Also, the total size of opera is so small because the core files and executables are all compressed. Other browser don't compress there files. Uncompressed, Opera is roughly as big as the other browsers (though, still a bit smaller, but not much). (and because it doesn't come standard with Java, like every other browser)
The big difference between Netscape Browser and FireBird/Fox (I always mixed those up
) is the userinterface. Most people will find the basic Netscape look a bit "old". But that's why I like it, no "fancy "stuff, just clean layout (blah... also because I'm old ?
) But you can easly change the look from Netscape though (just like any other browser). Also Mozilla/FireFox/Bird has always a more recent build of the engine. The reason is simple: Netscape waits until a very stable engine-build has released publicly before they build there own suite around it. The benefit of this is that Netscape will be roughly more stable then Mozilla/Firefox/Bird, because they could contain not yet discovered and fixed bugs. So, that's the second reason why I use Netscape instead of the other Mozilla's... But this will change in the futur, cause I doubt there will be a new Netscape coming (see other notes/articles/posts about Netscape stop developping). Oh, and the AOL things in Netscape? I just don't install them, and what I can't unselect at the install, I can remove later...