(C) by Dirk Gently (ex-DADA/ex-TSI)

Welcome to Scanner 8, THE Coder Mag of 1996!

What software will you need?

You will need a copy of Netscape or Microsoft . It may be an older version as well. Using Mosaices is not recommended as its older versions can't display JPG pictures. Also, avoid Arena.

You'll need at least Windows 3.1 to run this mag, although all the available operating systems (Linux (X Window), Win 3.1, Win95, OS/2, Mac, Amiga etc...) are supported - except for MS-DOS, VM/CMS and VMS.

The mag is in HTML format. If you don't know what HTML means or how to install your own HTML browser to check it, read the following section (I didn't include Netscape in this package as it is meant to be multi-platform. If you don't have InterNet access - or only limited InterNet access - you can pay me a visit or ask ppl for a copy of Netscape, the program that allows you read this mag).

The main menu is contained in code.htm - load it from Netscape.

Installing Netscape (2.0 - there is a beta release of 3.0, but as the mag doesn't use Java extensions, even the 2.0 seems a bit useless):

The following section discusses the installation of the Netscape under Win95, as its the most widely used operating system right now. Of course, the steps of installing Netscape don't differ much under other operating systems. 
Netscape Navigator is made freely available to individuals (please read the LICENSE file that accompanies the software). Netscape is a rather strange package, since it is neither freeware or shareware, but rather demo-ware. Netscape, as always, have provided evaluation copies of Netscape Navigator 2.0 during its progress through beta-testing. Such copies have expiry dates built into them. Netscape also offer commercial versions of their products. 

Installing Netscape Navigator 2.0

Netscape 2.0 for Windows 95/ Win 3.11 arrives as a self-extracting executable (.EXE) file and installation program. This section examines how to install Netscape on a Windows 95-based system.

Downloading Netscape 2.0

Netscape Navigator 2.0 resides at Netscape's Web server located at the address:

ftp://ftp.netscape.com/2.0

The directory in which the program resides is /2.0 for Netscape version 2.0N. Enter the windows directory for the Microsoft Windows versions of the Netscape program. Netscape exists in a number of forms, both with and without Java support. Look for a filename beginning with N32 and ending in .EXE (executable file).

You can use any FTP client to download this file; indeed you could also use the ftp:// URL in your current version of Netscape (or other Web browser). Windows 95 now has a dedicated FTP client (FTP.EXE), which is installed along with the Dial-Up Networking module. You must have already installed the Microsoft 32-bit WinSock (TCP/IP stack) in order to use this facility. If you have only Win 3.1, you must install the WinSock package and its FTP.EXE before downloading. If you're using a better machine, FTP is sure to be present. Finnish users, be warned: there are a lot of InterNet providers in Finland that allow accessing only Swedish, Russian and Estonian FTP sites - fortunately, Sweden has also Netscape-mirrors.

When you invoke a command line FTP client, the open command should be used along with the name of the FTP site (ftp.netscape.com in this case) that you wish to contact; alternatively, quote the name of the FTP server after the ftp command. Once a connection has been made the FTP server will ask you for a username and password. Public FTP sites (or anonymous FTP sites as they are known) accept the username anonymous so that you can gain limited access to the server in order to download publicly available files, such as the Netscape program. When the server asks you for a password, simply enter your Internet email address in the form user@host.

You can now move to the appropriate directory and download Netscape, but be sure to enable binary mode for your file download (if you are using Netscape to download this file, binary mode will be invoked automatically). The binary command has been used since we are using an interactive FTP program, and the Netscape archive is an executable file (not a 'plain text' file). After this comes the get command, along with the name of the file to be downloaded. In the example we have used a fully qualified filename, i.e. one that points directly to the file we require. When the file has been fully transferred to your computer the ftp> prompt will return, at which stage you should just type quit to end your FTP session. It can take approximately 30 to 40 minutes to download Netscape Navigator 2.0 with a V.34/V.Fast modem, depending on how busy the FTP server actually is.

The username anonymous or ftp is entered (ftp is also valid on most FTP servers), and, after that, the full email address. Access is then granted; notice the ftp> prompt, which awaits our next command. Next we enable binary mode (with the bin command), change directory (cd) to where Netscape 2.0 is stored on this server (cd /computing/information-systems/www/Netscape/2.0/windows), and then we issue a dir (directory) command to see what file(s) are available. Notice the n32e20.exe file, which is the 32-bit (Win 95) version of Netscape Navigator 2.0 and n16e20.exe, which is designed to run under older Windowses (of course, if you are going to use another operating system, you have to choose e.g. the /Unix directory). The file is then downloaded to our machine using the get command. If you need to save the file to another directory use the lcd command (local change directory) with the name of the local directory in which you want to save the Netscape program. For example, lcd c:\temp would save all subsequent files into the c:\temp directory on your computer's C drive (hard disk). Type quit to end the FTP session when the download is completed. You can then run the n32e20.exe program and install Netscape.

Problems accessing Netscape's FTP server?

Netscape's server can become very busy (it is one of the most popular Internet sites) so you may have to keep reconnecting to their server if it has reached its maximum user-load. For this reason it is best to contact a mirror site. Mirror sites are duplicate file systems that exist in various countries around the world. For example, a UK user should contact the Netscape mirror site at sunsite.doc.ic.ac.uk rather than ftp.netscape.com, since the former is much nearer and response times will be significantly faster. Alternatively, look closely at the screen when you are denied access, since Netscape's FTP server will list all of the main mirror sites that exist.

Netscape's FTP server ftp.netscape.com is always busy and results in slow downloads. Try the machines ftp2 through ftp10 as well, or better still, use a mirror site that is located even nearer to home. Netscape is normally stored immediately below the root directory in the directory named /2.0. Make sure that you enable binary mode for all downloads! Back up your copy of Netscape just in case you delete a component accidentally.

The installation of Netscape 2.0 is simplicity itself, since the main .EXE file now runs a setup system for the Netscape program. Copy the Netscape .EXE file that you have downloaded into a separate directory and then run it (either from a DOS prompt or from the Start/Run menu in Windows 95). After installing Netscape you should run the appropriate Netscape icon (the Windows 95 installation will create a new group window for you) and enter the Options/Preferences menu to provide details such as your email address and news server. The installation process will create a new folder group and Netscape icon (plus a link to the Netscape READ.ME file).

Have phun, Dirkki@iRC.
