Mac

Windows

Netscape 6.x has various enhancements to offer. The suite includes: Netscape Navigator, Netscape Mail, Netscape InstantMessenger, Netscape Composer, and Netscape Address Book; you also get add-on applications such as Java for running Web applets, Winamp for audio playback, RealPlayer8 for streaming media, Macromedia Flash for high impact Web content, and Net2Phone for PC-to-Phone calls.

Version 6.2 offered better integration with Windows XP, handling of multiple email accounts, multiple screen names for Messenger, improvements to My Sidebar, as well as other enhancements. This latest v6.2.1 'maintenance' release includes some minor enhancements and bug fixes.

You are advised to backup any important files such as address books and email folders before updating to this new version. Netscape also recommends that you install into a new directory – installing on top of released product builds may cause problems. Your computer system should have a minimum of a Pentium 233Mhz processor and 64Mb of RAM.

Web link: www.netscape.com

Note: this version displays banner-ads, which will be romoved if you purchase a licence.

New features in Opera 6 include: choice of single or multiple document interface; 'Hotclick' (double-click a word or right-click a selected phrase and search for it, look it up in the encyclopaedia, or translate it); bookmark sorting and searching; full support for LiveConnect, a Netscape technology that enables scripting of Java applets and plug-ins through JavaScript; plus various customisable options and other enhancements.

See the magazine review for more details.

This 'Java' version includes the Sun Java plug-in.

Web link: www.opera.com

Note: you can use eNavigator with a reduced set of features for free, or register to get the real power of the software suite (see the Web site for more details of the options).

Web link: www.auscomp.com

You have probably been irritated and distracted many a time by Web site advertising and you may also be caused concern by cookies and other files sent to your computer. There are also more insidious methods employed to acquire information on you and your browsing habits.

If you find yourself worrying about such things, SpyBlocker might interest you – it monitors this type of Web activity and allows you to control or block the ads and tracking systems.

Web link: www.morelerbe.com/spyblocker

Take the tedium out of filling in Web-based forms – at the click of a button AI RoboForm simply reads the form, as you would, and puts your field values into the form fields that it recognises.

A wizard helps you create an identity that includes your name, address, phone, email, username, password, bank account and credit card information. A Password Manager even memorises and fills in Web site passwords (of course the security in place on some sites will prevent this). AI RoboForm can handle multiple password-protected users to safeguard your privacy. If you're looking for even more power and flexibility, Professional and Enterprise editions of AI RoboForm are available for purchase.

Recent changes include an improved Gator to RoboForm converter, improvements in form-filling intelligence, support for Mozilla 0.9.1 and better stability. This latest release includes a Login button that performs true one-click login, automatic firing of JavaScript events, the ability to drag and drop field values to an online form, a Fill and Submit button in the AutoFill dialogue, and much more. Requires MS Internet Explorer 4 or Netscape 6.

Web link: www.roboform.com

Website Extractor is a site download utility and offline browser. The program can download entire sites for viewing later. Downloaded sites are saved on your hard drive with their directory structure intact and Website Extractor will download only revised or new files from sites you have previously scanned. The structure is visible in the main window where you can expand and contract the branches and select a page for viewing. A number of filtering options are available, so that you can download only the Web site content that you want; these include file and image type filters, size limits, URL and domain filtering.

This update includes various bug fixes and enhancements including proxy and firewall support and handling of password protected sites.

Web link: www.esalesbiz.com/extra

WebCopier is an offline browser that downloads Web sites and stores them locally on your hard drive for you to view at your leisure. WebCopier performs precise link searching, including JavaScript parsing, and can download up to 100 files simultaneously. It can also print an entire Web site or only specific parts. WebCopier offers support for proxy servers and allows you to specify an account name and password to access secure Web sites. It also lets you schedule projects to download, specify download levels, and restrict downloads to certain links only.

This update features precise control on CPU utilization and download bandwidth. HTML parsing accuracy is improved, as well as stability.

Web link: www.maximumxoft.com

With PopUp Killer you will be able to browse the Web without being assaulted by those annoying ads that popup when you visit some sites. PopUp Killer can identify possible popups and close them even before you can see them. You can also control the number of browser windows you permit to be open at the same time, handy when browsing annoying sites that open new pages when you close a browser window.

Web link: http://software.xfx.net

Powermarks lets you search, check, annotate and manage all your Internet bookmarks.

Web link: www.kaylon.com

Free

This version of Microsoft's mighty Web browser includes improved support for DHTML behaviours, as well as additional support for vertical text and existing standards such as Cascading Style Sheets (CSS 1). Also features additional support for the Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL). A print preview feature has been added, as well as improvements in printing performance and several Internet enhancements that will be included in the upcoming Windows Millennium Edition. This build introduces new language features in JScript and VBScript, and a frames re-architecture.

Web link: www.microsoft.com

Mac OS

NOTE: The Mac programs are mostly in archived 'HQX' (BinHex) files – they can be extracted with several applications, including Stuffit Expander (which is on the CD...). Clicking on the links below should set the process in motion. You may receive a message that the file cannot be loaded into Simple Text — if so, start Stuffit and then open the HQX file you want from within Stuffit.

Free

This alternative Web browser provides most of the features and functionality you need. OmniWeb takes full advantage of the new features of OS X. Features include bookmarks with drag-and-drop functionality that can automatically check themselves for new content, forms that automatically remember their values when they are bookmarked, and a fully Aqua user interface. OmniWeb supports JavaScript, Flash, layers, QuickTime, SSL, CSS, and Java applets.

Web link: www.omnigroup.com

'Adware'

Note: this version displays banner-ads, which will be romoved if you purchase a licence.

Additions in this version include: autofill of forms; cookie filtering; preferences for preferred ad categories; various enhancements to bookmarks; and numerous bug fixes (cache preferences now works).

Web link: www.opera.com

Free for non-commercial use

WebWasher is an interesting piece of software that gives you a lot of control over your style of browsing, achieving quite a high potential speed increase by eliminating elements of a page that you could do without. WebWasher doesn't actually speed up downloads, it simply accepts far fewer downloads – there is a 'dimension filter' that lets you exclude adverts; you can also cancel pop-up windows and exclude JavaScripts; GIF animations can be set to a single frame; you can block referrers and other tracking devices. WebWasher can be temporarily disabled if you decide you want to view a page in its entirety.

Web link: www.webwasher.com

Free

Having dropped the 'Communicator' part of its name, the Netscape suite reaches version 6 with a major overhaul. New features include: an email client that lets you check a wide range of accounts, from AOL to Netscape Webmail; handy privacy tools, such as the Cookie Manager and Password Manager; builder tools that almost fully support the standards for HTML 4.0, XML 1.0, CSS1, key parts of CSS2, ECMA-262, and the Level 1 DOM; a customisable interface that offers built-in support for multiple skins or themes. Netscape 6 now incorporates AOL Instant Messenger directly into the interface.

The browser's engine has been fundamentally rebuilt, so version 6 is smaller and you may find it running faster than its predecessors.

You are advised to backup any important files such as address books and email folders before updating to this new version.

Netscape Support statement: "...end-users are not entitled to any support, warranty, or documentation associated with the Product unless they have paid for such support, warranty or documentation." Visit the Netscape Web site for information on purchasing support.

Another update to Microsoft's Web browser and Outlook Express. This final release version has a new look and includes various fixes making it more stable.