## NETSCAPE COMMUNICATOR FAQ

### THE OPEN EMAIL, GROUPWARE, BROWSER SUITE

Today's businesses must manage more information than ever before, both inside and outside their organizations. The rise of intranets in corporations is about harnessing this information, decreasing the time it takes to market it, improving customer satisfaction, and using knowledge for competitive advantage - all for lower costs.

Available in a Standard and Professional Edition, Netscape Communicator integrates open email, groupware, editing features, calendaring software, and browser tools for communicating, sharing, and accessing information. Netscape Communicator is the ideal set of Internet and intranet components for translating business communication and information into real business advantage.

This document answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Netscape Communicator and how it can help your business reach its full potential.

OVERVIEW

1. What is Netscape Communicator?
2. How are the Netscape Communicator components integrated?
3. Did you change the product name from Navigator to Netscape Communicator?
4. How does Netscape Communicator fit with Netscape's intranet strategy?
5. What is the "Galileo" product, as described in the Intranet Vision white paper?

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

1. When will Netscape Communicator be available?
2. What will Netscape Communicator cost?
3. Should I wait for Netscape Communicator rather than buy Netscape Navigator 3.0 now?
4. If I own Netscape Navigator 3.0 or Netscape Navigator 3.0 Gold, how can I upgrade to Netscape Communicator?
5. Are Netscape Communicator's applications available separately?
6. What platforms are supported by Netscape Communicator?

NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR 4.0

1. What new layout features are supported in Netscape Navigator 4.0?
2. Does Netscape Navigator 4.0 support ActiveX?
3. Are there any changes to the Netscape plug-in architecture?
4. Can Java applets in Netscape Navigator 4.0 access the local machine and network connections?
5. Does Communicator support JDK 1.1?
6. Does Netscape Navigator 4.0 allow developers to access its security functionality?
7. Does the Windows 3.1 version of Netscape Communicator support Java?
8. What other new browsing improvements are included in Netscape Navigator 4.0?

NETSCAPE MESSENGER

1. What is Netscape Messenger?
2. What is an Internet open-standard mail client?
3. Aren't Internet open-standard mail clients hard to use and lacking the features I need?
4. Does Netscape Messenger allow me to import my existing email messages, folders, and address books?
5. Can I use Netscape Messenger when I am offline?
6. Can I insert images, tables, and links into my email messages?
7. What if I send a message to someone who can't read HTML?
8. How does Netscape Messenger manage email addresses?
9. How do I get an address from someone outside my company?
10. Will Netscape Messenger let me exchange email securely?
11. Will secure mail work across international boundaries?
12. I use email at work. Can I easily access and manage my mail from home?
13. What other Netscape Messenger features will make it easier to do my job?

NETSCAPE COLLABRA

1. What is Netscape Collabra?
2. What is a discussion forum?
3. How can Netscape Collabra's discussion forums help people at my company work better?
4. How do I keep a discussion private?
5. Can I participate in discussions offline?
6. How can I manage all the postings that appear in my company's discussion forums?
7. I'd like to post documents for people to review. Can I do this?
8. How is Netscape Collabra integrated with the other components of Netscape Communicator?
9. Can I access an Internet newsgroup with Collabra?
10. How is Netscape Collabra different from CollabraShare?

NETSCAPE COMPOSER

1. What is Netscape Composer?
2. Can I publish my own Web pages using Netscape Composer?
3. Can I use Netscape Composer to create rich email messages, including images, links, and tables?
4. What aspects of HTML creation does Netscape Composer support?
5. Will Netscape Composer let me create frames and image maps?
6. Does Netscape Composer include a spelling checker?

NETSCAPE NETCASTER

Following are general questions about Netcaster. Read more about Netcaster and its competition in the Netcaster FAQ.

1. What is Netscape Netcaster?
2. How does Netscape Netcaster relate to Constellation?
3. What is netcasting?
4. What is a channel?
5. What is Channel Finder?
6. What is offline browsing?
7. Who are some of the content partners supporting Netscape Netcaster?
8. Does Netscape Netcaster have built-in support for the Marimba Castanet technology?
9. Can IS managers centrally administer Netscape Netcaster?
10. Will Netscape Netcaster support Microsoft's CDF proposal?
11. When will Netscape Netcaster be available?
12. What platforms will Netscape Netcaster be available on?
13. Can I purchase Netscape Netcaster separately?
14. Will Netscape Netcaster be available in Communicator Standard and Professional Editions?
15. Will the price of Netscape Communicator increase?
16. What are the system requirements for Netscape Netcaster?

