by: Phillip Albinus and Julie R. Blumenfeld
America Online 2.0 has one of the friendliest, most intuitive interfaces of the online services we reviewed. After log-in, AOL displays the welcome screen, informing you of waiting e-mail and showing you the Main Menu. Seven icons launch AOL's main areas such as Newsstand, Internet Connection, Today's News and others.
AOL handles e-mail competently. Sending an e-mail message is simple: Click on the Compose Mail icon and fill in the AOL or Internet address in the addressee line. AOL has the easiest method of sending Internet e-mail of the services in this review. You just type the e-mail address in the To: box and send the message. AOL lets you send as much Internet e-mail as you want without any additional charge.
With AOL, you can create a simple address book, attach a file and create a schedule to send your mail messages at a later time. AOL does a poor job of storing e-mail messages once you've read them, however. To save read mail, you have to save it in your Inbox as a new piece of mail. Otherwise, AOL saves each message for a few days and then discards it.
The Main Menu is the central hub for entering the America Online areas. Today's News provides Reuters newswire stories, which are updated several times a day. Topics are broken down into U.S. & World news, Business, Entertainment, Sports and Weather. The Time Daily News Summary offers daily news accounts, along with a photograph. You can also download and read the latest issue of Time each Sunday afternoon. This beats the newsstand version by a day and postal delivery by two days.
The Business area contains icons for BusinessWeek Online, Quotes and Portfolios, Investor's Business Daily and Market News. Click on the Quotes and Portfolios icon, enter either the complete stock market ticker symbol or type in a company name in the Search Symbols dialog box and you get a report showing the Price, Change, Today's High, Today's Low and Today's Open, as well as Yesterday's Close. As AOL informs you, the prices are delayed by at least 15 minutes.
AOL users can cruise the Internet using AOL's friendly, well-designed interface. AOL's Internet Connection lets you subscribe and check out Internet newsgroups. Adding newsgroups is a snap. Click the Expert Add icon and enter the specific name of the icon, or use the Add Newsgroups to browse for some names, such as the Alternative (alt.) Newsgroups, Usenet News and Informational Newsgroups (news.), and so on. Unfortunately, the interface makes it difficult--if not impossible--to follow the thread of a particular discussion. You will most likely read the responses to a newsgroup posting rather than read the initial posting first and then the responses.
Internet Connection's Guide to the Web prompts you to preview AOL 2.5, which will have a Web browser.
AOL is the only service to offer 28.8Kbps access from most major U.S. cities, which is vital for reducing online time and quickly browsing the Web.
All in all, America Online 2.0 is a friendly, intuitive and powerful online service. While it started out geared largely to personal and family use (even offering parental control so that Junior will not stray into any questionable online areas), it is moving into the business arena as well. With improved e-mail and Internet capabilities, and Web access just around the corner in version 2.5, America Online is emerging as a strong contender for business users.
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America Online 2.0
Price: Monthly, $9.95 (first five hours, free; each additional hour, $2.95); first month, 10 hours free
In Brief: A friendly, intuitive interface, a wide range of newsgroups and no-brainer access to the Internet are among America Online's strong points.
America Online
800-827-6364, 703-448-8700
by: Phillip Albinus and Julie R. Blumenfeld
CompuServe is the Dick Clark of the commercial online services: It's been around for years, yet continues to look young and vibrant. CompuServe's latest version of WinCIM, the graphical front-end for the text-based CompuServe, is right in tune with the '90s, offering the latest in Internet access.
CompuServe's one-disk installation provides you with all you need to surf the service and the Internet. Applications installed include WinCIM 1.4 (the Windows front end), NetLauncher (a Web browser) and CompuServe's Internet Dialer.
The initial sign-on process is quick and easy. Once you enter your name and provide billing information, the program asks whether you want to subscribe to CompuServe's monthly magazine and promotional mailings and be included in its Member Directory.
As the final step, the program dials a toll-free number and automatically retrieves local access numbers for your area as well as your account ID number and temporary password. You get your permanent password via postal mail along with the New Member Guide, a helpful reference booklet on all the services available on CompuServe. Log-in settings are automatically programmed during the new member sign-on. There are other configurable preferences to experiment with, such as options for mail, forums and news.
CompuServe's first impression may be intimidating because of the sheer scope of its offerings, but after you use the service and explore its options, you'll see why it has stood the test of time. The opening screen provides a grid of buttons--something similar to a Program Manager group--with content divided by intuitive categories like Magazines, Computers, News, Reference, Sports, Finance and Internet. Once you log in, the What's New menu pops up to let you know about the latest additions and events the service has to offer.
