Netscape Communicator 4.6: Potential menu drawing problem; Where is RealPlayer G2?

Regarding the newly released Netscape Communicator 4.6 (see item below):

Menu drawing problem if you update Mercutio MDEF Steve Dagley (of Netscape) describes a potential menu drawing problem:

"The version of the Mercutio MDEF included with Communicator 4.6 is intentionally not the latest Appearance Manager aware version. As was reported some time ago, we utilized an un-documented feature in earlier versions of Mercutio that allowed us to indent menu items in some of the popup menus used in the mail/news areas of Communicator. If you substitute the current 1.5.2 version of Mercutio for the version in Communicator 4.6 these menus will draw incorrectly. The author of Mercutio has provided us with a beta version that is Appearance Manager aware and allows us to indent menu items but this version has not been released to the public as a final build yet. Once it is we will definitely incorporate into the next release of Communicator 4.x.

Note that the version of Mercutio we currently ship does have the fix applied for the GDevice bug so that is not an issue." [See also Mercutio listing in MacFixIt Download Library.]

RealPlayer G2; where is it? Several readers noted that, although the Release Notes say that Communicator 4.6 comes with RealPlayer G2, it actually comes with RealPlayer 5.0.

Regarding this, Alan Rogoff writes:

"Just got off the phone with Netscape. According to them, the Communicator 4.6 available from the ftp site link is a "Preview Release" which is why RealAudio 5.0 rather than G2 is included. Apparently, this preview is not complete. Also, it does not work properly with RealAudio G2 Plus."

However, Steve Dagley once again provides the definitive answer:

"The Mac version of Real Player G2 was released too close to 4.6 GM for us to include it. The Release Notes are in error. The Netscape web site should be updated to reflect the availability of 4.6 Real Soon Now. Communicator 4.6 is definitely not a preview release."

Steve also notes that the next version of Communicator will likely move up to StuffIt Expander 5.x and will definitely include Internet Config 2.0.