Which Internet software?

What you need World Wide Web browsers E-mail software Newsreaders FTP programs IRC software OS/2 software

A key to making the most of the Internet is to choose the right software for your needs. Here's a quick-start guide to Net software.

What you need

Many Internet software programs will run on a bare-bones PC, running Windows 3.1, Win 95, or even OS/2 or Macintosh. However, the newer, more advanced programs require a little more grunt. For Windows 3.1 applications we recommend a 486 with 8Mb of RAM, and for Windows 95 a Pentium with 12Mb of RAM.

A pleasant surprise to many PC users is that so much Internet software doesn't cost a thing -- no-strings-attached, dial-away-no-more-to-pay. This is because of the Internet's educational and government origins, and a strong tradition of making software available freely, more for glory and edification than the usual base lucre that PC users have come to expect.

The inevitable commercialising of the Internet has since seen the side-by-side marketing of freeware or shareware programs and a more muscle-bound `professional' version -- although further development of the low-cal editions frequently slows, or ceases entirely, in favour of the commercial release. For now, though, some of the best things on the Internet are free.

If you want to assemble your own Internet toolkit, here's where to start. We've summarised the best programs built for a particular purpose.

World Wide Web browsers

In the same way that the World Wide Web has engulfed the Internet, to the point that the Web is the Net as far as most people are concerned, so too have browsers gone from simple tools for navigating the graphical Web to mighty applications which can access most of the Net's many resources.

The browser market has come down to an intriguing two-horse race between Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. Both were version 3.0 at the time of writing, with a 4.0 release due some time this year.

Both include e-mail and newsgroup clients and Internet telephones. The latest version of Navigator is available on Windows 3.1 and 95, Macintosh and now OS/2, whereas IE 3.0 is on Windows 95 and 3.1 only -- and the latter is missing some features, while Mac users must settle for an earlier version.

You can download Netscape Navigator from http://www.netscape.com and Microsoft Internet Explorer from http://www.microsoft.com.

There are several other browsers available, including various incarnations of the original graphical browser, Mosaic, but most of them don't support the more sophisticated Web features such as:

• Additional features such as tables and frames. All Web pages use the same format, called HTML, for Hypertext Markup Language. However, HTML has gone through several improvements, with the latest version being HTML 3.2, and not all browsers have kept up. Also, Netscape and now Microsoft seem to think they are the standard setters, including extra features above what's in the latest HTML standard. You should be able to read most Web pages with an old browser, but those pages that use the new features won't look right -- and often downright ugly and hard to read. For example, many Web pages are cleverly designed using tables within tables for a better look, while some use frames, which effectively allow you to view more than one page at the same time -- often used to keep a menu on screen all the time.
• Java applications. Java is a programming language that allow developers to create programs that run over the Internet with Netscape and now IE -- anything from simple animations to real applications.
• Applications that require `plug-ins' -- special add-on software that can only plug into Navigator and IE 3.0. The most common are Shockwave multimedia presentations and Real Audio sound clips.

Got your Web browser and Internet connection? Now to start using it. See Using the World Wide Web.

Web plug-ins

Plug-ins can make using Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer an even richer experience (see Using Plug-ins). There are now scores of plug-ins, but here are our favourites:

ShockWave (http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave): Plug-in that adds mind-blowing animation, sound and interactivity to Web pages.

RealAudio (http://www.realaudio.com/products/player): This plug-in gives you live AM radio-like sound over the Net with your browser. See our guide to Using RealAudio for more information.

Live3D (http://www.netscape.com/comprod/products/navigator/live3d/download_live3d.html): Netscape Web plug-in which opens the door to 3D virtual reality worlds written using the virtual reality mark-up (VRML) language, although it will give even a high-end Pentium a work-out.

E-mail software

Sending and receiving electronic mail via the Internet remains one of the most important reasons to be online. Not only is it affordable but it's faster, and usually more convenient, than a phone call, fax or `snail mail' (the Netizen's term for those hand-delivered letters which Grandpa used to send).

Netscape Navigator Mail and Microsoft Internet Mail, bundled with their respective browsers, are ample for most users.

If, however, you're into power e-mail and want a program designed for mail and nothing else, reach for Eudora Pro or Pegasus.

Eudora Pro is a commercial program and a significant step up from the freeware Eudora Lite supplied by many ISPs as part of your sign-up package. Improvements include mail filtering with automatic responses, a spelling checker, HTML message formatting, improved find capabilities and customisable toolbar and address book. Eudora Pro 3.0 is available from Lidcam Technology (phone 03-9820 9077). You can download Eudora Lite from http://www.eudora.com.