NETSCAPE CONFERENCE

1. What is Netscape Conference?
2. Is Netscape Conference compatible with Internet telephones?
3. How is Netscape Conference different from Netscape Navigator 3.0's Internet phone product, CoolTalk?
4. Will Netscape Conference let me work on applications with colleagues?
5. Does Netscape Conference support multiparty calling?

NETSCAPE CALENDAR

1. What is Netscape Calendar?
2. Netscape announced an effort to develop standards for calendaring. Have those standards been set, and does Netscape Calendar support these standards?
3. What is vCalendar and what are its benefits?
4. What servers does Netscape Calendar work with?
5. How does the combination of Netscape Calendar and Netscape Calendar Server compare to other alternatives?

NETSCAPE AUTOADMIN

1. What is Netscape AutoAdmin?
2. How does the Netscape Administration Kit work with AutoAdmin?
3. How does IS control the settings of Netscape Communicator Professional Edition?
4. Is it possible to install Standard Edition endpoints and then upgrade them to Professional Edition?

NETSCAPE IBM HOST ON-DEMAND

1. What is IBM Host On-Demand?
2. Does Host On-Demand provide a web server?
3. How does Host On-Demand compare to HTML-to-3270 gateway products?
4. How will the IBM Host On-Demand client be integrated with Netscape Communicator Professional Edition?
5. What platforms are supported?
6. What TN3270 servers (gateways) are supported by this application?
7. Does IBM intend to make the client application available as a separate product?
8. How does the Host On-Demand application perform?
9. When will IBM offer a product that includes Netscape Communicator Professional Edition?
10. When will IBM Host On-Demand be available in Netscape Communicator Professional Edition?
11. What is the price?

O THER ISSUES

- Is Netscape Communicator "Year 2000 Compliant"?

OVERVIEW

What is Netscape Communicator?
Netscape Communicator is an integrated suite of network components that seamlessly blends email, browsing, discussion groups, push content delivery, and real-time collaboration so you can share information more easily.

Netscape Communicator Professional Edition is the premium version of Netscape Communicator that contains all the features and components of the Standard Edition and adds calendaring and administration functions. Netscape Communicator Professional Edition eases the task and reduces the cost of companywide deployments and software management.

How are the Netscape Communicator components integrated?
All of the Netscape Communicator components work together seamlessly through a natural, intuitive interface. Components can be activated through Communicator's floating, dockable task bar and share the following points of integration:

- integrated management of Netscape Messenger and Netscape Collabra messages;
- a common editing environment for creating email messages, Web pages, and discussions;
- a common address book for email and real-time collaboration;
- Internet and intranet access everywhere;
- hyperlinks between all components and their created content; and
- a shared development language and platform infrastructure.

Netscape Communicator does more than link your components together. It makes network-based communication more accessible and easy to use.

Did you change the product name from Navigator to Netscape Communicator?
No. Netscape Communicator is a new product that includes the award-winning Netscape Navigator as one of its components.

How does Netscape Communicator fit with Netscape's intranet strategy?
Netscape is committed to providing customers with the most cost-effective and complete suite of integrated client and server components required to build an open standards-based intranet. With the introduction of Netscape Communicator and the new server additions to SuiteSpot, the Netscape family of products gives customers maximum flexibility and integration, from the front desk to the back office. The client and server components include the following:

- Netscape Communicator Standard Edition
- Netscape Communicator Professional Edition
- SuiteSpot

What is the Galileo product, as described in the Intranet Vision white paper?
Galileo was the code name used for Netscape Communicator while the product was under development.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

When will Netscape Communicator be available?
Netscape Communicator in Standard and Professional Editions is now available for Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 and NT. Communicator will be available for Macintosh and Unix customers later in June.

What will Netscape Communicator cost?
The single unit price for Netscape Communicator Standard Edition is $59. The Professional Edition costs $79. Volume pricing is available.

