Further to Craig Rosa's recommendation of a SLIP emulator, here is a new product that was recently brought to my attention. If you are in a location where SLIP accounts are not offered but UNIX shell accounts are available, this software will emulate the SLIP connection, providing you with all of the graphical 'net tools. I have not used this program but if anybody does try it, please let me know how it works out. Forwarded message: > From mail Wed Nov 23 09:44 PST 1994 > Date: Wed, 23 Nov 1994 12:15:55 -0500 > Message-Id: <[log in to unmask]> > To: COMA Mail List <[log in to unmask]> > From: [log in to unmask] (Felix Kramer) > Subject: ANNOUNCE: SlipKnot dial-up WWW browser w/o SLIP for Windows > Sender: [log in to unmask] (coma moderator) > Organization: Kramer Communications > Reply-To: [log in to unmask] (Felix Kramer) > Content-Type: text > Content-Length: 4841 > > SlipKnot (tm) is a graphical World Wide Web browser (similar to Mosaic) > for Microsoft Windows users with dial-up UNIX shell accounts. MicroMind, > Inc. is releasing version 1.0 on November 22, 1994. > > Its primary feature is that it does NOT require SLIP or PPP or TCP/IP > services in any form (no TIA, no remsock, etc.). It uses the user's > ordinary dial-up UNIX shell account to retrieve and then paint WWW > documents (including, of course, pictures and sound). > > See below for information on: > Description, Features, Availability, Price, More information, Requirements > and Limitations > > ================ Description ======================================== > SlipKnot was designed specifically for modem users with dial-up UNIX shell > accounts. It offers a terminal window (with vt100 emulation) into your > UNIX session, allowing you to use your normal UNIX commands for mail, news, > gopher, etc. at any time (except during retrieval of WWW documents). > > At the press of a button, SlipKnot turns into a graphical WWW browser with > features including: > 1. Up to 5 document windows available simultaneously. > 2. Background retrieval of documents from the Internet, while users can > scroll through previously retrieved documents, and perform other > operations. > 3. Ability to save entire documents (including the embedded pictures) into > user-definable folders. > 4. Ability to demonstrate the WWW offline (displaying the saved documents > with their links to each other). > 5. Ability to upgrade to newer versions of SlipKnot (when they become > available) through WWW links. > 6. Print documents (though not pictures, yet). Change preferred screen and > printer fonts. > 7. Ability to install external "viewers" for processing pictures, sounds > and movies (two viewers, one for graphics and one for sound, already > come pre-installed). > > ================ Availability ============================================ > Check at your service provider first to see if it's available locally. If > not, it's downloadable from the following anonymous FTP sites (approx. 1.2 > MB): > > ftp://oak.oakland.edu/SimTel/win3/internet/slnot100.zip > or from: > ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/pbrooks/slipknot/slnot100.zip > > Oakland has numerous mirror sites, so it should be widely available soon. > > After downloading, please read the READ.ME file for Windows installation > instructions. > > =============== Price =================================================== > Restricted shareware (approx. 3 months evaluation time, depending upon use): > US$29.95 for commercial users, and individuals in the U.S., Canada, Western > Europe and Japan. > US$20.00 for individuals elsewhere. > (10% of registration fees donated to refugee relief). > > ============== For more information ====================================== > Point your WWW browser (lynx is fine) to > http://interport.net/~pbrooks/slipknot.html > or send a blank email message to: > [log in to unmask] > > To facilitate communication and support, we suggest you post comments and > responses about SlipKnot ONLY to the following Usenet newsgroup: > comp.infosystems.www.users > > ============== Requirements ============================================== > On your PC: > 1. Windows 3.1+ running in 386 Enhanced mode (does not support 286 > machines), Windows for Workgroups > 2. At least 4 MB of RAM (8 MB is recommended) > 3. Modem and a dial-up subscription to a UNIX-based Internet service > provider with shell account access (must have access to a shell prompt, > not a menu-based-only UNIX system) > > On your UNIX service provider's system: > 1. Your UNIX home directory must be writable > 2. One of the following two text-mode browsers must be available on your > UNIX system: "lynx" (version 2.2+) or "www" (SlipKnot uses one of these > programs for Internet file transport -- after which, SlipKnot will paint > the documents and pictures and play the sounds retrieved). > 3. Access to ordinary UNIX commands like "ls", "echo", "chmod". > > ================ Limitations (truth in advertising) ===================== > 1. SlipKnot will not process "forms" within documents yet (it is an HTML > 1.0 browser). > 2. SlipKnot will not process "authentication" yet. > 3. SlipKnot understands the HTTP and FTP protocols only, no gopher, WAIS, > mailto, or news yet (although all of these are readily available in > SlipKnot's Terminal window into your UNIX session). > 4. SlipKnot is currently available only for Windows-based computers. > We may in the future developo versions for other platforms. > > ========================== Contacts =============================== > Press and distribution inquiries to: Felix Kramer <[log in to unmask]> > fax 212/866-5527 > > Technical support to: [log in to unmask] > To reach Peter Brooks, SlipKnot developer: [log in to unmask] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Ron Bogdonov [log in to unmask] MIS Administrator Tel: (604)682-4668 Vancouver Art Gallery Fax: (604)682-1086 ---------------------------------------------------------------------