Beyond the browser wars.

Navigator and Explorer aren't the only games in town

If you surf the Web, chances are you're using some version of either Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. Depending on who you ask, and which company has the most recent upgrade, the two are locked in a see-saw battle for Internet superiority. But contrary to popular belief, they aren't the only games in town. While the two combatants offer great interfaces and features, there is something to be said for taking the road less traveled. There are browsers specialized for everything from text-only surfing to kid-friendly sites to visiting online auctions to getting Web pages via the phone.

There are practical reasons for looking at alternative browsers besides not wanting to succumb to the marketing pressure of the two leaders. Hardware resources, surfing speed, personal preferences or the need to view special characters, such as mathematical symbols, are some of the issues that compel surfers to try a new board. Others look for better browsers for operating systems that are not widely used. Whatever your reason, we've offered some choices so you don't have to give into the Netscape/Windows duopoly. Here's a sampling of some popular alternative browsers that support Windows and often other platforms as well:

NEOPLANET * NeoPlanet Inc. * www.neoplanet.com

Tired of the same ol' thing when you fire up your browser? NeoPlanet's software lets you dress up your browser with downloadable "skins" (interfaces) in themes from gothic to natural. Design your own skins and put them online for others to download. There's already a library of over 100 skins that others have made. The software requires Internet Explorer, but a Netscape Navigator version is coming soon. NeoPlanet is free to users. It gets its revenues from advertisers and other partners.

OPERA 3.60 * Opera Software * www.opera.com

Opera looks like a cross between a browser, a file manager and a word processing application. It has the prerequisite menu, toolbar, URL box and browser window --but that's not all. You can open multiple sites within a single Opera interface. For normal browsing, you'll probably want to blow up a single window to full size, since Web pages are generally designed to be seen in full-screen mode. You can even save your windows when you exit Opera, and bounce back to the sites you had open when you come back.

Opera will import Netscape bookmarks and supports some popular plug-ins. You have to download Sun's Java plug-in yourself if you want Java. Download Opera for a 30-day timed evaluation, and register for $35 if you want to keep using it. The reminder screen is a little annoying, but the 30-day countdown includes only the days you actually use the product.

NETCAPTOR * Stilesoft Inc. * www.netcaptor.com

If you're really into conducting research on the Web, try NetCaptor. This browser does a better job than Opera of letting you browse multiple Websites at the same time. Each site is opened on a separate tab, allowing you to toggle back and forth between full views rather than having all of the windows occupy your screen at once (as they do in Opera). The number of sites that can be opened is limited only by system memory, and the tabs can be positioned at the top or bottom of the screen.

NetCaptor's no one-trick pony. In addition to browsing multiple Websites at the same time, you can customize toolbars, open groups of sites with a single click and drag and drop URLs on other browser tabs. One of its most refreshing features is its ability to automatically close pop-up windows. You'll also have a good deal of control over the loading of multimedia effects, such as sound and video. To support the price of the browser, which is free, NetCaptor displays an advertisement in the upper right-hand corner. Shell out $19.95 and you can be free of the ad. NetCaptor requires Internet Explorer 4.01 or greater to run.

LYNX 2.8.2 * A shareware program * www.slcc.edu/lynx

Want to slide through the Web like a hot knife through butter but your PC's performance is more like a sled on gravel? Try a text-based browser such as the widely respected Lynx. Lynx isn't pretty, nor is it a hayride, but if your only concern is text and you're willing to devote some time to learning the old-fashioned Unix-like interface, you can shave a lot of time off your Web travels with this free software.

This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to alternative browsers, so do some investigating and find one that fits your needs. To break the chains of the Navigator/Explorer dominance, visit the following sites and type "browser" in the search box: www.zdnet.com, www.yahoo.com and www.cnet.com.