I would suggest you look at using the Mozilla browser, newsgroups, and email client. For one the email client and newsreader does allow for threading, something missing in most if not all such clients.
The Mozilla browser is continually updated as well and there are many contributor projects running, one which I do recommend is the Spell Checker project http://spellchecker.mozdev.org/.
Mozilla is a far superior browser to all versions of IE with tabbed browsing, pop-up controls for the browser and spam controls in the email client, more can be read here http://mozilla.org/why/users.html
To setup your email/news accounts you must first start up the email/news client by clicking on the said icon. Flexibility is enhanced by keeping the browser preferences and email/news preferences separate, this is from a developers perspective mind you.
To compare IE to Mozilla then I suggest you start here http://www.meyerweb.com/eric/css/edge/complexspiral/demo.html and open the page in both browsers. It shows IE's lack of current standards support in CSS.
For other browsers, you can look to Opera http://www.opera.com/ a paid browser which is available freely with ad's, it is not a spyware product at all. It's email client has evolved quite nicely I am told. Opera is small and quite fast.
I use Eudora http://www.eudora.com/ for email exclusively. You have a choice of the ad supported free version or the paid ad-less version. It is highly flexible and easy to configure. Backup is very easy and all mail files can be opened up in notepad (or a similar text editor), so there are no complex data architectures to worry about if anything becomes corrupted. There is a very good support group here http://sparky.listmoms.net/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=eudora-win.
Peter Kaulback
In the hour of 08:01 PM 5/30/2003 -0700, rb47 spoke this:
To one and all,
I am really getting to wonder how to solve the issues I am running into with regard to browsers, email, and newsgroup programs.
When I worked for the state of California, I was using a Win2K pro system, so I am not sure if that made any difference with what I am running into here at home, which is a Win98SE system. Just for reference, the state standard was using Lotus Notes for email and Netscape Communicator 4.79 for browsing - due to security issues that had been found, they did not want state workers using IE or OE.
I have used Netscape Navigator 3.04 Gold for many years, since it was easy to use and configure. However, most recently, the browser part of 3.04 has proven more and more of the pits, since many web sites just will not display properly or at all - I was using primarily for the way it handled email and newsgroups. I was using IE for more and more URLs I was finding.
However, more and more email messages have been giving problems with viewing, even with Java and Javascript turned off, in 3.04, so I finally installed Communicator 4.79 to hopefully stop that set of problems from happening.
Unfortunately, now I seem to be getting a different type of problem - a number of emails that used to be able to be open in 3.04 without any problem are now locking up the 4.79 email handler, and this seems to especially happen with emails from Ziff-Davis and other technical emails I subscribe to. Also, a number of emails, when using 4.79, still seem to want to show graphic markers in emails, instead of the graphic that should to viewing - another problem I was hoping 4.79 would solve but apparently does not.
On the other handle, OE has some issues that exist that I just do not care to use it, most notably that you can not seem to vary how you view things in either email or newsgroups. In Navigator and Communicator, you have a choice of screen layout:
---------- ---------- | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----- or ---------- | | | | | | | | | | ---------- ----------
If you choose the left, then you mail folders and newsgroups subscribed to are shown down the left, and all the messages shown in upper right, and the current open message shown in lower right; if you choose the right, then mail folders and newsgroups subscribed to are shown in upper left, all the messages in upper right, and open message in the bottom.
OE seems, and I have not found a way around the issue, to ONLY let you choose the left type of viewing screen - HOWEVER, I prefer to be able to see my open message as far across as possible, especially with some graphics that they contain, which is why I want to be able to choose the screen layout such as on the right of the choices shown above. Maybe OE has a way of viewing the contents of messages in a larger screen, but I have not found it, that is for sure.
Both Communicator and OE seem to be totally frustrating in how they handle the presention of threaded Newsgroup messages - this has been one of the biggest reasons I have liked 3.04, since it seemed to present the messages in the best manner.
Then there is the whole issue of security with both IE and OE, that is well known - Netscape has not, as far as I know, had to contend with a large of sets of issues as Microsoft's programs.
HOWEVER, I find that Netscape/AOL has now released version 7.02 of the Communicator program. But after downloading and installing, I found it confusing, especially in trying to setup preferences (I could not find where you setup for sending or receiving emails, or newsgroups at all), to say the least, especially when compared to the 3 and 4 series of programs.
I prefer Netscape over Microsoft, just since I have used it for so many years, and basicly find it the easiest to use in many respects, especially with regard to mail and newsgroups. BUT have had display and other issues in it, even with 4.79, unlike generally better viewing with IE and OE.
Also, I find I generally can "clean up" easier in Netscape than IE and OE, since I dont use them enough, to know what needs to get cleanup, deleted, or similar. For example, if I get an exception in Netscape, I know where the cache settings are found in preferences, the history file to delete, and similar. Backing up bookmarks, mail, and newsgroup items are easy to find.
I dont know what has to be "cleaned up" generally in IE or OE if I get errors. And what do you have to backup in OE especially for saving???
First off, any comments on comparisions of Netscape 4.79 versus IE/OE (which ever version - I currently have 5.5 on my system, but will probably have to upgrade to 6 shortly). And comments on the new Netscape 7.02, ease of setup and use, and how it compares to 4.79 and IE/OE.
Also, how about other browsers, email programs, and newsgroup readers/responders, compare to that of Netscape and Microsoft??? For example, I see so many postings in the email list for Eudora, I get to wonder about issues in it, with regard to email. I know that Opera is a choice for a browser, but how does it work, how does it compare. How about other browsers??? I have seen Agent and some other newsgroup readers, but have no idea how they work or compare to others - any comments???
After what I have seen, I get to wonder what proves the best - the all in one packages, the separates, or a combination of the 2 approaches??? Any comments, sugguestions, ideas???
Since I am sure I am not the only one that is running into issues and choices, input from other list members I am sure would be appreciated by not just me but others as well.
Ralph
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