# EDITORIAL PAGE

NETSCAPE COMMUNICATOR 4.04

Christmas came a little early for OS/2 users this year. On September 28th IBM surprised everyone with the formal release of the Netscape Communicator 4.04 for OS/2. The release had not been expected until sometime around Comdex, so this was a pleasant surprise for OS/2 users. Between this release, FixPak 8, and Java 1.1.6, OS/2 users are in pretty good shape from a technical perspective.

INSTALLATION

I downloaded and installed the Communicator shortly after it was announced. It is available for download from the IBM Software Choice program. There are two versions of the product: one with 128 bit encryption support, and one without. The URL paths for the two versions include (for U.S. users):

Encryption Version
http://service.boulder.ibm.com/asd-bin/doc/en_us/ns40xr/f-server.htm

Non-Encryption Version
http://service.boulder.ibm.com/asd-bin/doc/en_us/ns40/f-server.htm

The technical requirements are fairly straight forward: a 486 processor or higher (90MHz or higher), 16MB of RAM or higher, OS/2 Warp 4.0/OS/2 Warp Server 4.0 or higher, or Workspace On-Demand. It also requires an SVGA display (which means basic VGA users are out of luck). For complete technical requirements, see http://service.boulder.ibm.com/asd-bin/doc/en_us/ns40/f-prereq.htm

As for me, I downloaded the Encryption Version labeled comm40xr.exe (7490758 in download size, which expands into 16MB) to my ThinkPad 365XD with a Pentium/133MHz. Please keep in mind that I had loaded FixPak 8 on my machine as well as Java 1.1.6 prior to installing the Communicator. The self-extracting file included a simple installation program which loaded the product quickly. During the installation, the program checked my computer to see if the Netscape Navigator 2.02 version was loaded on my machine and re-used my BOOKMARKS.HTM file in the new version. It also asked if I wanted to convert my IBM WebExplorer "Quicklist" (Yes, I still have the WebExplorer loaded on my machine; No, I didn't use the "Quicklist"). Don't worry about your old 2.02 version of Netscape, the installation program will not delete it. According to IBM, the 2.02 version will still be supported until January 31, 2001. However, you will be inclined to delete the old version after you start using 4.04.

The only other thing I noticed as a result of the installation was there were a lot more sub-directories under the x:\NETSCAPE directory. There is a lot more to Communicator than just a web browser as I was about to find out.

"So what exactly is the Communicator?"

The name "Communicator" is a bit confusing to OS/2 users who are accustomed to the term "Navigator." They are not the same things, yet they are compatible. Basically, the "Communicator" is a suite of programs in the same vein as Lotus SmartSuite. The four parts of the Communicator are:

1. Navigator - a radically enhanced version of the web browser.
2. Messenger Mailbox - for e-mail.
3. Colabra Discussion Groups - for NNTP newsgroups.
4. Page Composer - an easy-to-use WYSIWYG web page builder/publisher, representing the most substantial add-on for 2.02 users.

The Composer group is visually represented and accessed through the Component Bar (shown here) which allows users to easily switch between programs. The Bar, which floats on top of the desktop, is invoked from any of the four components (under the Communicator action-bar-choice, "Show Component Bar" and "Dock Component Bar" to remove it). You can also access any of the components as standard pull-down-choices from the dialog as well.

Perhaps the first thing a 2.02 user will appreciate about Composer is that all of its components are much more appealing to the eye than previous versions. Although I haven't confirmed it yet, it appears that the Composer is CUA compliant (Common User Access standards providing a common "look and feel" to OS/2 based products). One handy feature I found is that the user can quickly increase or decrease font sizes thereby enhancing the readability of text on the screen (under the "View" action-bar-choice or by Ctrl+] Ctrl+[ ). Also, Bubble Help pops up on icons wherever the mouse pointer is placed. But Composer's features go far beyond appearance. Configuring Composer settings are simplified through a new pop-up dialog (see "Edit", "Preferences") which allows the user to set overall fonts, colors, cache, proxies, and disk space limitations, as well as individual component specifications.

Navigator

The Navigator provides the same basic browser features that we are all familiar with (Back, Forward, Reload, Print, View Page/Frame Source, etc.). If you are a 2.02 user or even a WebExplorer user, you'll be up and running in no time. Although it is not prominently mentioned, OS/2 users will be pleased to know that the F5 function key still reloads the web page in the browser. Users will also notice that text will pop-up when the mouse pointer is placed on certain images on a web page. This results from an "image" tag in HTML with an "alt=" extension. For example, I used the following tag on the Component Bar image above:

<img src="commun.jpg" align=left alt="The Communicator Component Bar">

If you are using the Communicator already, place your mouse pointer on the image above to see how this works.

