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Learning to manage Web client software

The problem

In the Department we have the following platforms:

PC with Windows95,Windows3.1,NT,Linus
Mac
Unix boxes (Dec osf, hp UX,Sun ?)
Alphas with Openvms

You should install Netscape,Internet Explorer,Mosaic,lynx,etc plus plug-ins, viewers etc on any of these platforms.

Install new versions. Install auxiliary software for the creation of HTML (like HTML editors).
Users want to use Netscape to manage mail,want to read PDF files, want to uncompress the files got from Internet,etc,etc

The latest version

What about installing IE4 and Netscape 4 ?

Installing Netscape on VMS

There is a new versione (3) to be installed. See this address.

A checklist

Font color
Font size
Background color
Tables
Frames
Animated gifs
Java
Javascript
Shockwave
RealAudio
VRML
ActiveX
pdf viewing and printing
automatic uncompressing of .gz and .Z files

Installing Netscape

You need to contact Netscape or (better) some mirror nearby, like this one in Rome.

Installing Java

On Unix machines you have to copy one of the files in the distribution in some special directory. Look at the README file or the release note. Note that Java on some machines may cause problems.For example on alboot with Netscape 2 it somehow works, but with Netscape 3 starting a Java applet "blows up" Netscape. (This was solved by defining CLASSPATH /usr/local/lib/netscape/java_30).

Some annoying problems

On the terminal window where Netscape is started sometimes it starts writing error messages like crazy.
Java applets don't seem to work with Netscape 3 on alpha OSF
Netscape 2 on openvms doesn't uncompress .gz files automatically.
Java applets with Netscape2 on Unix are extremely slow (compared to Netscape on NT)

Setting up Netscape to read mail

Using Netscape to read mail should also enable you to read messages with MIME attachments.

There is no protection on the SMTP server!

Anyone can send mail with my username!

Using Netscape in the kiosk mode

Click with the right mouse button on the Netscape icon on desktop. Choose Properties and add to the program name -sk.

Using Netscape to upload files with ftp

Use the following url:

ftp://zito@netview.ba.infn.it/

then give your password. To upload, choose the receiving directory then drag and drop the file you want to upload from the file manager window to the Netscape window.