In addition to delivering the industry's best-of-breed browser, Internet Explorer 4.0 provides innovative new technology that you can use to increase interactivity and excitement for your customers—without slowing down server performance.
Internet Explorer 4.0 includes the following technologies to help you create exciting and interactive Web pages and applications:
- Dynamic HTML. Gives you more design options and control, plus the ability to add a new dimension of interactivity without slowing performance in the process.
- ActiveX™ Scripting. Lets ActiveX controls "talk" to each other and to other Web applets.
- Java™ with AFC. Provides a powerful set of building blocks for developing Java applets and other Internet applications. Application Foundation Classes (AFC) deliver a rich suite of graphics as well as user interface and multimedia capabilities to authors who use Java in their Web pages.
- ActiveX Technology. Provides a means for creating innovative, Web-based software components using your existing knowledge and code base.
Internet Explorer 4.0 introduces Dynamic HTML technology, which lets you offer rich multimedia and graphics, agents, client-side data manipulation, and transparent controls in your Web pages. What's the payoff? A more rewarding Web experience for users that you can build into your present sites and applications. And because Dynamic HTML is 100% compatible with existing World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) HTML standards, it lets you leverage all your prior investments in HTML training and developing code. Internet Explorer 4.0 is based on open technologies, so you can reach any user worldwide, no matter which browser they use.
See below for information about resources Microsoft is providing to help you make the most of the innovations delivered with Internet Explorer 4.0.
The Site Builder Network: Key resource for improving your Web site
You'll be hard pressed to find a better source of information on Internet technologies than Site Builder Network. It offers documentation covering both familiar topics and new technologies such as Dynamic HTML's Object Model and Multimedia Controls, plus strategic information to supplement the Internet Client Software Development Kit (see below). Site Builder Workshop also provides a variety of samples—along with code—to help you create cutting-edge Web sites using Internet Explorer 4.0 tools and technologies. You'll find a wealth of information as well in the Internet Explorer 4.0 Technical White Paper.
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Internet Client Software Development Kit
The Internet Client Software Development Kit (SDK) serves as the foundation for learning about Internet Explorer 4.0 technologies and the Active Platform. This comprehensive resource offers all the tools and information you need to make the most of the platform's innovations to create high-impact Web sites.
You don't have to be an expert programmer to develop compelling Web content. The Internet Client SDK is designed for authors of varying levels of experience, and provides task-oriented documentation, samples, tools, and reusable components for authoring active content. The SDK also includes resources to enable traditional custom components and applications to run on the Internet and intranets. Highlights of the Internet Client SDK:
- Authoring for the Desktop and the Web. Provides everything you need to author HTML pages that take advantage of the latest features of Internet Explorer 4.0, from cascading style sheets to scripting to ActiveX Controls and Java applets.
- Component Development. Provides the details you need to create ActiveX Controls and Java applets.
- Internet Application Development. Describes features and technologies used by Internet Explorer 4.0 and explains how you can exploit them in your own applications.
- Component Library. Provides downloadable components and their documentation.
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"The Dynamic HTML Object Model"