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-
- I-Comm(TM) FAQ Last Modified: June 8, 1995
- ==================================================================
-
- 1. What is I-Comm ?
-
- I-Comm is a full feature graphical WWW browser which does
- not require any kind of SLIP/PPP connections. If you have a
- PC with Windows, a modem and an Internet shell, VAX, or
- Freenet account, then you are ready to surf the Internet
- using I-Comm. No fancy setup needed.
-
- I-Comm has a "Mosaic look & feel" interface and can display
- pages while background downloading images. I-Comm also has
- a built-in full feature modem communication program which
- allows user to switch between a modem communication program
- and browser by one button click.
-
- I-Comm is a shareware.
-
-
- 2. What is I-Comm's minimum system requirements ?
-
- a. 386DX running MS-Windows (tm) 3.1 or above with 4MB Memory
- and 1MB Disk Space;
- b. 9.6 KB Modem or faster;
- c. A UNIX shell, VAX, or Freenet account with Internet access;
- d. Z-Modem transfer program "sz" installed in your Internet
- account search path;
- e. "icomhost" program from Talent Communications, installed in
- your Internet account search path;
- Or Lynx browser installed in your Internet account search
- path;
- Or WWW browser installed in your Internet account search
- path;
-
-
- 3. I-Comm's key features:
-
- a. Graphical WWW browser and modem communication program
- TWO IN ONE
- b. Switching between browser and terminal window by one
- button click makes Internet surfing easier and more
- enjoyable.
- c. Does NOT require any kind of SLIP/PPP connections
- d. Supports HTTP, FTP and Gopher protocols
- e. Complete form support.
- f. Can save HTML pages to disk with inline images
- g. Allows user to edit HTML file source
- h. Supports unlimited number of hot list files and allow
- user to edit the hot lists.
- i. Supports batch HTTP, FTP, Gopher file downloading
- j. Allows user to view HTML pages while background
- downloading image
- k. Built-in full feature modem communication program
- l. Phone book facility allows user to save Internet
- dial-up numbers
-
-
- 4. How to install I-Comm using I-Comm ZIP file?
-
- a. Create a TEMP directory on your hard disk, unzip (pkunzip)
- the I-Comm ZIP file under that directory;
- b. Start MS-Windows;
- c. Click on the File menu of your Windows Program Manager;
- d. Select Run, then type C:\TEMP\SETUP (or D:\TEMP\SETUP) and
- press OK.
-
-
- 5. How to run I-Comm ?
-
- a. Click on the File menu of your Windows Program Manager;
- b. Select Run, then type C:\I-COMM\BIN\I-COMM and press OK.
-
- * You also can create an icon for I-Comm by click on File
- menu of your Windows Program Manager, and select new.
-
-
- 6. Can I use I-Comm with my VAX dial-up account ?
-
- Yes.
-
-
- 7. Can I use I-Comm with my Freenet menu-driven dial-up account ?
-
- Yes. If you are running a menu-driven Internet account, and
- don't have access to the shell environment, you can ask your
- service provider to install this "icommshell" program, and
- call up "icommshell" program from your menu.
-
- In order to use I-Comm with icommshell program, you will need
- to go to icommshell through your menu system, then switching
- back to I-Comm Browser by click on the "Browser" button.
-
-
- 8. Where can I obtain "icommshell" program ?
-
- icommshell source code is available at:
- ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/icomm/icomm-shell/
- ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/icomm-shell/
-
-
- 9. What is "icomhost" ?
-
- "icomhost" is the Internet World Wide Web service program
- for I-Comm. If you don't have Lynx or WWW installed, you
- need place it in your Internet Shell account search path,
- before using I-Comm to surf the Internet.
-
-
- 10. If I don't have "icomhost" installed in my shell account,
- can I still use I-Comm ?
-
- Yes, if you have Lynx or WWW installed in your shell
- account, you can use I-Comm with Lynx or WWW.
-
-
- 11. Where can I obtain "icomhost" ?
