Re: Internet WWW Browsers

[Wayne Precht <wayne@apollo.umuc.edu>]

Rhys said:

>         Galmr is correct.  If your home service allows for SLIP protocol 
> (I'm not the one to ask for a definition of that beast) then Mosiac and 
> Netscape are open to your use.
> 
>         There seems to be some confusion on the Mosiac issue.  There are two 
> versions.  One runs in a standard windows mode, and the newer one (ver 2.0 
> alpha 6 I think) which can take advantage of 32 bit paths found in 
> WindowsNT.  There is a patch to allow anyone with windows 3.11 to utilize 
> the 32 bit stuff and that is contained in the Mosiac how-to files.

Actually they started requiring the use of Win32s for all ver 2.0 versions.
 
>         It has been my experience that while I like the bookmarking (note on 
> where in the Web you are for future use) system of the Mosiac line, the 
> Netscape program 1) is faster by a long shot   2) has a niftier way of 
> bringing up gif files while on-line (it allows you to scan the text and read 
> the stuff while still d/l'ing the gif's. Time saver!)
>         and 3)  It doesn't crash my system but 1/10 as often. Now I only go 
> down while running it once every 3 weeks or so.  

Actually I like Netscape better for *most* things.  Some pages choke Netscape
but not Mosaic.  Also, I like the user defined menus of Mosaic and the printing
of pages (when it works).  So, I actually have both on my PC.

>         An interesting item on the Netscape program... Mosiac communications 
> company changer their name to Netscape and wrote the thing.  Even they think 
> it's better!!

Actually it is written by the same guy.  He (and some others) quit NCSA and
together with some $ people formed Mosaic Communications in June 94.  But,
NCSA raised and stink over the use of the name and they changes the name of
both their company and their product to Netscape.  Funny thing is though, 
some error messages still come up as "Mosaic Error: XXX".

Commerical users are mostly going to go with Netscape since future (probably
not the free though) versions will contain RSA data encryption that will 
allow you to buy things over the net without sending your Credit Card # over
the net in the clear.
 
> Netscape is available through ftp site of :
>                                                                              
>            ftp.mcom.com      guestname :  your e-mail address
>                              password :   anonymous                          
>                              initial directory:      /netscape
 
 
Galmr.