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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

Copyright © Jonathan Fox 2000-2002.