Pegasus Mail is free, which is astounding when you look at its long list of features, although it isn't among the easiest e-mail programs to configure. You can download Pegasus Mail from http://www.pegasus.usa.com/.

See Using E-mail to take the next step.

Newsreaders

Usenet newsgroups are the Net's electronic bulletin board where users can read and reply to messages on discussions of just about any subject. A newsreader sorts through the thousands of newsgroups and presents them in an organised fashion, as well as making it easy for you to manage messages and file attachments.

If you only intend to dabble in a few newsgroups, then Netscape Navigator News and Microsoft Internet News could be all you need.

For those who take newsgroups very seriously and value offline operation, message screening, sorting and other highly evolved functions, the award-winning FreeAgent is hard to beat. You can download FreeAgent from http://www.forteinc.com/forte.

Ready to give newsgroups a go? See Using Newsgroups. We've also got a tutorial on Using FreeAgent as an offline newsreader.

FTP programs

If you just want to download files from publicly available sites, a Web browser will do. However, an FTP (or File Transfer Protocol) program is more powerful and flexible, allowing you to 'upload' (or copy) to as well as download files from an Internet site (by allowing you to log on to the site that requires a passwords).

FTP programs are also better at file management -- you can transfer files simply by dragging their icon from the FTP server window into a directory on your hard drive, much like any any file manager.

They're faster and also better at handling large files, because they come and go straight to and from the hard disks of both computers -- there's no waiting period while the file whizzes around the world from your e-mail program's outbox to someone else's inbox.

Most importantly, if you set up a homepage on the Web, you'll need an FTP program to upload the the files to your ISP's site.

The current leader of the pack is CuteFTP. This shareware utility displays the contents of distant servers in a File Manager-like screen with drag-and-drop transfers and a toolbar loaded with shortcut buttons.

This useability is where CuteFTP outpaces the traditional FTP client of choice, WS_FTP. The Lite Edition is free to download. The beefier Pro version offers a neat `resume' function through which a stalled upload or download is resumed from the point of interruption, rather than having to transmit the whole file again. You can download CuteFTP from http://www.cuteftp.com.

See Using FTP for instructions on how to use CuteFTP.

IRC

Internet Relay Chat is the Internet version of CB radio. It allows lots of users on different systems at different locations to converge into one `room' and have a real-time discussion, similar to a conference call or party line. The difference is that you type your contributions rather than speak directly.

Because the action occurs in real-time, you should look for an IRC application which feels comfortable and is easy to use, with ample shortcuts to let you focus on having fun rather than grabbing for menus and dialogue boxes.

The current favourite is mIRC, and we've included a tutorial on how to use this great app. mIRC can be downloaded from http://www.ozemail.com.au/ozemail/oz1195s/help/soft/mirc.html.

See Using IRC for a tutorial on how to use mIRC.

OS/2 software

Your one-stop shop for all things OS/2 is Frankston Information Services at http://www.frankson.aus.net. But like Internet software of all varieties, there's some free stuff too. . .

Web browser

Warp users are in for a treat with the marketing leading Web browser Netscape Navigator now being native on their platform. Download it from http://www.netscape.com.

E-mail

Post Road Mailer is my choice of e-mail program, allowing you to use multiple In baskets, address books and address groups. It supports the Pretty Good Privacy keys, recognises URLs in mail messages and even acts as a basic newsreader. A trial version can be downloaded from http://www.aescon.com/innoval.

Newsreader

Post Road Newsreader allows you to download headers and later on retrieve only the messages you want; work completely live online, if you choose; or overdose on information by downloading entire newsgroups as `MetaGroups'. A trial version can be downloaded from http://www.aescon.com/innoval/.

FTP

File transfers fly with the NeoLogic Suite for OS/2's FTP client. Besides the usual FTP client features, it lets you create server lists for regularly visited sites and build a download list from multiple servers. The suite also includes an FTP server, Gopher client and newsreader. The shareware version can be downloaded from http://www.wilmington.net/bmtmicro/catalog/neologic.html.

IRC

The conversation flows smoothly with GammaTech IRC, the graphical chat tool which supports multiple chat groups (each in their own window), has a customisable toolbar and can handle multiple servers. You can download a trial version at http://www.aquila.com/menu2/area03/dr3-1.htm.

By Mark Rogers

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All text © 1997 Australian Consolidated Press - PC User Magazine