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G0FTD > DOS 06.10.03 02:09l 148 Lines 5913 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : B20204G0FTD
Read: GUEST
Subj: DOS web browser update.
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From: G0FTD@GB7SXE.#38.GBR.EU
To : DOS@WW
<html><BODY bgcolor="#FFFF00"><CENTER><B><U>Packet Radio</U>
<b><IMG src="../htmlib/hamradio.gif" width=120 height=58><U>
<B>Mail from G0FTD<B></U></CENTER><BR><BR><PRE>
This is a minor update to a bulletin I sent previously for anyone
interested in dos browsers.
So for those of you that are interested in running DOS apps or low spec
machines on the internet here's some general info.
1:-
Arachne. (16 bit dos) I have been experimenting with three versions here
from v1.4 to v1.7 - this is the only real decent graphical web
browser/email client to date and runs very well indeed. I can run it
easily on a real old PC here, its an old IBM Thinkpad laptop - 4 meg ram
and a 25Mhz 486 CPU.
I can use it as a packet HTML viewer with my Winpack or as a browser.
If you want to use it as an HTML viewer with your packet program then
experiment with either activating it either to the core.exe or the
arachne.bat file. Also experiment with the profile with reference to
the screen scrolling settings etc. I am currently having a problem with
Arachne 1.7 being properly activiated by Winpack. Earlier versions appear
to trigger and display correctly. Version 1.7 works fine as a web browser
though init own right, its just it does'nt seem to work when a webpage
has been piped from another application.
And if you run it on a fast PC then you will drool over it - thats all I
can say ! Bill Gates should be worried, but I am beggining to detect some
commercialism in Arachne now. There is a "feature" to turn off banner
adverts - but for registered owner only. This is similar to the Opera
windows browser - you register the software to stop it downloading
adverts.
It might be a good idea not to trash some of those early versions :-)
Try http://arachne.cz (yes it is a short url!)
2:-
Lynx (16bit DOS) is a text mode browser that renders html very well.
Its a text browser so you dont end up downloading loads of unecessary
rubbish - that means its VERY QUICK ! Graphics can download with a mouse
click if you do want to see them. Imagine a text mode browser as having
packet style web pages - you only download the content which is usually
text in 99% of case AS text rather than all the rubbish that goes with
it. You can use a mouse with it.
3:-
Lynx (32 bit) is the same as the above but for Win9x systems.
It renders html/forms etc properly and integrates into the existing
Win9x DUN. That means if you already have your Internet Explorer running
then you need no setting up to do - just run lynx.exe should suffice.
Please not I have had a few friends with Windows software modems and
ADSL lines and different packet drivers appear to be required. I am not
sufficiently knowledgable on this matter so I cannot offer much in the
way of a cure. Try looking on www.flora.org/lynx-dev/html/
4:-
Minuet. (16 bit) is an integrated telnet/ftp/email/www browser.
Its very good except its HTML rendering..there is none to speak of
which means you'll usually see te webpage presented like some of the
HTML packet bulletins whereby you see all the HTML code. Forms etc are
a no-no. But the rest of it is very nice to use and should be included
in a DOS'ers armoury of software. It includes a ping facility. Its old
but still very useful. Its available from the University of Minissotta
website which I don't have to hand. I think it's available through one
of the links I found on the "megspace" page mentioned at the end of this
bulletin.
5:-
KNOTS. (16 bit dos). Well it works I suppose, although it's recently
written it was intended for use with real low end pc's. It does'nt
render HTML too well and only shows in line places holders for graphics.
Because of this it cannot be recommended as a Winpack viewer for HTML
bulletins like this.
If you intend running a low end system then I recommend Lynx as the winner
for HTML browsing. Try http://soton.ac.uk/~ng194/knots
To run a dos program like these will require what is known as a packet
driver. This is a wedge that interfaces your phone modem to your browser.
In some case it also acts as a dialer. It will dial your ISP, log you in
and then your application program can take over.
I use a driver called LSPPP and that works even into my Nokia 7110 mobile
phone. One thing that prevented me from getting it all to work was the
packet driver config file.
Some drivers need some understanding to set it up for BOOTP and dynamic
ip allocation. Most drivers will work with any normal hardware modem and
GSM phone modem. A way to tell if your mobile phone has a true hardware
modem is if its got an infrared port on it. If it has you can pretty
much guarantee you can obtain a cable to go from the phone to the serial
port. Some phones like the Nokia 5110 use a software modem. Another
check is to connect the mobile phone to your serial port and simply type
AT to the phone. If it responds OK then you have a hardware modem.
You can use your packet terminal to do this ! My 7110 requires the comport
baud rate to be set at 19k2. Normally GSM phones will operate at 9k6.
This is quite adequate for surfing in text mode and reasonable to get
the occasional download. I use a Cellnet or o2 simcard at the weekends
which gives me 2p a minute rates to a landline.
I have also tried Bobcat and Nettamer but I was insufficiently impressed
by them and dumped them.
A good website where links to these programs can be found with other
DOS goodies is:
www.opus.co.tt/dave
For more DOS goodies you could also try:
www.megspace.com/computers/lightspeedref/main.html
You are WELL advised to explore the links from these pages.
<center>
73 - Andy, G0FTD @ GB7SXE
Message timed: 20:03 on 2003-Jan-14
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