Untitled

Netscape Overview for Version 4.x

Computing & Information Services seminar

February 19, 1998, 2-4 p.m., Hewitt 2 classroom

instructor: Jim Cerny, Computing & Information Services

http://www.unh.edu/NIS/Courses/NetscapeOver/

1. Description:

"Reviews features and use of Netscape Communicator 4.0 with comparison to Netscape 3.0. Topics include setting options, use of plug-inis, management of bookmarks, and issues of upgrading from an older version. Lecture/demo format. Prerequisite: Experience in Web browsing.

Disclaimer:

Netscape is a CIS supported product for Web browsing, but not for e-mail, etc.

2. Netscape terminology and the version selection maze.

Elements of Netscape Communicator.

· Name for the whole suite of components.

· Navigator is the browser and is available stand-alone.

· Install of individual components in an edition is optional.

· The special stand-alone version is just Navigator+Netcaster.

Name Description Edition

Navigator Internet browser. Standard

Messengerr E-mail. Standard

Collabra Newsgroups. Standard

Composer HTML editor. Standard

Netcaster Channel subscriptions. Standard

Conference Real-time talk and whiteboard. Standard

Calendar Calendaring and scheduling tool Professional

AOL Messenger Chat with AOL users. Standard

note: there are still other "editions" that exist.

note: note all components are available for all platforms.

Browser version history: 0.9, 1.1N, 2.x, 3.0x, 4.0, and 5.0 expected late summer.

3. Download and upgrade issues.

What is the cost?

· Communicator stand-alone and basic are free, professional is $29.

Where obtain?

· Download for the Communicator Web site (see refs) with browser.

· Order on CD via the Communicator Web site, for $10 + $3 shipping .

Getting the version that is right for your operating system:

· Windows: 16-bit (Win 3.1) or 32-bit (Win95, WinNT)

· Macintosh: 68K or PPC

· encryption key length - 40-bit, 128-bit - domestic and international

Think about disk and memory requirements. Think big!

· Windows 4.04 stand-alone is 8.2MB for the installer (expands).

· Windows 4.04 professional is 17.6MB for the installer (expands).

Upgrade issues

· What about existing bookmarks? OK, but backup just in case.

· Can I run two (or more) versions? Yes.

· Are fractional upgrades important (e.g., 4.03->4.04)? Sometimes.

Brower "user-agent" ids: How they present themselves to a server.

· "Mozilla" mean Netscape Navigator or compatible.

Mozilla/4-01-[en] (Win95; I)

Mozilla/3.01Gold (Macintosh; U; PPC)

Mozilla/1.0N (Windows)

4. Basic browser features and layout - a tour.

The top toolbar:

Note: all screen shots in this doc are from Netscape 4.x on a Macintosh and differ in some details from Netscape 4.x on a Windows system.

Files your browser writes to disk:

· disk cache

· bookmarks

· history list

· cookies

Review of top menus:

· FIle

· Edit

· View

· Go

· Communicator

· Help

Review of top toolbar and panels:

· Back

· Forward

· Reload

· Home

· Search

· Guide

· Print

· Security

· Stop

· Bookmarks

· Location panel

· Instant Message

· What's New

· What's Cool?

Plug-ins and helper applications.

· Concept of plug-ins and helper applications.

· Kept in special folder

· identified for use by MIME types

· LiveAudio (bundled with Netscape)

· QuickTime (bundled with Netscape)

· ActiveX (optional)

· Acrobat Reader (optional)

5. Tour of the Preferences settings - what to configure.

The Edit -> Preferences settings area.

Toolbar appearance.

Applications - how to add

Identity

Mail server

Groups server

Name	Description	Edition
Navigator	Internet browser.	Standard
Messengerr	E-mail.	Standard
Collabra	Newsgroups.	Standard
Composer	HTML editor.	Standard
Netcaster	Channel subscriptions.	Standard
Conference	Real-time talk and whiteboard.	Standard
Calendar	Calendaring and scheduling tool	Professional
AOL Messenger	Chat with AOL users.	Standard