on these settings. NetWatch uses an Internet rating standard known as PICS - the Platform for Internet Content Selection. PICS is designed to help parents, teachers, and employers screen out material they feel is inappropriate for children or employees. NetWatch settings are protected by a personal password. NetWatch has support for two independent PICS-compliant ratings systems, RSACi and SafeSurf.

Enhanced Performance

Netscape Navigator includes the latest enhancements in Java and JavaScript so Web applications run quickly and reliably.

Netscape Messenger

Fast And Accurate Addressing with Pinpoint Addressing

Using Pinpoint Addressing, you can easily address mail from the compose window without hunting for contacts in a separate address book or corporate directory. Messenger prevents mistakes by showing all possible choices with additional information if similar names are encountered.

Quickly Find The Right Name As You Type With Pinpoint Addressing 

Address a message without leaving the compose window. Messenger automatically checks a centralized directory that supports LDAP (such as the Netcenter Member Directory) and all of your personal address books to complete the name when a unique match is found.

Pop-Up Selector Prevents Mistakes By Resolving Ambiguous Names 

If there is more than one match, a selector appears with all possible matches. Additional information such as organization and phone number helps you send mail to the correct person.

IMAP Speed Enhancements

IMAP users will enjoy faster performance with Messenger. Enhancements include:

• Faster header download particularly over slower modem connections


• Messages with large attachments are displayed quickly since attachments are left on the server until required


• Improved launch time because folders are updated and displayed faster via IMAP4 subscription


• Quick switching back and forth between mail folders


• Faster IMAP folder synchronization for offline reading

Share Your Mail With Others

Messenger supports folder sharing via IMAP so you can share information within your own mailbox. For example, as a manager you can allow your assistant to read and manage your mail. You can also can set up shared folders with messages of interest to a wide audience.

• Delegate folder access and management to another user


• Share messages in a folder with co-workers


• Drag and drop a folder into a compose window so other users can view that folder


• Clicking a shared folder link in the message adds the folder to your folder pane.


• Subscription interface to find and add shared folders to your folder list


• Multiple IMAP accounts to enable folder access across multiple servers

Choice in How Messenger Handles Deleted Messages

You can choose to have deleted messages stored in a Trash folder (from which they can be retrieved) or to mark them for deletion under the traditional IMAP delete model. Also, you can choose to have messages deleted automatically when exiting Messenger.

Confirm That Your Mail Has Been Received With Read Receipts

Do you ever need to know whether a recipient has seen an important message? You can now request notifications (message receipts) when messages you send are opened by a recipient.

Delivery Receipts Based On The DSN Internet Standard 

Delivery receipts send you a notification when your message has been received by the recipient's mail server. Delivery receipts are based on the Delivery Service Notification (DSN) standard.

Read Receipts Based On The MDN Internet Standard

Read receipts send you a notification when the recipient opens your message. Read receipts use the Message Disposition Notification (MDN) standard.

Preferences To Protect Privacy

You can choose to ignore requests for message receipts or tell Messenger to only send message receipts in certain cases.

Coexistence with Lotus cc:mail and Eudora

Respond to proprietary return-receipt-to requests generated by cc:mail.
 

User Interface and Productivity Enhancements 

Three Pane Interface For Simplified Message Management

All folders and newsgroups appear in the folder pane for simplified reading of mail and newsgroups.

• Any pane can be easily collapsed/expanded on the fly. Tthis is especially useful when working on small screens


• File messages via drag and drop


• Double-clicking a folder or newsgroup opens a new window


• Menus have been simplified


• Paperclip icon for messages with attachments

Two Pane Address Book For Improved Contact Management

The address book interface is substantially improved to simplify contact management. It integrates personal address books, directories, and mailing lists into one easy to use contact manager.

• Easy contact management via drag and drop - names from a directory search can be easily dragged into any address book


• Address books, lists, and directories appear in left pane


• Directory search has been integrated into the address book


• Address book includes Netcenter Member Directory so you can easily find other Netcenter members when using Messenger or your address book


• Multiple personal address books let you create address books for different purposes such as to keep track of friends separately from business contacts


• Flexible list management: cut & paste, drag & drop, or auto-complete names in a list

Re-usable Message Templates

Save any message as a template which can reused at any time. Templates are useful for messages that you send in the same form on a regular basis, such as weekly status reports.

Keep Mail Organized With Improved Searching And Filters

• More flexible searches with Boolean and/or operations


• Delete or file results of a message search


• Filter on any user specified message header

Choice Of Multiple Forwarding Options

You now have the flexibility to forward a message as inline text, as quoted text, or as an attachment (to maintain message integrity).

