Although AOL has chosen to withdraw continuing development of the Netscape Navigator browser, you'll be able to continue using it indefinitely. Honestly though, who would want to?

Netscape doesn't have much in the way of loyalists in the realm of content suppliers, and web users seem not to care much what browser they use as long as the utility is fast, accurate and simple. I myself switched from Netscape to Firefox during the last year because Navigator was giving me image handling problems and Mozilla Firefox proved to be easier, faster and less burdensome.

Since 1994, Netscape has been a leading-edge web utility. However in recent years, competition from Mozilla Firefox has relentlessly scooped away market share from Netscape and a strong and victorious competitive battle has been waged in the interest of Internet Explorer by Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT). Although Netscape proved to be a strong web utility, in the last few years it lacked any significant improvements in user friendliness. I think that situation is in part due to Microsoft's reluctance to make the Windows operating system play nice with Netscape Navigator. We may take pause to wonder if Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) ever properly applied pressure on Microsoft over the situation ... probably not.

In the big picture, no one is going to miss Netscape Navigator. Yes, some few loyalists might whine for a while and some people with fully loaded hard drives might find their machines maxed out by the downloading of a new browser and the system changes associated with that, but in the end it's all good if it makes the browsing experience faster and easier for the end user. Besides, it might force the sale of some new computers, yes?

Perhaps AOL should just spin off Netscape, take a bit of cash for it and write the rest off. That might be easiest in the long run. When given the fact that AOL will apparently be relegating Netscape to second-tier status, do you really think it'll ever get better?

Stick a fork in it gang, it's done.

One of the stocks that I like to keep an eye on is AutoNation (NYSE: AN). It interests me due to their number one position in online auto sales and because of their robust size. I'm getting a bit curious about how quiet it is over there in terms of news items. I'm not the least bit worried about what they're up to. As I've said before, generally a lack of news means that things are going in a business-as-usual fashion.

As of this writing, the most current news item you'll find on the AutoNation website is their Oct. 26, 2006 news release of their third quarter earnings report. . The most current news piece I can find on the web is a reference to the AutoNation Inc. presentation at the China Auto Services Market Summit, December 5, 2006 at JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai . What this signals to me is that AutoNation is yet another active participant in the massive movement to exploit China's blooming economic opportunities. The summit seemed to be geared more towards automobile service operations than towards outright retailing of automobiles. The logistics of moving cars to market, the financing of new vehicle purchases, underpinning the retail segment, leasing, renting and mechanical service were among the topics of focus. The entire summit signals to me that the groundwork is being carefully laid for a major influx of automobiles into mainland China.

I like the feel of the whole thing. "Detroit's" big three are surely in full preparation for this impending boom. Aren't they? I want to see some advertising fliers showing Chevrolet (NYSE: GM) Silverados parked along the Great Wall. I want to see pictures of the streets of Peking jammed with Nitros (NYSE: DCX) and Explorers (NYSE: F). I want to see some of the money we've spent on cheap Chinese die cast tools and toys coming back as wages for American workers. I want my piece of their economy now. C'mon gang, it's time to bring it on home!

One noteworthy takeaway from Google's Wednesday analyst call (liveblogged by Brian White) is that Google does not have plans to build its own browser. 

With Google expanding in so many directions, it is worth noting that Google's recent expansion into the desktop space via Dell doesn't mean it will be going one step further with a desktop Internet browser.

This makes sense as Google recently partnered with Firefox and as CEO Eric Schmidt states, people are content with the current browser options: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and Opera, so there isn't a demand for Google to develop an alternative. Google, "would not build a browser just for the fun of building a browser," he says. 

Schmidt did however voice his concerns over Microsoft's upcoming releases of its new OS Microsoft Vista and the prepackaged new release of Internet Explorer. Schmidt's concerns have similar undertones to Netscape's prior arguments over anti-competition -- that by prepackaging and other possible integrations, Microsoft will use it's dominant position on a user's desktop to drive their searching towards MSN.

With Google having reprioritzed on 'search', could Schmidt's concerns touch on Chairman Gate's allusions to MSN re-emerging when the stage and timing is set?