The WinCIM interface includes a toolbar that is the key to working with the service. Toolbar buttons provide menus and dialog boxes for WinCIM features. Favorite Places, the toolbar button with the heart icon, jumps you to a menu of frequently visited CompuServe areas. The Go button, a traffic-light icon, provides a dialog where you can enter the keyword or Go word for the forum you want to visit.
Another primary toolbar item is the Find magnifying-glass icon. It's a search engine for scouring the forums by keyword. When a search finishes, WinCIM provides search results side by side with your Favorite Places menu. This function allows you to add the forums noted in the search to your Favorite Places. The search engine is very thorough; using it, rather than browsing through the content buttons, will save you online connect-time charges.
WinCIM's e-mail function works smoothly, if you can remember the long numerical IDs that CompuServe assigns its subscribers. If not, there is a member directory accessible online in the address-mail dialog, but you must be logged in to CompuServe to access this feature. Internet mail and attachments can be sent from the service for additional charges. The Address Book also allows you to create distribution lists for group e-mail.
CompuServe provides the best information-archiving system of all the services reviewed here. Mail and other information found online can be saved in the Filing Cabinet. The Filing Cabinet is accessible from the toolbar (the filing cabinet icon) at any time, whether you're online or off, and you can create folders to organize e-mail or forum messages.
The forums all have the same basic structure: The name of the forum is in the middle of the window, and a bar along the right side offers buttons for uploading and downloading files, reading and posting messages, and chatting with others in the forum. There are some menu-driven areas on CIS, but most are converting to the system's new enhanced menu format, which bears a striking resemblance to America Online's icon-driven forums.
CompuServe should be applauded for its slick PC File Finder feature (GO PCFF). You can conduct a system-wide search for files--by keyword or filename--even if you don't know what forum the file resides in.
The CompuServe NetLauncher utility is the SPRY Mosaic Web browser, and it works as its own application (the Web can't be accessed directly from WinCIM). CompuServe's phone numbers provide you with PPP access, so a double-click on the NetLauncher app also launches the CompuServe Internet dialer. It dials your local access number, and poof--you're on the Web. The installation and initial WinCIM sign-on are so slick they share the account information originally recorded.
Web access is somewhat slow since the service still tops off at 14.4Kbps, but CompuServe is working to offer worldwide 28.8Kbps access by mid-1996. At press time, CIS had local 28.8Kbps access numbers for about five major U.S. cities.
WinCIM is not the only graphical interface for CompuServe. There's also an offline navigator product called CSNav. This is a great product if you know exactly where you want to go on the service and what you need to download. You can configure CSNav to download your mail and forum messages, so that you can respond offline and reconnect to send your responses, saving money in connect-time charges.
CompuServe is a strong service. One of the only negatives we found is, ironically, one of its pluses: It offers so much information. As with Walt Disney World, you could explore CompuServe for days and still not see everything. With its Internet access, e-mail and breadth of content, CompuServe is a smart online solution for business and home users.
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CompuServe (WinCIM 1.4)
Price: Basic monthly services, $9.95 (includes three Internet hours; each additional hour, $2.50); Internet Club, $24.95 (includes basic service)
In Brief: The dean of the online commercial services offers impeccable e-mail and extensive Internet and newsgroup offerings. With WinCIM 1.4, CompuServe is easy to use and navigate.
CompuServe
800-848-8199, 614-457-8600
By John Gartner, Phillip Albinus and Julie R. Blumenfeld
Internet In A Box's familiar interface and versatile features make it the best all-around choice for Net hookup. The client applications' consistency with familiar Windows programs minimizes the steep learning curve that can make connecting to the cyberworld seem difficult.
You can get through most configuration questions with the detailed descriptions and troubleshooting help in the installation-and-log-in process. Spry, the program's publisher, includes an entire manual for setting up the software, so assistance is usually only a page or two away. The Internet addressing parameters are kept to a few clearly labeled screens, and the substantial list of supported modems reduces the odds that you'll need to create a customized script. Though only one provider is listed on screen, an extensive worldwide organization list is included in the back of the manual.
The mail and ftp client software have such a comfortable interface you would think they were Windows' extensions. AirMail looks just like Windows for Workgroups' mail program, with a similar folder structure. AirMail supports shorter aliases, which saves you from typing out lengthy e-mail addresses. For example, you can use real names like Tim or Serge in your address book instead of memorizing addresses like t_mcallister@wilbros.com. Then when you insert "Tim" into an address, the program references "Tim" to the longer, complete address for transmission. The program supports multiple address books, which are added by clicking on the misnamed More button.
