This has created a lot of Confusion, for the 'Consumer' at large, with Companies Merging, New Companies Starting - Up & All apparently Offering the Best Deals, including so - called Free Internet Access. I'll not go into the Pro's & Con's of these Offers, mainly because by the time it's written (& read) they'll probably have change.

Beyond the Software, the Main Factor for a good Internet Experience is the Modem & the Speed it can connect at. The current Standard is 56K with options to download even faster using other types (I must admit that I don't know anything useful about these options, so I'll do some investigating sometime in the future and add more here.

So first things first...

I find Netscape a little easier on the eye in terms of its Graphics & Icons, & definitely prefer it to IE (see below) although it must be said that I was already Biased & my experiences since have done little to change that view.

One Minus with Netscape is that I'm unable to use the Right - Click on the Mouse to Copy direct from the Source Screen (in the View Menu). In Netscape, pressing CONTROL [Ctrl] & C on the Keyboard will do it, still an inconvenience though, IE4 does allow me Full Mouse use. This gives the HTML of the Page being Viewed, the Coded Instructions to generate the Page. Very useful when you've found a WebPage that I like the look of & I can copy things down for use on the Site.

The only noticeable difficulty Experienced with this Program is that it occasionally 'Closes down' due to some type of 'error' - usually whilst using Composer to write WebPages. This seems to be caused by Rapid Movement form one bit to another, particularly when dealing with Tables within a Composer page.

Some of the commands Composer uses when generating a Web Page is not recognized by Internet Explorer which you may notice that some of the Graphics, like those at the bottom of this Page, Don't line up properly - it may be a function relating to command within tables. For example, Netscape has a Command called ABSCENTER whereas IE uses ABSMIDDLE to place an item in the middle of an area.

I have had no success in trying to Upload Pages to my Site using Netscape's Publish Function, this is no real problem as WS_FTP 95 LE (see below) seems to do the job reasonably well.

Netscape 4 allows for Multiple User Profiles & Email Accounts. It is a little tricky to start with & the Details, Email Addresses, Passwords, etc. needed to be sorted with WOL as well.

I have Limited Version of IE4, a 'Bare - Bones' Copy, that was necessary to Run a particular Game, X-Files: Unrestricted Access (which didn't run too well anyway).

The Full Version 4, especially the Active Desktop, kept trying to Compete with too many other parts of the system. Direct X's 'status' Tool would not work without it Crashing & IE4 certainly didn't like the fact that I was using Netscape (above). It also Crashed a lot for reasons Unknown!

On a Redeeming note it did provide a Useful Feature which enable Access to the Computer's Desktop & other Programs from the Task Bar, avoiding all that Minimizing of Screens or having to Fumble through the Start or Dropdown Menus. It also allowed the Find > File or Folders Program to Search All the Hard Drives without going through the My Computer Option which includes the Floppy & DVD (CD) ROM Drives, saves the Floppy Drive from making that awful noise.

Overall though it still feels like Microsoft are trying to 'load the bases' in there favour to the exclusion of others. The News is still full of the Court Case going on about it - the latest (NOV 99) is that, "They Are," how long this particular Verdict will last is anyone's guess.

I have not encountered IE 5 yet so I'm unable to comment on this so far.

So far there have been no Program difficulties, Initial Setting Up has proved a bit Tricky for some. Although it seems a lot easier than trying to use Netscape's (above) Publish Option.

There is an Upgraded Pro Version which has Additional Features. As the Version I have does what I want it to do & I don't know all that much about its other Features, there doesn't seem to be a need to Upgrade.

1. That each Version needs to be on the Computer, the Newer versions do not Replace the Older Ones so I need to Run All Versions to ensure that some of the Other Programs will Function.
2. That every time a WebPage is Accessed which uses Version 3 an Upgrade Prompt keeps appearing. It will also not allow some Sound Files on the WebSite to be played from the Local Disc Drive Copies.

I recently Installed Version 4 & this is a little easier as it allows you to select only their Formats & not everything else that seemed to be the way with Version 3. This is done by Opening the Player, Clicking Later on the Upgrade Prompt (typical ;-), Selecting the Edit Menu -> Preferences -> Connection & then using the Drop - Down Menu to Highlight File Type Associations (a bit of a task, I know, it's worth it though :-)

I did originally say that I wouldn't touch Version 4 with, 'a 3 metre (approx. 10 ft) modem cable! Well unless I have to.' I did Install it as it was necessary for parts of the Open University Course that I'm Studying. So far it hasn't annoyed me that much (so all is forgiven ;-)

I only had Version 4 for a short while before moving onto Version 5. No real difficulties with either, except that most RealPlayer Versions keep on trying to get me to Upgrade with this or that bit. 

The Original Version of G2 was removed as it caused no end of Problems, far too many for to mention here. So I went back to the more reliable Version 5. Since then there has been an Update 2 Version release which hasn't any of the Problems, so far...

You can Buy an Upgrade to a Plus Version which I haven't looked into yet as I seem to only use RealPlayer on rare occasions (no point spending money where it's not needed, especially when the money is not available ;-)

I'm not entirely sure how the Shockwave & Flash Elements work together, or independently, all I can say is that there are quite a number of Sites, Companies, etc. using this Format.

I've never had any difficulties with these or earlier Versions of Macromedia's Software - well worth getting. All Netscape (see above) Browsers come with a Version of Shockwave.

What it does is Create a Sandbox (their words) in which any Downloaded Material is Placed. eSafe will monitor how the New Material Interacts with the Computers Established Programs & Warns of any attempt to Access them.

This also includes the Browser's Cache Folder(s) (Multiple User Profiles - See Netscape, above). Generally, if using the Default Settings it will Stop & Ask whether to 'Allow Access', which if Allowed the Task will need to be Repeated. It also has a Learn Mode (This Time Only) which will Monitor the Interaction & then Reset on the next Start - Up.

The problem seemed to be with trying to get Virus Updates from them & even managing to Register! Eventually I phoned dan & asked for help. The Person who answered the phone actually suggested that I try either McAffee (see below) or another Software who name is now lost in the mists of time, I forgot it!

My brother Rob uses McAffee on his home computers & seems pleased with the Service & Costs. I'm not so impressed with the way it operates. It does seem to take control of an awful lot of things & uses up a lot of Memory.

Beyond that it's unlikely that I can pinpoint the actual Reason & I just didn't like it. I'll probably just mutter on about the 'feel of it' or something equally nondescript.