If you’re tired of using Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, along with the unending barrage of security concerns, try this — Mozilla.

Mozilla is the logical extension of the code base that was once Netscape Communicator. When AOL bought Netscape, the code streams separated and Mozilla became an open-source project dedicating to building a viable, full-featured Internet suite. After several years of development, it is finally nearing completion; Alpha Release 1.1 is available.

I have been using the products for several days now, and have to report that stability is very good. All of the products meet or exceed feature content of their Microsoft counterparts, with the exception of encryption, which is coming in later releases (due to a negotiation problem with RSA).

Take a look at the suite, and judge for yourself. You may find that the ability to avoid Outlook-related viruses is enough reason to switch; or at least install.

Included below are some screenshots. My setup is using the “Modern” skin (you can download/create/use ’skins’ for all of the Mozilla applications):

- Browser Window (119kb)
- Email/Newsgroup Client (41kb)
- Address Book (61kb)
- HTML Composer (34kb)
- IRC Client (61kb)