Should I wait for Netscape Communicator rather than buy Netscape Navigator 3.0 now?
No. With the Netscape Subscription Program, you can buy Netscape Navigator 3.0 plus Subscription today, and you will be entitled to upgrade to Netscape Communicator Standard Edition when it ships. Plus, you have the right to any additional minor or major upgrades that Netscape ships from one year of your date of purchase.

If I own Netscape Navigator 3.0 or Netscape Navigator 3.0 Gold, how can I upgrade to Netscape Communicator?
If your Netscape Navigator Subscription is active when Netscape Communicator ships, you can upgrade free of charge to Netscape Communicator Standard Edition. Netscape Navigator 3.0 Gold users with an active Subscription may upgrade to Netscape Communicator Professional Edition free of charge. If you own a Netscape Navigator Subscription and wish to upgrade to Netscape Communicator Professional Edition when it becomes available, the cost is $29.00

Are Netscape Communicator's components available separately?
No. Because Communicator's components are integral to the product, they are not available for purchase separately.

What platforms are supported by Netscape Communicator?
Netscape Communicator provides support for more platforms than any other network component suite. Netscape Communicator is available for the following platforms.

Intel-based (x86):

- Windows 95
- Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0
- Windows 3.1 and 3.11
- OS/2 Warp
- Caldera Linux
- SCO Unix

Apple Macintosh:

- Macintosh OS 7.5 and higher (68K)
- Macintosh OS 7.5 and higher (PowerPC)

Workstations:

- Digital Alpha (Digital Unix 3.2 and higher)
- Hewlett-Packard (HP-UX 9.05, 10.x, and higher)
- IBM RS/6000 (AIX 4.1 and higher)
- Silicon Graphics (IRIX 5.3, 6.2, and higher)
- Sun SPARC (Solaris 2.4 and higher)
- Sun SPARC (Sun OS 4.1.3)

What other platforms are available for Netscape Communicator?
Although not supported by Netscape, Netscape Communicator is available for the following additional platforms.

Intel-based (x86)

- Caldera Linux 1.2.13
- Digital Alpha (Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0)
- SCO OpenServer Release 5, version 3.2
- SCO Unixware 2.1
- Sun Solaris x86 2.4

### NETSCAPE COMMUNICATOR STANDARD EDITION

The Standard Edition contains all of the components an Internet or intranet user needs to communicate more effectively. The Professional Edition of Netscape Communicator includes additional components of particular value to corporate users and IS professionals, including calendaring and administration components.

NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR 4.0

What new layout features are supported in Netscape Navigator 4.0?
Navigator 4.0 supports several new layout features, including:

- Absolute positioning. Content designers can now specify precisely where a block of HTML (which can contain images, links, rich text, plug-ins, and applets) is placed on a page using x and y coordinates.
- Layering. Designers can specify the z-order of objects so that blocks of HTML can be layered above or below other blocks of HTML.
- Style sheets. Using style sheets, Web page designers can specify a specific look for their pages. All of the properties of these features are reflected into JavaScript, making it easy to create exciting, dynamic pages. For example, an author can change the pixel position or z-order of a block of HTML, or even its visibility, to create movement or animation on the page. JavaScript and style sheets enable dynamic manipulation of the styles, and thus the entire look of the page.

Does Netscape Navigator 4.0 support ActiveX?

Netscape is providing support for ActiveX (Application embedding and VisualBasic applications) in Netscape Communicator. Customers who have existing applications built on this architecture will be able to integrate these applications into their new Web-based Internet and intranet solutions. Also supported is the viewing and in-place editing of existing documents such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Are there any changes to the Netscape plug-in architecture?
Netscape Navigator 4.0 features enhanced plug-ins that support several new features. Netscape Navigator 4.0 supports autodownloading of plug-ins whenever the user encounters a page that requires a plug-in, including windowless plug-ins and transparent plug-ins. Netscape Navigator 4.0's plug-in features are backward-compatible with plug-ins from earlier releases of Navigator.

Can Java applets in Netscape Navigator 4.0 access the local machine and network connections?
Yes. Users can grant trusted Java applets an appropriate level of access. This access level may range from restricted read, write, or network access to unlimited machine access for highly trusted applets. A security advisor will inform users about the possible implications of granting greater levels of permission.

