1) Procomm Plus for Windows: communications software.

2a) On 486: Windows 3.1, Word for Windows 6.0c (I got a free maintenance upgrade to this version from Microsoft) and MS Internet Assistant, the HTML 2.0 translator for WinWord, downloaded as wordia.zip; WordIA also runs with version 6.0a and is really easy to use. There is a separate version for Windows 95 / MS Word7.

2b) On Pentium: Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0, Word for Windows 8.0 (HTML translator built in).

3) Mosaic: Checking the Enhanced icon in the Control Panel, I verified that my system has 32 bit access. I downloaded and installed win32 to upgrade Windows to 32 bit access, then the 32 bit version of Mosaic. (If my system had no 32 bit access, I would have needed the 16 bit version of Mosaic; but it is older.) I run it in stand alone mode (-s switch).

4a) On 486: Netscape Navigator 16 bit version (the 32 bit version does not work with Windows 3.1). This is a large file--make sure you have enough disk space and allow several hours for the download. But it's worth it: I like Navigator better than Mosaic. I also downloaded mozock.dll, the fake winsock which tricks Navigator into running without direct access, and put it into the \Windows directory as winsock.dll.

4b) On Pentium: Netscape Navigator Gold and Netscape Communicator.

5) SlipKnot (duly registered), used to work fine with my Ultrix account until someone took the modem away from the Ultrix. I could view my homepages which were also still on my PC and access any site on the Internet. Slow but cheap. When that option quit on me, I "bought" a direct access provider:

6) IDT (a direct access provider). Tel. 800 245-8000, http://www.idt.net/). Advantages over other providers: comes with Navigator and Eudora (instead of proprietary non-standard browser and mailer), rarely BUSY, has a fixed annual fee or relatively low monthly fee for unlimited access.

I added plug-ins. I use the ftp which is included in my communications software (see below). I also use ws_ftp (freeware). I added telnet and realaudio (downloaded from Netscape) to have every option available. For Navigator plug-in downloads, see Nettools.

Currently, local IDT access is mostly available in the Greater New York area, Boston, and NJ. But check out the IDT homepage - the company is adding areas.

(You may also want to check out Interport -- interport.net -- as another provider. AOL is only good but often busy.)

7) At the college, I have accounts on the Alpha, the VAX, the Ultrix. The Ultrix account no longer serves for cheap access. The Alpha account has a good e-mail package but very little disk space; it cannot be used for large files.

What I do when I want to download a file from my Alpha account: I go on line with IDT, minimize all screens, doubleclick my FTP (which came with my Procomm Plus for Windows, and which I set up with username, password, directories), select the file I want to download, and that's it.

Nov. 1997  Ursula Hoffmann