The Network File Manager looks just like the Windows File Manager and shows the ftp host as a network drive. Windows' File Manager launches in a window below, allowing you to drag and drop files from the ftp site to your local drive painlessly. You can expand a log window that traces your path by clicking on a small area just below the Network file manager, but this requires substantial mouse dexterity.
The Web browser, AirMosaic, has the full spectrum of viewing features, including options for loading graphics first. The history log feature speeds up returning to previously visited sites. The Document Title window provides a drop-down list of the earlier stops. This turns out to be a much more efficient method than repeatedly hitting the back button, the method used by most competing Web browsers. AirMosaic integrates several useful utilities to make browsing a more pleasurable experience. For example, ImageView lets you resize and manipulate any .GIF files you find while browsing the Web. The load-to-disk option lets you store Web pages to be read later. A unique Kiosk mode hides the toolbars for a full-screen view of Web pages. You can type in a URL at any time in a box at the screen's top. Adding a Hotlist page is a breeze. Several home pages are listed to start you on your journey; jump between pages quickly using the back and stop buttons.
You'll be searching much faster with AirGopher than with other gopher clients. The folder metaphor is consistent with the other Air applications, as are the button bar and menu structure. Adding a bookmark or attaching to a new gopher server requires only clicking a button instead of using the cascading menus other programs require. AirGopher supports a full range of gopher search engines, including Archie, WebCrawler, World Wide Web Worm, W3 search engines and WWW Nomad.
AirNews, the newsgroup reader, also makes effective use of the graphical interface. The button bar provides shortcuts for newsgroup subscription and posting replies. Four newsgroups--Music, Sports, Internet and Television--are listed by default It takes very few keystrokes to define new personal folders and subscribe to newsgroups. However, AirNews is not as intuitive as the other clients. When we searched for a topic using the Find button we came up empty, but we did not receive a return message that no matches were found. Also, the menu item for browsing a newsgroup is under Window, and not newsgroup, as we expected.
Internet In A Box is the quickest path from your PC to the Internet. The intuitive button bars and logical menu structure make it the obvious choice.
Info File
Internet In A Box 1.0}
Price: $99 (street)
In Brief: The Air ftp, mail and browser clients have familiar interfaces that seem like extensions to Windows itself. You'll be searching for news, information or whatever in mere minutes.
Disk Space Required: 6MB
System Resources: 13%
RAM: 4MB
SPRY
800-557-9614 x26, 206-447-0300
By: Rich Santalesa
With the Internet growing faster than the national debt, HyperText Markup Language (HTML) tools just might become the digital age's word processors. WebAuthor, Quarterdeck's first Internet product, joins a growing field of tools that work as word processor add-ons.
WebAuthor currently works with Microsoft Word 6.0 to generate HTML 2.0-compatible documents. Word 2.0x and WordPerfect versions are in the works, according to Quarterdeck. In testing a late beta, we found operation smooth and well-suited to no-nonsense Web-page creation. These pages offer graphics, lists, links and forms with little fuss.
WebAuthor creates a Program Manager group with Readme and Help file icons, but the application's core is a 340KB Word .DOT template file. WebAuthor also includes a custom 400-word dictionary of common Internet terms.
As a Word 6.0 add-on, WebAuthor is essentially a super-macro collection, complete with toolbars, dialog boxes and a dedicated menu. As a fully integrated Word component, it retains access to all of Word's features.
To create a new Web page, select New from Word's File menu and use the HTML60 template. WebAuthor then pops up three options. You can create a blank HTML document, import and validate an existing HTML file, or open a previously saved Word .DOC format file.
Since most HTML beginners start by touring Web sites and downloading the source code of appealing sites, WebAuthor's ability to import HTML and validate its compliance with the HTML 2.0 spec is a big time-saver. During testing, WebAuthor spotted and offered to correct numerous HTML violations while parsing HTML files downloaded from Web sites.
Once a document is open, an HTML Authoring toolbar offers buttons to save and open files, toggle in/out of full-screen view, select paragraph and character styles, open the anchor manager (links), format characters, add images, and define forms, lists and symbol characters.
Linking is the Web's essence. WebAuthor supports local, remote and internal links, though link creation isn't as quick as with other products like CU_HTML, a freeware Word 2.0 HTML creator. WebAuthor's approach, however, is guaranteed to minimize mistakes by adding some HTML discipline.