Does Communicator support JDK 1.1?
Yes, the following JDK components are supported in Communicator, starting with Preview Release 3:

- Internationalization
- Networking enhancements
- I/O enhancements
- JAR files
- Object serialization
- RMI
- Reflection
- Inner classes
- JDBC
- Performance enhancements
- Miscellaneous (Byte, Short, Void, Bignum)
- AWT imaging improvements

Does Netscape Navigator 4.0 allow developers to access its security functionality?
Yes. Netscape Navigator 4.0 contains a security API. This allows users with specific security requirements, such as the need to work with proprietary or legacy security systems, to use Netscape Navigator 4.0 with modules that meet those additional requirements.

Does the Windows 3.1 version of Netscape Communicator support Java?
Yes. Java for Windows 3.1 and 3.11 is fully supported throughout the Netscape Communicator components.

What other new browsing improvements are included in Netscape Navigator 4.0?
Netscape Navigator 4.0 includes substantial improvements to the user interface to make navigating easier and more efficient. These refinements, based on Netscape's usability tests, include a sleek new look, easier ways to organize and access bookmarks, and other numerous improvements.

NETSCAPE MESSENGER

What is Netscape Messenger?
Netscape Messenger is an enterprise-ready email client that is based on open standards. Netscape Messenger delivers on the features that have been missing from standard-based mail clients, such as rich text mail, security, directory access, and support for mobile users. Netscape Messenger also seamlessly integrates with Netscape Messaging and Directory Servers.

What is an Internet open-standard mail client?
An Internet open-standard mail client conforms to published Internet standards created by the Internet Engineering Task Force, the primary standards board for the Internet. These standards are open in that they are not controlled by one vendor and are widely published. The advantage of open mail is that you can use the mail client of your choice to access a standards-based mail server. Netscape Messenger supports the POP3, SMTP, and IMAP4 Internet protocols, allowing you to communicate seamlessly with email systems across the globe.

Aren't Internet open-standard mail clients hard to use and lacking the features I need?
Historically, users of open mail products have had to exchange features for low cost and scalability. Netscape Messenger solves this dilemma by providing users with the benefits of open mail through a full-featured mail client. Netscape Messenger has the features necessary for a corporate user, like rich content; secure messages; directory access; support for mobile use and multiple accounts; support for MIME attachments; and mail filtering, sorting, and searching features.

Does Netscape Messenger allow me to import my existing email messages, folders, and address books?
Netscape Messenger includes a set of migration tools that will transfer mail, folders, and address books from your existing email so you can enjoy all the benefits of Netscape Messenger without sacrificing your existing email database. The first set of tools available from Netscape will enable users to upgrade from cc:Mail, Microsoft Mail, and Eudora Pro.

Can I use Netscape Messenger when I am offline?
Yes. Netscape Messenger has extensive support for offline message handling and composition. While offline you can read, compose, and organize your mail. You can also specify messages for later delivery by placing them in the out-box or save messages for later editing by filing them in a drafts folder. Netscape Messenger also supports an offline address book that gives you the information you need to stay in touch with your coworkers and friends.

Can I insert images, tables, and links into my email messages?
With Netscape Messenger's support for HTML mail you can read and create the same rich and interactive content that you can experience on the Web. HTML is the technology that brings Internet pages - and now mail - to life with rich text, images, links to Internet pages, and interactive content. By integrating the functionality of Netscape Composer with Netscape Messenger, you can now create and edit HTML mail.

HTML mail has several advantages over proprietary rich text formats. First, you can do much more than just rich text. For example, using JavaScript you can create a form or include a Java software application, all within a mail message. Second, HTML is an open standard, so it will be possible for other open mail products to read your richly formatted messages.

What if I send a message to someone who can't read HTML?
You have the flexibility to send plain-text mail or include a plain-text alternative with your HTML message. This way you can simultaneously send the same mail message to people who may or may not have the ability to read HTML mail.

How does Netscape Messenger manage email addresses?
Netscape Messenger takes advantage of Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), an open standard for storing and retrieving people's names, email addresses, phone numbers, and other information. LDAP directories solve the problem of proprietary directories that cannot exchange information, a common problem in corporations with a variety of proprietary email systems. LDAP has quickly become the Internet standard for directories because it is an open standard, is extremely scalable, and is very fast at processing information. Netscape Messenger supports access to LDAP directories so you can find the people you want to communicate with in your company and on the Internet. If your company has the Netscape Directory Server or an X.500 directory deployed, you can access it through an LDAP interface.

