Web Browsers

• Netscape and Mosaic -- Netscape and NCSA XMosaic are both available as X applications, and on the Macs. Netscape has achieved wide popularity, but also implements many non-standard features, which may beguile a web author into creating documents unreadable from other browsers. Mosaic has smaller distribution, but adheres closely to HTML 2.0 standards.

• WebSpace -- WebSpace is the SGI VRML browser. VRML (or Virtual Reality Markup Language) is an extension of HTML for 3D web navigation. Invoke it by typing webspace at the command line of an SGI machine.

• OmniWeb -- OmniWeb is a fairly simple browser for the NeXT, with a smooth interface that avoids the hassle and decreased screen performance of working through X emulation. The Center only has one license however, so getting access is sometimes difficult. OmniWeb resides in /LocalApps. To launch it, find it in the workspace manager and double click on its icon.

• Lynx -- Lynx is a text based web browser, developed at Kansas university. It is obviously limited, but it is fast and robust, which are big advantages over slow modem lines. This is worth keeping in mind in light of the large numbers of rural schools relying on modem connections.
  • To start Lynx, just lynx on the command line. Lynx is not available on the Mac.

• MacWeb -- As the name suggests, this in a browser for the Macintosh. It is free, and has a substantial guaranteed market. It is not installed publicly on the Geometry Center system, but it is available for the asking.

The Geometry Center Home Page

Comments to: webmaster@geom.umn.edu
Created: Fri Sep 8 11:39:00 1995 --- Last modified: Jun 18 1996