Putting the face of the Mac OS onto the Internet, Apple last month unveiled WebFinder, a Finder-like tool for serving documents on the Web, as well as new versions of both MacPPP and AppleSearch Server.
WebFinder, an ACGI (Asynchronous Common Gateway Interface), displays Web pages in file directories that resemble those of the Finder. The program displays the file's icon, and users can sort items by Name, Size, Kind and Date Last Modified.
Whenever a user clicks on a text file in the directory, WebFinder converts it into HTML on the fly, while maintaining all styles, Apple said. Clicking on an Adobe Acrobat file launches the Acrobat plug-in, if a plug-in is available.
WebFinder's access privileges are set through Apple file sharing.
John Dasher, engineering manager for Apple's CyberTech Internet programming group, said his team designed WebFinder "as a complement to FTP. FTP turned out to be a little too complex for some users, and we said, `Gosh, there's got to be an easier way.' "
WebFinder is currently running on Apple's CyberTech Web site at http://cybertec .apple.com. The tool is expected to be available free in the near future.
In other Internet news, Apple Computer last month shipped MacPPP 2.5, an update to the tool used for a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) connection. The new version is compatible with Open Transport and offers improved virtual-memory support, better serial-port management on PowerBooks and several bug fixes.
The new tool is included in Version 1.1 of the Apple Internet Connection Kit and is available on Apple's Web servers.
MacPPP is free, but Apple supports it only for owners of the $49 Apple Internet Connection Kit.
Finally, Apple has released a patch for the AppleSearch Server, which enables Wide Area Information Server functionality with Open Transport; the Version 1.5.1 update is required only for those who are using Open Transport.
Both MacPPP 2.5 and the AppleSearch Server 1.5.1 Patch are available on the CyberTech site.