-
- Currently, we have icomhost for Sun, HP, SGI, BSDI, Linux,
- SCO, Unix System V for IBM PC, IBM AIX RS6000, DEC OSF/1
- and DEC Station ULTRIX V4.2A. If you are using other
- platforms, please let us know, we will try to port it for
- you.
-
- The current version of icomhost is 1.00A. You can obtain
- it from following ftp sites:
-
- Netcom ftp site:
- * Sun4:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/sun4/icomhost.gz">
- * Sun Solaris2:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/sun4-sol2/icomhost.gz">
- * HP:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/hp/icomhost.gz">
- * SGI:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/sgi/">
- * BSDI (Berkeley UNIX for IBM PC):
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/bsdi/icomhost.gz">
- * Linux:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/linux/icomhost.gz">
- * Novell UNIX System V Release 4.2 for PC:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/sysV/icomhost.gz">
- * SCO UNIX System V/386 Release 3.2:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/sco/icomhost.gz">
- * IBM AIX Version 3 for RISC System/6000:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/rs6000/icomhost.gz">
- * DEC OSF/1 version 2.0:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/decOSF/icomhost.gz">
- * DEC Station ULTRIX V4.2A(Mips):
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/decstation/icomhost.gz">
-
- Best Internet ftp site:
- * Sun4:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/icomm/sun4/icomhost.gz">
- * Sun Solaris2:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/icomm/sun4-sol2/icomhost.gz">
- * HP:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/icomm/hp/icomhost.gz">
- * SGI:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/icomm/sgi/">
- * BSDI (Berkeley UNIX for IBM PC):
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/icomm/bsdi/icomhost.gz">
- * Linux:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/icomm/linux/icomhost.gz">
- * Novell UNIX System V Release 4.2 for PC:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/icomm/sysV/icomhost.gz">
- * SCO UNIX System V/386 Release 3.2:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/icomm/sco/icomhost.gz">
- * IBM AIX Version 3 for RISC System/6000:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/icomm/rs6000/icomhost.gz">
- * DEC OSF/1 version 2.0:
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ic/icomm/decOSF/icomhost.gz">
- * DEC Station ULTRIX V4.2A(Mips):
- <URL:"ftp://ftp.best.com/pub/icomm/decstation/icomhost.gz">
-
-
- 12. How to install "icomhost" ?
-
- a. Download "icomhost.gz" to your Internet shell account;
- b. Type "gzip -d icomhost.gz" in your Internet shell account;
- c. Use "chmod 700 icomhost" to make "icomhost" Executable;
- d. Place it in your shell account search path;
- e. Type "icomhost -t" at the command line.
- If it can download the "icomtest.htm" file properly,
- that means you have installed "icomhost" program successfully.
-
-
- 13. After I started I-Comm, how can I connect to Internet ?
-
- STOP: you have to installed Z-modem program "sz", and one
- of following programs: icomhost, lynx or www before you
- using I-Comm to connect to Internet.
-
- a. Click on the Communication menu of I-Comm program;
- Select Com Port Setup, select the correct modem port and
- its setup;
- b. Click on the Communication menu of I-Comm program again;
- Select Phone Book or Manual Dial, connect to your Internet
- provider, use the terminal window in I-Comm to login your
- account;
- c. After login, click on the "Browser" button to bring the HTML
- window to the front;
- (Note: you cannot close the Terminal window, but you can icon
- it)
- d. Click on the Communication menu, select Internet Host Program
- choose the host program(icomhost, lyxn or www) you have
- installed in your shell account. You only need to do this
- once, ignore this step if you already set it up.
- e. Now you are ready to do Internet Surfing by click on the
- text which is underlined.
-
-
- 14. How can I switch to I-Comm Terminal window from the Browser
- Window ? Or switch to the Browser window from the Terminal
- Window ?
-
- When you are in I-Comm browser window, click on the "Terminal"
- button to switch to the Terminal window.
- When you are in I-Comm Terminal window, click on the "Browser"
- button to switch to the browser window.
-
-
- 15. Can I use I-Comm with a direct serial line connection ?
-
- Yes. Select "Communication --> Com Port Setup" menu, setup
- the com port(at same time, the program will also open the
- port for you), then you are ready to surf the net.