How do I get an address from someone outside my company?
You can quickly find someone's email address by accessing a public LDAP directory on the Internet. For example, white pages content providers such as Four11 and Bigfoot will be making their multimillion-entry databases available via LDAP on the Internet. This is another example of the advantage of deploying solutions based on open standards.

Will Netscape Messenger let me exchange email securely?
Yes. With other products, your email is not secure because it is delivered across the network unencrypted. Messages that travel across the network can be intercepted and read, so sending an unencrypted message is like sending a postcard - anyone can read it if they want to. Encryption solves this problem by protecting your mail messages from prying eyes. Netscape Messenger uses S/MIME, an open standard for public key/private key encryption, to protect your mail.

Netscape Messenger also protects you from forgery or message tampering through digital signatures. Digitally "signing" a message helps to authenticate the sender of a message and verifies that the message has not been tampered with.

Will secure mail work across international boundaries?
Yes. Because current U.S. export laws prevent the export of the most powerful encryption technologies, Netscape Messenger can automatically apply the level of encryption supported by the recipient. You will also be able to send secure mail to many people at the same time - each message is sent at the level of encryption that each person can decrypt.

I use email at work. Can I easily access and manage my mail from home?
Yes. Netscape Messenger supports IMAP4, which provides you with access to read your mail and leave it on the mail server. You can even create remote folders on the mail server and organize your mail there. When you go home, you can then access your old and new messages, which are stored on the server.

With Netscape Mail you can elect to read all your messages' subject lines and then decide which messages you want to download. You can even choose to download a message but leave its long attachment on the mail server if you are on a low-bandwidth connection such as a telephone line and modem.

What other Netscape Messenger features will make it easier to do my job?
Netscape Messenger has lots of great features to make your life easier. A spelling checker ensures you will make a good impression. Search features allow you to quickly find an old email, and hierarchical folders keep your messages organized. You can also set up filters to automatically organize your mail as you receive it. Finally, the user interface allows you to easily access all the information you need while maximizing the onscreen real estate.

NETSCAPE COLLABRA

What is Netscape Collabra?
Netscape Collabra provides enterprise group discussions based on Internet standards, letting the groups share and track information efficiently. Collabra makes it easy to share information and create a knowledge base that people can access at any time. You can eliminate unnecessary meetings and save valuable time by discussing important issues in a public or private discussion forum. Netscape Collabra extends open Internet standards to create a powerful collaboration tool for the corporation, and it seamlessly integrates with Netscape Collabra Server.

What is a discussion forum?
A discussion forum is an electronic place to discuss key issues, solicit input, and communicate decisions. While email is an excellent medium for one-to-one or one-to-many communications, a discussion forum is the best medium for many-to-many communications. A discussion is composed of posted messages and the responses to that posting. For example, a team member could pose a question about a business decision to a discussion forum dedicated to that team. Other team members could then respond to the question and each other's responses until a consensus is reached on the issue.

How can Netscape Collabra's discussion forums help people at my company work better?
Discussion forums break down barriers of time, distance, and organization by enabling people to conduct "virtual meetings." This can help teams eliminate meetings and work more efficiently. Discussion forums can also help your organization learn. Discussion forums are permanently stored, so they become a corporate knowledge base that people can refer back to over time.

How do I keep a discussion private?
To keep a discussion forum private, you can use access control lists to determine who can participate in a discussion. A Netscape Collabra user must then enter a password to access that private discussion.

Can I participate in discussions offline?
Yes. Netscape Collabra allows you to download the message postings so you can read and respond to them while offline.

How can I manage all the postings that appear in my company's discussion forums?
Netscape Collabra has powerful tools to enable you to gain control over information. You can specify whether you want to watch or ignore topics depending on your interest. You can also conduct advanced searches across all forums to quickly find the information you need.

I'd like to post documents for people to review. Can I do this?
Yes. You can "publish" documents to a discussion forum for others to read and review. Because Netscape Collabra supports HTML documents, you can read the same type of rich content that you can view on the Web. Using Netscape Composer, you can easily create and post rich HTML to a discussion forum.

