Yes, I completely agree with you. Delete file crumpl.gif and you'll see no background ;-)
Yes. It is because I use .TTF fonts converted to raster format .FNT. There's no other way, I'm sorry. Maybe I can implement "no italics" system variable in some future version, if more users ask me to do so.
Yes. Cursor keys are here to move mouse cursor. Arachne is redrawing the screen after each scroll - it means loading the GIF's from disk, mixing palettes, etc. Imagine doing this after each line!
However, I added <Shift&rt;<PgUP&rt; and <Shift&rt;<PgDn&rt; hotkeys, which scroll only half of the screen. I hope this can help to those who are mouse-sick ;-)
Me too.
It is unbelievable, but there are still many DOS boxes, which are offering only about 500 kB of low DOS memory (have you ever heard about QEMM, folks ?). It's ok when you are running Arachne offline or when there is resident packet driver already loaded (ie Novell client). But if you need PPP connection you have to use Klos PPP package instead of EtherPPP. Select "Use external dialer" in setup and PPP howto file.
Maybe you are right ;-) Definitely, I'm not responsible for the EtherPPP and Klos PPP dialers, who knows who created them ;-) I ownly downloaded them from Internet, I don't have time/energy to write my own dialer, built in in Arachne. I compiled the information and user's exerience about using PPP to PPP Howto file.
Arachne will run correctly only on SVGA with at least 512 kB of memory. It starts with resolution 640x480x256 colors. Almost for all non-standart SVGA cards there are VESA drivers - but first try, if your card is compatible with some of 7 non-VESA cards supported by Arachne. It's faster than using VESA driver.
If you have some historical VGA card with only 256 kB or even EGA card, you can try to run Arachne in 16 color mode, which will be slower (due to different video memory structure) and image quality will be VERY poor (especially in EGA mode). But if your computer is desktop, try to get some 512 kB ISA SVGA card (Trident). I saw them for 500,- Kc in second hand (cca 20 USD), and 256 kB cards were for 400,- Kc, so I definitely recomend hardware upgrade, even to possible homeless PC users ;-)
The CGA support will be useful for users of some older notebooks (like my Olivetti Quaderno). Author of X_LOPIF promised to think about it, so - don't trash your old notebooks !
Sorry, sorry, sorry. I never planned text mode. It requires completely different approach (ie. ignoring tables, etc.) Try to use Lynx 2.6 for DOS. WWW pages optimized for Arachne can be viewed perfectly with Lynx. Believe me, that we all know about your situation, and that we all use ALT parameters in all important IMG tags and also in USEMAP - MAP - AREA tags. ("We all" unfortunately often doesn't include users of Netscape Gold (TM) or FrontPage (TM)...)
Arachne displays the message "This is multiple document" followed by list of icons with links instead of showing directly the frame windows like big browsers do. It is because I have to keep Arachne enough simple and small to fit the DOS 640 kB limit. With this, you will be able to surf the documents sometimes even faster than with frames. I think logical unit of WWW has always been the single HTML page. I never really used to the frame pages; I prefere navigating where I want to go, no where author of page want me to click.
I generate all these pages using DGI scripts. Output of DGI is redirected to disk cache. Unless form submit button is used to call DGI script (like on local home page - F10), the cache contens is prefered. I know it's inconvenient; until I find solution, please use Reload icon (R key) to reload history, cache index and directories.
Well... I never told anyone, that Arachne works under Windows 95! The problem is that Microsoft told you, that Windows 95 is DOS compatible. There are two or three frequently complained problems:
I am thinking about it. It already works in Linux DOSEMU - even in SVGA mode and packet driver emulation (you have to use second IP...) I am thinking mainly about Linux full screen (not X) port, and people keep on telling me to do GEOS port. The Un*x X window port and and Windows (probably 16 bit) port are also theoreticaly possible. Under all systems, Arachne should take only 1 MB of memory, which can be useful even on powerful PC's - it's always better to be oble open 10 browser windows rather than two or three. It's mainly question of time and money...
This is Internet, my friend. There are many books, where you can learn how Internet works. I learned everything I needed to write this browser in RFC documents - "Requests for comments". Where these documents are available ? On Internet, of course ;-)
But don't give it up!
I was working half a year for an internet provider, working as webmaster and technical support (hotline). If you run Arachne setup, select Internal PPP dialer, you can phone your provider's hot line, and believe me, that they MUST be able to tell you correct values of variables which Arachne needs to run properely.
There's a list of methods how to speed it up !
