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Internet Software for DOS
Please view my Notices page before viewing this area, it is not complete!
This is work in progress.
When it comes to getting a
machine running DOS on-line there are two main things you will need.
Number one you will obviously require some form
of Internet software, you will find a list and brief description of some
of those available below. You will also require a connection to the Internet.
You may be wondering if I'm just rambling here for want of something to write,
or if I'm actually leading onto something. I am of course leading onto something,
namely "software MODEMs". I'm probably just banging on about a subject with which most
people are familiar anyway, but that's never stopped me yet. If you don't want
to read this then you have my permission to skip it.
OK basically you may not have a proper MODEM in your machine, even if you
think you have, it may require software to perform as a MODEM. If you have one
of these you can pretty much forget about using it under DOS since not
only do the manufacturers supply drivers for only a limited number of
operating systems they also keep the interfacing information secret which
prevents third parties writing drivers for other systems. Want to know why
this is the case? Well I do! Most devices are moving functionality from
software into hardware now (take video cards for example) so what's so special
about MODEMS? Its mainly for cost reasons apparently, since most modern PC's
have so much processing power you can afford to lose some. In fact I'm
quite happy for my 1GHz PIII to come to a complete stop for 5 seconds
every time I connect to or disconnect from my ISP, a "feature" of the driver
which the manufacturer's web site informs me is an advantage and goes on to
state that it uses a patented technique to achieve this! It takes some
believing but I promise you the above is true. So how can you tell if
you have a software MODEM? If the MODEM is inside the machine its very likely
to be a software one, if the literature says it requires Windows 9X that's
what's known as a WinMODEM. The best way to be sure you are buying a hardware
MODEM is to get an external one.
Arachne
WebBoy
Web Spyder
Knots
Spin
Minuet
Open World Navigator
Skipper
Net-tamer
Lynx
Bobcat
LSicq
jpIRC
Toffee IRC client
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