How is Netscape Collabra integrated with the other components of Netscape Communicator?
Netscape Collabra uses an interface that is nearly identical to Netscape Messenger. This lowers your cost of ownership since Netscape Collabra is as easy to use as email. Netscape Collabra postings can also contain links to intranet pages so you can point people to important documents on a corporate intranet. The reverse is true, too, because an intranet page can also point to a discussion forum. Messages from both Messenger and Collabra can be managed in an integrated collection of folders.

Can I access an Internet newsgroup with Collabra?
Yes. You can access the wealth of information located in Internet newsgroups, and you can participate in public discussions. This is because Collabra incorporates the Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP), the open Internet standard for newsgroup discussions.

How is Netscape Collabra different from CollabraShare?
Netscape Collabra has been designed to incorporate Internet open standards. This means that you can access information not only on a Netscape Collabra Server but also from Internet newsgroups.

NETSCAPE COMPOSER

What is Netscape Composer?
Netscape Composer is an enhanced version of the award-winning, easy-to-use HTML editor found in Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0. Netscape Composer allows everyone to create intranet documents, Web pages, and rich email messages. Using Netscape Composer, authors can use the power of the Web to communicate quickly and effectively. Netscape Composer's editing environment is shared between Netscape Messenger and Netscape Collabra, giving you the ability to create rich content in all your communications from the same easy-to-use editing environment.

Can I publish my own Web pages using Netscape Composer?
Yes. Netscape Composer includes a versatile but easy-to-use One Button Publish feature that publishes a Web page and all the associated images to a designated Web server.

Can I use Netscape Composer to create rich email messages, including images, links, and tables?
Absolutely. All of the functionality of Netscape Composer is available when creating mail or discussion messages.

What aspects of HTML creation does Netscape Composer support?
Netscape Composer supports the creation of pages with all the richness of HTML and the Web, including font and character styles, paragraph formatting, bulleted and numbered lists, images, tables, and even JavaScript and Java applets.

Will Netscape Composer let me create frames and image maps?
Netscape Composer supports the creation of frame targets in documents. It does not, however, support creation of pages with frames or image maps.

Does Netscape Composer include a spelling checker?
Yes. In response to customer requests, Netscape Composer helps catch embarrassing spelling mistakes in email, Web pages, and discussion messages with a built-in spelling checker.

NETSCAPE NETCASTER

What is Netscape Netcaster?
Netcaster is the new component of Netscape Communicator that enables push delivery of information and offline browsing.

How does Netscape Netcaster relate to Constellation?
Netcaster is Constellation. Constellation was the code-name for a set of advanced technologies that Netscape previewed at Fall Comdex '96.

What is netcasting?
Netcasting technology enables the push delivery of information - users don't have to manually request or search for the information.

What is a channel?
A channel is dynamic subscribed Web content that is automatically pushed to your desktop.

What is Channel Finder?
Channel Finder is your central source for the most dynamic channels on the Internet.

What is offline browsing?
Offline browsing lets you choose any Web site to be automatically downloaded to your hard disk so that it is instantly accessible online or off.

Who are some of the content partners supporting Netscape Netcaster?
ABC News, CNNfn, HotWired, Hearst HomeArts, CBS SportsLine, IDG, ZDNet, and Gartner Group's Advisor, to name just a few.

Does Netscape Netcaster have built-in support for the Marimba Castanet technology?
Yes. Netcaster channels provide a rich user experience whether the content is delivered through Web server channels or Castanet channels. The integrated Castanet technology also offers channel developers more options for automated channel content delivery and software distribution.

Can IS managers centrally administer Netscape Netcaster?
Yes. Netscape Mission Control allows Netcaster to be centrally administered for easy enterprise deployment and customization.

Will Netscape Netcaster support Microsoft's CDF proposal?
Microsoft's Channel Definition Format (CDF) is a proposal based on another proposal, XML, that is complex and far from being accepted. Netscape does not believe that the CDF is needed when netcasting can be implemented more flexibly with the existing open standards of HTML, Java, and JavaScript. Netscape will be able to support CDF functionality by allowing content developers to use JavaScript to specify netcasting parameters. This approach will allow the Netscape netcasting platform to be open and flexible and to avoid locking content developers into an unproven, limiting specification.

When will Netscape Netcaster be available?
Netcaster is now available with Netscape Communicator.

What platforms will Netscape Netcaster be available on?
Netcaster will support Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and NT, Macintosh PPC, and major versions of Unix.