Keep Track Of Replied And Forwarded Messages

Actions performed on messages are automatically tracked within the message list pane.

Autodownload Of IMAP Headers Or POP Mail Messages

Messages now download in the background automatically. No need to click the Get Msg button to retrieve new messages.
 

Easy Migration From Other Mail Clients

Messenger includes an integrated wizard that allows you to import mail folders, address books, and preferences from Eudora and Microsoft Outlook Express.

Exchange Address Book Information With Other Applications

Import address book information using the popular LDIF, CSV, and Tab delimited formats of the address book. Export information to LDIF, CSV, Tab delimited, and HTML.

Tested Against A Wide Range Of Messaging Servers

• Netscape Messaging Server


• University of Washington IMAP Server


• Carnegie Mellon Cyrus Server


• Microsoft Exchange Server (via IMAP)

Flexible Roaming Access

You can now access your messages from any location whether at work, home, or on the road. Messenger gives you flexible access to your information with popular PDAs such as the PalmPilot, while traveling and disconnected from the network, or from multiple desktops (via IMAP and LDAP).
 

Take Communicator Information On Your 3Com PalmPilot 

Synchronize your address books and corporate directory with a PalmPilot.

Read And Compose Mail Messages With Mail Synch

Read messages from your inbox and compose mail on your PalmPilot to be sent later using Messenger.

Take Important Information With You On Your Laptop

If you're a laptop user who needs to work disconnected from your company's network, Messenger makes it easy to synchronize server based messages (IMAP) as well as the corporate directory (LDAP) for offline messaging and contact management.

One Step Synchronization Of Server-based Messages And Directories

Synchronize mail folders, newsgroups, and directories in one step.

Offline Addressing And Access To Corporate Directory

Take the corporate directory offline by taking advantage of LDAPv3 replication.

Fast Synchronization

• Only changes since the last synch are downloaded locally


• Choose to leave large messages on the server for faster synchronization


• Select which folders you want to synchronize

Improved Offline Mail Management

Work as efficiently offline as when online. When re-connecting to the network, Messenger automatically synchronizes offline changes: file or delete IMAP or POP mail, create folders, and search mail (IMAP or POP).

Prompt To Synchronize When Quitting

When exiting, Messenger reminds you to synchronize your mail, directory, and newsgroups.

Access Your Mail From Any Location

All mail folders including Trash, Sent, Drafts, and Templates can be centrally stored on an IMAP mail server so you can access them from desktop computers in different locations.

Netscape Composer

Support For Text Files In Addition To HTML

You can open plain Text files in addition to HTML files. You can also save documents as either text or HTML files.

Print From Mail Compose

Print documents you are composing in Messenger directly from the message composition window.

Netscape Calendar

Improved User Interface

Netscape Calendar features an updated, streamlined user interface similar to Netscape Messenger. A consistent user interface between messaging and calendaring means you need only learn one set of actions that can be applied to both mail and calendar information.

Collapsible Toolbars

You can hide the Calendar toolbars from view, to free up space for content.

Creating A Meeting Is As Easy As Sending An Email

The window in which you create or modify a meeting now looks similar to the mail composition window.

Enhanced Resources Button

Select a room or resource by clicking the Resource button in the meeting compose window.

Meeting Right-Click Actions

Right-clicking a meeting displays a menu with reply options so you can act on a meeting without opening it.

• Cut, copy, or delete the meeting


• Open the meeting in a separate window


• Duplicate the meeting to create a similar meeting


• Set your attendance status


• Send the details of the meeting via email

Change a meeting's start time by dragging and dropping it to another time.

Drag To Change Meeting Duration

Drag the edges of a meeting to increase or decrease meeting duration.

Easily Modify Repeating Meetings

Repeating meetings are easier to work with via the meeting compose window.

• Delete a single instance of a repeating meeting by selecting it and pressing the Delete key


• Make an existing meeting a repeating meeting by clicking Repeat in the meeting compose window


• New repeating meeting dialog provides many combinations for repeating events

You can set a preference for the amount of detail displayed in meeting blocks.

View Meeting Details At A Glance

Mousing over a meeting shows the meeting's title and location.

Visual Distinction Of Weekends

When a you choose to display weekend days, they are color coded to visually distinguish them from week days.

Week Numbers

European users can correlate their calendar to other calendars via the display of week numbers.

Today Button In The Tool Bar Of Agenda Views

Calendar now has one-button access so you can view the current day and make navigating your calendar easier.

Import/Export Support for Multiple Formats 

Import Schedule+ 7.x, vCalendar, HP 100LX/200LX, and multiple text formats. Support for Schedule+ 7.x import enables import from Microsoft Outlook via a common file format.

