Mag! - A user-guide to the HTML Shell version.

Hello again,

This is our second outing with the pretend HTML diskmag shell. I've picked a number of frequently unasked questions about this HTML shell concept, what the hell is going on, how to use it and similar building up. So I thought a small text explaining things might be helpful here. This is mostly a recycling of what was written last year, but there is a little bit of further textual meddling to update things.

"So what do you need to join the fun?"

If you're reading this already, then you have managed to suss this out pretty well unaided. Congratulations!

For the purposes of helping others who might not be so fortunate, I can say with confidence that the user requirements are fairly liberal . All that are needed are hands, some eyeballs, preferably connected to an optic nerve and a brain, a mouse or suitable touchscreen and a bag of circuits and electricity, capable of supporting the HTML standard are all that is needed.

"No, no you fool! What are the system requirements and required software?"

First thing, less of the attitude and language, I'm here to help!

The HTML mag has been developed on an Atari Falcon, my CTPCI machine with the nice spacious desktop. It has been developed alongside the 'Highwire' browser, and tested against a later version of Crystal Atari Browser (CAB) 2.7 and also the ported 'Netsurf' v2.9. It works in all of these, probably looking its best in Netsurf.

2013 Note:- There's been not so much original hardware and a lot more Hatari involved in putting this together. I've not been at home in the final fortnight before release, which is when most of the testing occurs. Rest assured, this is using the same methods as before, so it should come up fine like before. Famous last words!

Additionally, it has been tested with mainstream browsers including Firefox, Safari, Chrome and Internet Explorer and scrubs up very nicely in all of these, which is gratifying.

In fact, it should run on any hardware with a web browser capable of fairly basic HTML support. Results may vary according to how compromised, graphically speaking, your target hardware is. I have intended this for a Falcon 030 as an ideal minimum spec.

"As it is HTML, is there a website for this then?"

(2013 edition) The original plan was going to be "No there isn't!" However certain kind parties (Evil of DHS) managed to spin this into an Atari.org site, so the first issue is available both in a downloadable zipped format to read offline, and also under the URL http://mag.atari.org

I daresay something like this will happen again this year.

The usual place to download the offline version will be the Dead Hackers Society or www.dhs.nu as it is more commonly known.

"I've loaded this in to Firefox and it all looks a bit empty around the borders?"

The frame setting has been kept deliberately low, horizontally, to allow for a reasonably comfortable ride on a 640 pixel width screen. the 'fix' for the empty border issue on a high end modern Winbox or Mac, is to resize the browser window down to the Masthead width. Alternatively you can zoom in the page.

"I've loaded this into CAB and the articles with ascii graphics in the titles (Minimag) look like sh*t!"

You need to check the font settings, make sure that pre-formatted text is set to 6x6 system font, and that's fixed that one!

"The animated GIFs on Netsurf are really slow, even on a CT60."

I know, I know..

"I've tried it on CAB v.1.5 and it doesn't load the pictures and looks shite in general, what can I do?"

That is a really early version with lots of things not enabled. If you persist in using this to read Mag! Then frankly you get all you deserve!

Any more questions? No, that's good then! Time to read on and enjoy the rest of this prog!

CiH - Mag! Editor - November 2012 and amended in October 2013.

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