Can I purchase Netscape Netcaster separately?
No. Netcaster is an integral part of the Netscape Communicator suite.

Will Netscape Netcaster be available in Communicator Standard and Professional Editions?
Yes. Netcaster will be available in both editions.

Will the price of Netscape Communicator increase?
No. Although the introduction of Netcaster increases the overall value of the Communicator suite, Communicator Standard Edition will continue to be priced at $59 and the Professional Edition at $79.

What are the system requirements for Netscape Netcaster?
Netcaster has the same system requirements as Netscape Communicator.

NETSCAPE CONFERENCE

What is Netscape Conference?
Netscape Conference is a component that allows you to communicate with colleagues in real-time collaborative sessions - complete with full-duplex, two-way audio. More than just an Internet phone, it includes tools to view documents, exchange files, sketch ideas, and even browse the Web together. Support for plug-ins means that more tools will be available soon.

Is Netscape Conference compatible with Internet telephones?
Yes. Netscape Conference supports the recently adopted international H.323 standard from the ITU, which defines the protocols necessary for real-time conferencing across IP networks. Netscape Conference is compatible with products from other vendors who follow the ITU standard.

How is Netscape Conference different from Netscape Navigator 3.0's Internet phone product, CoolTalk?
Although Netscape Conference has some of the same functionality as the CoolTalk helper app that is bundled with Navigator 3.0, Netscape Conference is a next-generation platform for real-time collaboration that is tightly integrated with Netscape Messenger and Netscape Navigator. Netscape Conference provides the following important new features:

- simplified call placement through email addresses and Web links,
- Netscape Navigator and Netscape Messenger integration,
- higher sound quality and better handling of lost data,
- new File Exchange and Collaborative Browsing tools,
- H.323 compliance for interoperability, and
- support for plug-ins.

Because CoolTalk was released prior to the final ratification of the H.323 standard and contains older protocol elements, it is not compatible with Netscape Conference.

Will Netscape Conference let me work on applications with colleagues?
Netscape Conference's plug-in architecture lets you run and create customized distributed components, while the Whiteboard allows you to view and annotate documents from any application. By not relying on platform-specific application sharing, Netscape Conference allows for cross-platform collaboration with maximum performance.

Does Netscape Conference support multiparty calling?
No. Although Netscape Conference does not currently support multiparty calling, Netscape is working with partners to help establish a standard for multipoint controllers that would give any H.323-standard product the ability to support multiparty calling.

### NETSCAPE COMMUNICATOR PROFESSIONAL EDITION

The Professional Edition of Netscape Communicator includes all of the integrated components contained in the Standard Edition, plus additions that optimize it for companies wishing to better manage time and corporate resources as well as reduce administration and roll-out costs.

NETSCAPE CALENDAR

What is Netscape Calendar?
Netscape Calendar provides a time-saving enterprise group scheduling solution. Netscape Calendar allows users to manage time, events, and to-do lists easily, and supports free-time search across local and remote servers. Individuals may schedule meetings with other users across a corporate intranet or the public Internet using the standards-based vCalendar meeting format, providing seamless integration with other calendaring components.

Netscape announced an effort to develop standards for calendaring. Have these standards been set, and does Netscape Calendar support these standards?
Netscape hosted the first meeting of the IETF's Calendaring and Scheduling Working Group. This working group is actively finalizing its charter and preparing to begin work developing open standards for calendaring and scheduling interoperability. Netscape will aggressively support these standards as they emerge.

What is vCalendar and what are its benefits?
The vCalendar format represents a major industry effort to provide a common interchange format between components or systems. Developed by the Versit Corporation, this work has been offered to the IETF as a basis for further interoperability development. Initial support for vCalendar in the Netscape Calendar component will let you share data across multiple components on the desktop; send, receive, and act on meeting events in email; and select a meeting event from a Web page to add to your personal calendar.

What servers does Netscape Calendar work with?
The Netscape Calendar component will work with the Netscape Calendar Server in its first release. As standards emerge for calendaring and scheduling interoperability, Netscape will aggressively implement these standards, which will then allow different vendors' client and server products to interoperate.

How does the combination of Netscape Calendar and Netscape Calendar Server compare to other alternatives?
Most calendaring and scheduling systems are either host-based or LAN-based. Host-based systems typically scale well to thousands of users but lack support for offline and remote access. LAN and messaging-based solutions offer offline and remote-user support but typically do not scale well past a few hundred users. Netscape Calendar Server and client can support thousands of users and grow beyond a single server with its server-to-server architecture.