Flexible Roaming Access

Important information is available wherever you go with Netscape Calendar, whether you use a PalmPilot, a laptop, or are set up to be a roaming user.

Schedule Meetings Offline

Not only can you download your own schedule but also the free/busy time of other users and resources. This enables you to schedule meetings offline with up to date information.

Work With Your Calendar From Navigator

With Calendar express, the Web-based interface for Calendar, you can view your calendar and schedule meetings from any Web browser.

Find Other Users By UserID

Inviting others to meetings is faster since you can uniquely identify attendees based on UserID.

Synchronization With Palm Pilot

Synchronize your Calendar and To Do lists with the 3Com PalmPilot.

Netscape AOL Instant Messenger

Netscape AOL Instant Messenger enables millions of Communicator users to easily chat in real time. Users at work or at home can immediately send and reply to personalized messages.

Add Rich Text and Color to Your Messages

Personalize your messages with richly styled and colored text and links to Web pages.

Instant Communication

Carry on an online conversation without the delays of email.

Buddy List

When colleagues log on to Instant Messenger, your Buddy List can play a tone or flash your screen. Click a name to send a message that instantly appears on their screens.

Take Your Buddy List With You

Easily copy your personal Buddy List and preferences to different computers.

Use Over Any Internet Connection

Use Instant Messenger over any Internet connection - through your office, school network, or local Internet service provider.

Integrated With Communicator

You access Instant Messenger from the Communicator menu.

New Features That Span The Communicator Suite

Flexible Roaming Access

Roaming Access enables you to access your personal Communicator environment when you are away from your desk, are using a shared machine, or when you are working from home on a machine you keep synchronized with your work machine. You can check your mail, view your calendar, or access the Web from any machine and have Communicator look and act exactly the same as it does on your "home" machine.

As a roaming user, your profile (preferences, bookmarks, address book, security files, etc.) is stored centrally in either a directory server that supports LDAP or an enterprise server that support HTTP. This allows you to easily login to another computer and access your own personalized Communicator environment.

One Simple Login To Access Personal Communicator Environment

As a roaming user, you can easily access your personal Communicator environment.

• Log in as a guest.


• Enter your name and password to access your profile. Note that you don't have to know the particular server where your profile data is stored.


• Communicator starts with your personal environment, exactly like your Communicator environment at your desk.


• If you are using a shared kiosk machine, your personal profile is deleted from the computer when you exit Communicator. For users with a home and work machine that need to be kept synchronized, they can link the profiles together.

Choose among all aspects of your personal environment including access to your own Messenger, Calendar, and Navigator environment. If you are away from your desk, you can still easily access your address information through the address book, in addition to reading your mail via IMAP mail. Security works as it does on your desk, and your own bookmarks and history are available in Navigator. Even auto-completion of URLs works as if you were sitting at your own desk.

Choose the Level Of Roaming Access You Want

If you don't want your entire profile to roam with you, you can decide which files should be stored on the roaming server.

SmartUpdate

In the past, installing and updating software involved obtaining media or downloading the entire product, locating the product on the hard disk or CD, running an installer program, and making decisions about where and how the product was to be installed. Netscape Communicator 4.5 streamlines this process with SmartUpdate, a technology incorporated into Communicator for software distribution and installation. It is uniquely suited to software distribution on the Web because it intelligently handles all details of distribution and installation in one step - without ever having to leave the Communicator environment. This includes the file download, placing files in the proper location on your hard drive, and recording version information for the later determination of whether a particular update is necessary. Furthermore, each installer is signed with a digital certificate, thus ensuring that it was in fact created by a trusted source.

Easy Installation Of Communicator and Associated Software

Netscape Communicator software can easily be installed with a single click using SmartUpdate. In addition, you can easily install upgrades, additional components, plugins, etc., at any point after the initial installation.

Easy upgrade From Communicator 4.0x

Using SmartUpdate, you can upgrade from Communicator 4.0x to Communicator 4.5 with one easy click, rather than the traditionally time-consuming process of downloading a file, locating it on the hard drive, and running a separate installer.

Patching

Patching is a process for upgrading software without completely reinstalling the software. This is done by applying a "patch," or a piece of software that only contains changes. All of the code that remains the same from one version of the software to the next is excluded from the patch. This provides two advantages over complete reinstallation; smaller upgrade sizes and faster downloads. SmartUpdate in Netscape Communicator 4.5 has the ability to patch files as well as replace them or install them from scratch. This reduces the size of Communicator upgrades (from 4.5 to later versions of Communicator) upwards of 50% to 80%.

Uninstall

All software installed using SmartUpdate can be un-installed via SmartUpdate. The preferences dialog has an interface to enable you to selectively uninstall software installed via SmartUpdate.