To create a link, select the link position, then click on the anchor manager icon on WebAuthor's toolbar. A click on one of three radio buttons defines the link as local (on your system), remote (at another Internet site) or internal (within the document). Then, you enter the link text and decide how the link should appear--as text or as text and an image. HTML coders who like to create HTML text with the links spelled out for readers will have to type in the link twice, rather than have the selected text carry into the dialog box. It's a minor quibble, but it does add extra steps.
Internet information isn't static; it moves and is updated constantly. Creating an HTML Web page is only the first step in Web-site management. You'll modify many of your pages regularly. WebAuthor can save HTML documents as both HTML and .DOC files to hasten future modifications.
WebAuthor has one of the most comprehensive forms creation features available. Creating Web forms was once an arduous process, but WebAuthor makes it a fairly simple matter by leading you through the steps, and offering selections and help along the way. You'll still need to link the form to a database or another program to capture the data, but creating the form's physical format is no longer an ordeal.
The competition promises to heat up for WebAuthor. Numerous HTML tools are available--many free. Microsoft (Word Internet Assistant) and WordPerfect have announced HTML products. This doesn't detract from WebAuthor's usefulness, however. WebAuthor is all you need to create a Web page.
Info File
WebAuthor
Price: $149.95
In Brief: WebAuthor is a capable, comprehensive HTML tool for spinning your own Web pages complete with graphics, links, forms and all HTML 2.0 formatting.
Disk Space Required: 700KB
System Resources: NA
RAM: NA
Quarterdeck Corp.
800-354-3222, 310-392-9851
by: Ian Etra
The Web is here. You can't duck it anymore. WebSite can give you a hand and get you up on the Web. And you won't have to wander through the intricacies of UNIX, because WebSite runs under Windows NT 3.5 or Windows 95, with a TCP/IP connection to either an internal network or the Internet.
WebSite consists of WebView, WebIndex, Server Admin, an image map editor, QuickStats, the server and the Enhanced Mosaic browser from Spyglass. The 350-page manual includes a beginner's reference to HTML (HyperText Markup Language) writing forms and programming for the Common Gateway Interface (CGI) for Windows.
Installing the server and configuring it for basic operation are easy. The server software can run as a desktop application or as a service under Windows NT. The administrative tool provides effective control of the server configuration and includes a mapping feature that lets your Web exist on multiple machines with the server setting up the redirections automatically. A security layer lets you universally restrict users or entire domains, or set up password-level protection. With the administration tool, you create users, groups and realms based on client IP addresses, and set access privileges by directory or on a file-by-file basis.
You can also set up automatic directory indexing. WebSite defines a name for a default HTML file that is returned when a user requests a directory. If the server can't find a file with the default name, the contents of the directory are displayed in HTML format. It creates an ftp-like environment to share files for downloading. WebSite enhances this feature with a very nice front end that offers predefined icons for different file types, the ability to create file descriptions, and automatic headers and footers. You do, however, have to take precautions to restrict users from browsing and downloading in directories that you don't want to make available.
WebSite maintains three separate log files for tracking access, for recording errors and for debugging. Other logging options let you track CGI script execution and see the details of authentication attempts. WebView's QuickStats button produces instant server performance statistics, such as the number of requests processed by the server, unique users who have logged on in the past seven days and average requests per hour.
WebView is a management tool that provides a hierarchical view of your entire Web site with every link indicated, including remote links. You can double-click on HTML files to edit them or preview them with a Web browser.
You use WebSite to create your site's content, too. The tools are most useful if you're building a server from the ground up. When I used an existing set of HTML documents, I had to reorganize my content to accommodate WebSite. The program's wizards automate tasks like creating pointers for user feedback and "what's new" pages to post server updates.
An image mapping utility lets you create "clickable" graphics that trigger links to other sites when you drag an outline over an image and type the destination URL. WebView displays mapped images just like HTML files, with all the links broken out and listed hierarchically. The server also supports standard map files created as separate text files, but WebView doesn't trace the links.
WebSite also includes a basic indexing tool and search engine for doing keyword searches on your HTML content. A supplied form lets users enter search terms, and the server returns the URLs of all matching items.
The only glaring omission from this otherwise well-stocked toolbox is an HTML editor for creating pages.
WebSite's low price, simple interface and powerful administration features put the World Wide Web within reach of most businesses.
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WebSite
Price: $499
In Brief: WebSite is an affordable, yet very comprehensive, Web server package for Windows NT and Windows 95.
Disk Space: 5MB
RAM: 12MB (16MB recommended)
O'Reilly & Associates
800-998-9938, 707-829-0515