According to Netscape, Netcenter is designed to be "an Internet portal that provides smart tools and services that empower users to take charge of their Internet experience." While all that is true, there is an easier way to describe Netscape Netcenter.

Netscape Netcenter is your gateway to the Internet.

From Netscape Netcenter (home.netscape.com) you can go virtually anywhere and do practically anything available on the Internet. Using Netscape Netcenter as your "home base," you can

• Access comprehensive and up-to-date information on practically any major topic-from business to computing to family interests to health matters to real estate to travel.
• Automatically update your Netscape Navigator Web browser.
• Create a customized start page for your Web browser.
• Create your own personal page on the World Wide Web.
• Download shareware programs from a library of more than 40,000 software titles.
• Engage in community discussions with others who share your special interests.
• Exchange instant messages with other online users.
• Find out what's new and what's cool on the Web.
• Maintain an online Address Book that you can access from any computer.
• Place and reply to classified ads.
• Play a variety of online games.
• Read the latest news, sports, and weather headlines.
• Search for email addresses, street addresses, and phone numbers of people and businesses.
• Search the World Wide Web for information.
• Send and receive email messages from any computer, without the need for special software.
• Shop from hundreds of online retailers.

In essence, Netscape Netcenter gives you easy access to everything on the Internet!