- In case you want to send any command through the serial line,
- you can switch to the I-Comm Terminal Window, type the command
- directly.
-
-
- 16. How can I STOP a file transfer process ?
-
- While I-Comm is downloading a file from Internet, you can click
- on the "STOP" button to cancel the "remaining file" transfer,
- and click on the "cancel" button of the file transfer dialog
- to stop the current file transfer.
-
-
- 17. Does I-Comm save the visited Web pages on my local disk, so I
- can look at it again later on ?
-
- Yes. I-Comm saves all the downloaded pages in the cache
- directory. Turn on the "Use Local Cache File" flag, click on the
- links which you already downloaded, I-Comm will automatically
- load the page from your local disk.
-
- If you want to update the current page, just click on the "Reload"
- button, I-Comm will retrieve that page for you from the Internet.
-
- If you want to clean all/some of the cache files, you can select
- "Options --> Clean Local Cache Files" menu.
-
- There is also a file named "index" in the cache directory which
- contains the HTTP address and local file name mapping.
-
- You also can save Web pages with images to other places on your
- hard disk. For detail, see question #21.
-
-
- 18. Can I edit the current HTML file in I-Comm ?
-
- Yes. Select "File --> Edit HTML Source" menu, I-Comm will let you to
- use Windows Notepad to edit the current HTML file. After finishing
- editing, you can click on the "Reload" button to see what it looks like.
-
-
- 19. How can I setup my external viewer programs for GIF, MOV, etc ?
-
- Select "File --> Edit Configure File" menu will allow you to use
- Windows Notepad to change the I-Comm configuration file. A
- simple of the configuration file (i-comm.ini) is included with
- this distribution.
-
-
- 20. Can I use I-Comm to download a list of files in batch mode ?
-
- Yes. Select "File --> Batch Download" menu, I-Comm will pop-up
- a batch download dialog box. You can use the "Right" mouse button
- click on the hyper link to add it into the batch download list.
-
-
- 21. How can I use I-Comm with "lynx" or "www" instead of icomhost
- program as my Internet Host Program ?
-
- Select "Communication --> Internet Host Program --> Use Lynx" or
- "Communication --> Internet Host Program --> Use www" to setup
- I-Comm to work with "lynx" or "www".
-
-
- 22. How to setup my own home page ?
-
- Select "File --> Setup Homepage" menu, in the file dialog,
- select the HTML file you want to use as home page.
-
-
- 23. Can I have more than one hot list files in I-Comm ?
-
- Yes, you can have unlimited number of hot list files in I-Comm.
- Please use "File --> Setup Hot List File" menu to select the
- hot list file you want to use. It is a good idea to have
- different hot list files for information belongs to different
- categories.
-
-
- 24. How to edit the current hot list file ?
-
- Use "File --> Edit Hot List File" menu, I-Comm will let you
- use Notepad to edit the current hot list file, please keep
- at least two words per line while you are editing the file.
-
-
- 25. How to save a HTML page to disk WITH IMAGES in I-Comm, and view
- it later using I-Comm or other browser ?
-
- Use "File --> Save As HTML" menu, it is as easy as save a file.
-
-
- 26. How to save a HTML page as a plain text file in I-Comm ?
-
- Use "File --> Save As ASCII" menu.
-
-
- 27. What should I do if the "dial dialog" always showing "dialing"
- message, does not connect ?
-
- This is because I-Comm did not catch the "CONNECT" string.
- Select "Communication --> Dial Setup" menu, in the "Connect
- String" field, enter "C"(or "c"), or change it to the connect
- string specified in your modem manual.
-
- If this still does not work, try following:
- . Select "Communication --> Com Port Setup" to open the port;
- . Click on the "Terminal" button to switch to Terminal window;
- . Type "atdt <phone number>" in the Terminal to dial out.
-
-
- 28. What should I do if I-Comm cannot retrieve any page from the
- Internet, showing "waiting response from http server" message ?
