Help
The SuperCD is designed to be as easy to use as possible. Over the last few month's we have been working to make it yet more friendly. This section will aquaint you with the new interface.
If you're using Windows 95, 98 or NT, the SuperCD should start itself automatically when you put it in your CD-ROM drive. If you have closed the interface and want to restart it, you can do so by double-clicking the CD-ROM in My Computer. If you have Autorun disabled, open your CD-ROM drive by double-clicking on it and double-click again on the program 'supercd'. There is also an html page, 'start.htm', in the same place - opening it in Internet Explorer 4 or 5 will launch you into the SuperCD.
If you are using Windows 3.1, simply choose Run from the Program Manager File menu, and type D:\SUPERCD, where D is the letter of your CD-ROM drive.
If you are running Linux, opening 'start.htm' will redirect you to the Linux pages, if they are on this CD. The linux software is always found in the /linux directory, and the Linux pages are found at /linux/contents.htm.
If you don't have Internet Explorer 4 or 5 installed, running the SuperCD automatically opens the built-in browser. Using this you can have access to almost all the pages on the SuperCD (some, such as some issues of Web Workshop and Java Workshop, do require a web browser to get the most from). If for any reason you have trouble using Internet Explorer or running the SUPERCD program, run D:\PCPLUS, where D is the letter of your CD-ROM drive.
The Built-in Browser is created with html2exe, a program that takes an entire Web site (or, in our case, an entire CD's worth of html files) and compiles them into a single executable. All you have to do is run the executable, and you have access to all the files.
Installing software from the new SuperCD is easy. Click the familiar setup icon - like the one on the left - and the program installation will launch, whether you're using Internet Explorer or the Built-in Browser. But before you do, please make a note of any serial numbers or registration codes you will need for the installation. They are always given just above the setup icon. Also, always read the information in the magazine and SuperCD - often we've unearthed important information about the installation. Reading it will save you having to call support!
Sometimes we include non-executable files on the SuperCD, such as ZIPs, Adobe Acrobat files, spreadsheets or example program files. If you want to copy these to your hard drive, follow the instructions we give with them.
The short answer is that Netscape does not give you the option of running an executable, such as a setup program, directly from the disk - when you click on the link, it will only give you the choice of saving it to disk. There are modifications that will enable an Open/Save dialog box, but these present a security hazard when you browse the internet.
Although neither Netscape nor PC Plus support making these modifications, if you would like to learn more about how it's done point your browser at x:\supercd\netscape.htm (where x is the letter of your CDROM drive).
On the longer term, we are investigating a plug-in which will enable Netscape to run the same ActiveX controls that Internet Explorer 4 uses on this interface. We do want you to be able to browse it with Netscape!
If you have problems installing the software, our Technical Support may be able to help. Please write down all the relevant information you can before contacting them, including the issue you got the software from, the exact text of the error message (click the 'Details' button, if available, for a full description) and your system setup (processor, memory, version of Windows you are running). They can only give you help on installing the software, not on actually using the program or on general questions about using your PC.
If you have access to the internet, send an e-mail to the support address below. This will automatically reply with a FAQ listing any common problems and solutions - you may well find your question answered there. If not, there will be details at the bottom of the FAQ explaining how e-mail the support desk for individual problems.
Another valuable online resource is the software manufacturers' Web sites. Where possible we give a link to the relevant support pages in the 'Product Details' section of the program's page.
You should also take a look at the various PC Plus newsgroups online. The SuperCD forum contains questions relating to software on the SuperCDs and Helpscreen contains postings of a more general nature. Your question may well have already been answered by another reader or member of the PC Plus team. If it hasn't, post your question - if it's a common problem, others will benefit from the replies it generates. We do, however, urge you to practice good 'netiquette' - see the FAQs that get posted in all the newsgroups from time to time for guidelines.
SuperCD Support
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E-mail: pcplus.support@futurenet.co.uk Phone: +44 (0) 1225 442244 (Mon-Fri, 10:00am to 5:30pm) Fax: +44 (0) 1225 732310 Newsgroup: pcplus.supercd (or point your newsreader at nntp.futurenet.co.uk) |
Note: There is no technical support for Linux available from PC Plus directly, but a very active Linux forum exists on the PC Plus Web site where readers can post questions and get replies from other Linux users and occasionally from PC Plus' Linux consultants.
PC Plus maintains a monthly e-mailing list, which keeps our readers up-to-date on forthcoming issues and important announcements. By subscribing you will receive advance notice of software on the SuperCDs and articles in the magazine. It might just save you from buying that software package, only to see it on the CD a week later! Click here to go online and subscribe.