NETSCAPE AUTOADMIN

What is Netscape AutoAdmin?
Netscape AutoAdmin is a component that provides a mechanism for centralized control and setup of Netscape Communicator. Netscape AutoAdmin makes setting up Netscape Communicator easy for users and provides IS professionals with a solution for enterprise configuration management and enterprise software distribution.

How does Netscape Mission Control (formerly the Netscape Administration Kit) work with AutoAdmin?
Netscape Mission Control, available separately, works in concert with Netscape Communicator Professional Edition's AutoAdmin component. Netscape Mission Control allows you to modify user preferences, desktop configurations, and security policies from a central administrator's desktop.

How does IS control the settings of Netscape Communicator Professional Edition?
With Netscape Mission Control and Netscape Communicator Professional Edition, all user settings can be configured automatically via the Web by accessing a configuration URL controlled by IS. The configuration information can select your Proxy Server's directories, security preferences, and other local and global settings. Configuration settings can be locked in, preventing users from overriding system defaults.

Is it possible to install Standard Edition endpoints and then upgrade them to Professional Edition?
Yes. You can upgrade each endpoint to the Professional Edition of Netscape Communicator.

NETSCAPE IBM HOST ON-DEMAND

What is IBM Host On-Demand?
IBM Host On-Demand is an Internet-to-SNA interconnectivity solution that provides 3270 application discovery and access through the World Wide Web. Host On-Demand is bringing network computing to the Web by enabling Java-enabled browsers to seamlessly access non-Internet-based content and services.

Does Host On-Demand provide a web server?
Host On-Demand does not include a web server function. Any web server capable of serving Java applets can support Host On-Demand.

How does Host On-Demand compare to HTML-to-3270 gateway products?
Host On-Demand's implementation exploits the Java environment and uses industry-standard TN3270 protocols to deliver significantly better response time over less network bandwidth than HTML-to-3270 mapper implementations. In addition, Host On-Demand provides multiple options for emulator screen presentation; screens can be presented within the browser window or as a separate window on the user's desktop. Host On-Demand also gives users access to PF keys via the keyboard, or they may opt to use the graphical PF-key representations provided.

How will the IBM Host On-Demand client be integrated with Netscape Communicator Professional Edition?
The Host On-Demand client will be incorporated as a component of Netscape Communicator Professional Edition. The application will be executable from the desktop or accessible through the application menu system like other applications.

What platforms are supported?
Host On-Demand will be offered on all platforms on which Netscape Communicator Standard Edition runs. Given that it is written entirely in Java, it can run wherever a Java Virtual Machine (VM) exists.

What TN3270 servers (gateways) are supported by this application?
IBM Host On-Demand will support any 3270-compliant TN3270 server, such as the IBM Communications Server or the Microsoft SNA Server.

Does IBM intend to make the client application available as a separate product?
No. The client application will be added to IBM's Personal Communications AS400 and 3270 Personal Communications-CD products in the future, but IBM does not plan to release a stand-alone product.

How does the Host On-Demand application perform?
The application is loaded locally, so download time does not affect performance. From this point, the application establishes a 3270 session, and the performance is no different from that of other terminal emulators.

When will IBM offer a product that includes Netscape Communicator Professional Edition?
IBM expects to have plans finalized in early 1997.

When will IBM Host On-Demand be available in Netscape Communicator Professional Edition?
IBM Host On-Demand is now available with Communicator Pro.

OTHER ISSUES

Is Netscape Communicator "Year 2000 Compliant"?

Yes, Netscape Communications Corporation confirms that Netscape Communicator will properly process and use dates before, during, and after the transition from December 31, 1999, to January 1, 2000, provided that the underlying operating system (OS) of the host machine is year 2000 compliant.

Tests are performed to certify compliance, including operational tests of the History, Cache, Bookmarks, Cookies, Mail, Discussion Forums, Calendaring, Java, and JavaScript functionality of the software, using a number of dates, including, but not limited to, December 31, 1999; January 1, 2000; February 28, 2000; February 29, 2000; March 1, 2000; and dates following the year 2000 (to the limits of the platform’s operating system).

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