128-bit encryption security is now provided (assuming you download the correct version as mentioned earlier). I checked it against the Fortify security check and it passed with flying colors (click on SSL Check on their web page). Fortify is an excellent freeware program from Sydney, Australia that provides world-wide, unconditional, full strength 128-bit cryptography to users of Netscape Navigator (v2.02 for OS/2 and v3) and Communicator (v4). Although it works nicely with Communicator, it is not necessary if you are using the OS/2 Communicator Encryption version.

The Navigator's "Bookmarks" section is slightly different than its 2.02 predecessor. If you are like me, you probably have several URL Bookmarks. However, if you haven't organized them properly, your Bookmarks will display a substantial listing. In other words, now is a good time to clean up the organization of your Bookmarks and use more folders. When you "Edit Bookmarks..." make sure you make use of your right mouse button to add, delete, copy URLs, as well as to change "Bookmark Properties."

Perhaps the most subtle but important enhancement to the Navigator is its "drag and drop" capabilities. Just to the left of the URL "Location/Go to" field on the browser you'll notice a small icon showing a pencil on paper. When a URL address is listed in the field, place your mouse pointer on the icon, then, with your right-mouse button, drag and drop it on the Composer portion of the product. This provides a convenient means to capture URL links when building a web page. To take it further, this same drag and drop capability provides the means to move graphics and selected text to a web page under design in the Composer. Slick, very slick.

Page Composer

As mentioned, the Composer is an easy-to-use WYSIWYG web page design tool. If you know how to use a word processor, you'll have little difficulty learning how to use this product, even if you don't know how to write HTML. Novice users can easily input graphics as well as text (there's even a handy spell checker). It is also easy to insert such things as links, targets, horizontal lines, tables (very slick), and supplemental HTML tags. I particularly liked how you can specify "page colors and properties" (under "Format"), including Meta tags (hidden tags for defining the author and keywords). Even better, there is a "Publish" feature which allows you to automatically upload your web page to the Internet.

The Composer makes a convenient means to re-engineer existing HTML pages. Simply open the file, edit it accordingly, and save it. Its that simple.

My only criticism of the Composer is that there isn't an option to upshift/downshift HTML tags. Like a lot of other web page design tools, the Composer writes HTML tags upshifted. This is fine for most browsers, but there are still some Unix based browsers that have trouble interpreting upshifted tags. Consequently, I'll stick to writing HTML manually (using my good old EPM Enhanced Editor). Other than this, the Composer is an excellent tool for most web page design needs.

Messenger Mailbox & Colabra Discussion Groups

From what I can see, there is very little difference in these two areas between versions 2.02 and 4.04 of Netscape. Again, the "Preferences" feature simplifies configuring settings and the telephone book is greatly improved (starting to look remarkably similar to the phone books in PMMail). Regardless, both the Mailbox and Message groups are useful tools for their intended purposes.

Miscellaneous

Following my initial installation of the Communicator, I installed the supplemental OS/2 Plug-In Pack v2.1 featuring the latest plug-ins for multimedia support. Although the web page for downloading the self-extracting file says that it is 1.6MB, in reality it is 2.36MB in size. The Plug-In Pack installed easily and all of my multimedia apps appear to be working fine with it.

According to the documentation, the Netscape Communicator is Year 2000 compliant, provided you are using the following FixPaks:

- OS/2 Warp 4: FixPak 5 or higher.
- All versions of OS/2 Warp Server: FixPak 32 or higher.
- WorkSpace On-Demand: no FixPak required.

In terms of negatives:

1. It seemed to me that the Communicator consumed more computer resources than 2.02. However, it may just be a matter for me to learn how to configure operating requirements more effectively.

2. HELP is all there but it seemed somewhat lethargic to me in terms of responsiveness.

3. There was much less video flickering than 2.02, but it is still there.

These negatives pale in comparison to the features you are getting with the product. Is 4.04 bug free? Probably not, but I haven't run into anything significant yet. Other than a good FTP transfer facility, such as EmTec's Network Suite, everything else is there to transverse the Internet. Should you download it? Yes, absolutely. This is the one MUST HAVE piece of software you should be using with OS/2 (besides, you can't beat the price!). So what are you waiting for? GO GET IT NOW!

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

Yes, the Netscape Communicator is good, as is FixPak 8, and Java 1.1.6. Thank you IBM and Netscape for your efforts. In all sincerity, it is greatly appreciated. But if I were to ask for anything else for Christmas, it would be for more native Java apps. As I mentioned in last month's editorial, IBM is pushing towards Java, which is good. However, I have yet to go into a local computer retailer and see shrink-wrapped Java programs on the shelves. This is most disturbing to OS/2 users who have been patiently waiting for Java apps for some time now. Other than InnoVal's J Street Mailer, where are the Java based word processors, terminal emulators, fax packages, etc.? I would particularly like to have a Java version of the RealPlayer from the RealAudio people. All I want for Christmas, as I suspect a lot of other OS/2 users want, are some native Java apps!

Keep the faith!

- Tim Bryce
Editor, OS/2 CONNECT

Copyright © MBA 1998