-
- Please check the selection under "Communication --> Internet
- Host Program" menu, make sure you selected the right Internet
- host program. For example, if you have lynx installed in your
- shell account, you should select "Use Lynx".
-
-
- 29. What should I do if I-Comm cannot retrieve any page from the
- Internet ?
-
- First, in your shell account, you have to have one of the
- following program:
- . icomhost from Talent Communications, Inc.
- . OR lynx
- . OR www
-
- Then you test one of these programs by downloading the page
- at:
- http://www.best.com/~icomm/icomm.htm
-
- * If you have icomhost, the command you need to type in your
- shell account is:
- icomhost -a http://www.best.com/~icomm/icomm.htm -f icomm.htm
-
- * If you have lynx, the command you need to type in your
- shell account is:
- lynx http://www.best.com/~icomm/icomm.htm -source -dump > icomm.htm
- (For VAX: lynx http://www.best.com/~icomm/icomm.htm -source -dump)
-
- * If you have www, the command you need to type in your
- shell account is:
- www http://www.best.com/~icomm/icomm.htm -dump > icomm.htm
- (For VAX: www http://www.best.com/~icomm/icomm.htm -o icomm.htm)
-
- Make sure the program can download the "icomm.htm" file.
-
- In addition to the program mentioned above, you also need a
- Z-modem file transfer program "sz".
-
- After you obtained the "sz" program, type "sz icomm.htm" in
- I-Comm Terminal, click on the "Download" button in I-Comm
- to download icomm.htm file.
- Make sure I-Comm Terminal can received the file.
-
-
- 30. What should I do if I-Comm cannot retrieve inline images ?
- ("Bad CRC" error)
-
- This is because the sz program is having some problems to
- download binary files. Try to use "sz -be" in
- "Communication --> Host Program Setup Z-Modem Download Cmd."
- field, this will setup I-Comm to use "sz -be" to download
- files. You can also use other "sz" options here.
- It is a good idea to ask your sysAdmin what "sz" options are
- needed for Z-modem file downloading.
-
-
- 31. How to setup I-Comm to download all the files to a "tmp"
- directory in my shell account ?
-
- This can be done in two ways:
- a. change to directory "tmp" before switching to I-Comm
- browser.
- b. enter "cd tmp" in the "Command Prefix" field under
- "Communication --> Host Program Setup". This will setup
- I-Comm to issue the "cd tmp" command every time before
- it start to download a file from the Internet.
-
- * It is a good idea to setup I-Comm to download all the
- files to a "tmp" directory in your shell account. Because
- it makes the file cleanup easier in case something goes
- wrong.
-
-
- 32. How to setup I-Comm to set the "rm" alias back after each
- file download ?
-
- Enter "alias rm 'rm -i'" in the "Command Suffix" field under
- "Communication --> Host Program Setup". This will setup
- I-Comm to issue the "alias rm 'rm -i'" command every time
- after it finishes downloading a file from the Internet.
-
- * Don't worry about this setting if you did not setup "rm"
- alias in your shell account.
-
-
- 33. How to setup I-Comm to keep all the files downloaded to
- my shell account ?
-
- Enter "ls" in the "File Remove Command" field under
- "Communication --> Host Program Setup". This will setup
- I-Comm to keep all the files in your shell account.
-
- * Don't do this unless you really have a lot of disk
- space in your shell account.
-
-
- 34. Why register I-Comm ?
-
- a. You get the FULL FEATURE "registered" version of the
- software in which the "registration" dialog will not pop
- up every time you start and exit the program
- b. You will get free upgrades until I-Comm version 1.99.
- c. Priority for adding new features to I-Comm.
- d. It will support us continuously improving I-Comm. We plan
- to support HTML3 and Netscape tags before version 1.99.
- e. You will receive discounts on our other internet related
- products. (We have an off-line mail reader and a HTML
- editor coming up)
-
-
- 35. How to register I-Comm ?
-
- Fill out following registration form. You can register
- I-Comm either by FAX or by MAIL.
-
- Cost:
- * US $39.95 for commercial users
- * US $29.95 for non-commercial users
- * Special: $10 discount for full-time college students.
- Please send US $19.95 and a photo copy of both sides of
- your current student ID along with the registration form.
- * Site license and education discount are also available,
- for detail information, send your inquiry to:
- icomm@talentcom.com
-
- 1. To Register By Mail:
- Send check or money order with registration form to:
- Talent Communications, Inc.
- P.O.Box 611476
- San Jose, CA 95161-1476
- U.S.A.
- * Make check or money order payable to
- Talent Communications, Inc. in US dollars.
-
- 2. To Register By Fax:
- Fill out and sign following form and send it with the
- registration form to: (408)437-0738 via FAX.
-
- Method of Payment: ()MasterCard ()Visa ()Am. Express
-
- Card # : ____________________________________________
-
- Exp. Date : _________________________________________
-
- Your Name : _________________________________________
-
- Your Signature : ____________________________________
-
- Date : ______________________________________________
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
- I-Comm Registration Form
-
- ===================================================================
-
- Name: Date:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Company Name (if any):
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- E-Mail Address (required):
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Street Address:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- City: State:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Zip: Country:
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Phone Number (including Country Code):
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Fax Number (including Country Code):
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Where did you hear about I-Comm:
- 1. Internet newsgroup,
- please specify:____________________________________
- 2. CompuServe
- 3. AOL
- 4. Other online service provider,
- please specify: ____________________________
- 5. I-Comm advertising flyers
- 6. Newspapers, magazines
- please specify:____________________________________
- 7. From a friend
- 8. Others, please specify: ____________________________
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Where did you obtain I-Comm software:
- 1. I-Comm ftp sites (from best.com or netcom.com)
- 2. SimTel
- 3. CICA
- 4. CompuServe
- 5. AOL
- 6. Other ftp site, please specify: ____________________
- 7. From a friend
- 8. Others, please specify: ____________________________
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- What kind of Internet account do you have:
- 1. SLIP/PPP
- 2. Unix shell account
- 3. VAX account
- 4. Freenet account
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- Upon receiving this form and payment, Talent Communications, Inc.
- will send you an I-Comm license file via E-Mail. Please double
- check you E-Mail address.
-
- Thank you for registering I-Comm.
- ===================================================================
-
-
- 36. How to reach I-Comm's supporting staff ?
- ===================================================================
- For Questions, send E-Mail to: icomm@talentcom.com
- or browse our home page at: http://www.best.com/~icomm/
- or http://www.talentcom.com/
- For discussions on I-Comm, post to newsgroup:
- comp.infosystems.www.browsers.ms-windows
- ===================================================================
-
-
- Legal Disclaimer
- ===================================================================
- I-Comm(TM) is Copyright 1995 by Talent Communications, Inc.
- It may not be distributed, licensed, resold, or transferred for
- any commercial purposes. The software is provided to the user
- "as is". Talent Communications, Inc. DOES NOT make any warranties
- with respect to the I-Comm software and/or any associated materials
- provided with it. Talent Communications, Inc. shall NOT be liable
- for any claims or damages whatsoever caused, whether from the use
- of this software or any files created with it.
- ===================================================================
-
-
- From I-Comm Users:
- ===================================================================
- Date: Sat, 20 May 95 21:37:01 EDT
- From: Gerry Hecht
- >---------------------------------------------------------------------
- > I was having all kinds of
- > problems getting sz to work on my shell account at school which uses a
- > SPARC with Solaris 2.3. I finally hacked up the C code for Unix 5
- > version 4 to get it to compile on Solaris. Finally, and you might want
- > to pass this on to other Solaris sz users, I had to use the following
- > switches in the communications--> setup host menu: "sz -beZl 512 L
- > 512" with these settings and using the SIO comm drivers under OS/2,
- > everything works GREAT!!!!!!
- >
- > A further refinement for people who's shell accounts are on SPARC's
- > running Solaris 2.3 Use the following sz switches for best
- > performance:
- > sz beZl 1024 L 1024 its faster than the last switches I told you
- > about... and is the absolute fastest that my SPARC can be pushed
- > without giving bad CRC and garbage count messages.
- ===================================================================
-