[thelist] Re: The story on "The CompuServe Web Browser" (John Eckman)

[Paulette Neal-Allen]

John wrote:
> Compuserve now appears to let users choose their own browser (crazy idea, I 
> know) - but is this only with "Compuserve 2000" accounts? Does that mean 
> that "Compuserve Classic" users still get some kind of bundled browser?

Hm.  That's a new one on me - and all my family uses CompuServe.  I just minimize the blasted thing and use NN6 or IE, same as I did when they had AOL.  Anyway, CompuServe2000 still has a bundled/customized/branded/whatever you want to call it browser.

> I see references at compuserve.com to version 4, 5, and 6 of "compuserve" - 
> are these different versions of the "Compuserve Classic" all-in-one kind of 
> deal, or are these difference versions of Compuserve 2000?

They are versions of the actual CompuServ program - the images, what "channels" it has, etc.  CompuServe 2000 began with v5 and has continued with v6.  Kinda the same name game that M$ did with NT v5 or whatever it would have been becoming W2K.

> If there is a bundled browser for some Compuserve users, what is it? Is it 
> the same transmogrified Internet Explorer beast used in AOL? (AOL has owned 
> compuserve for 2-3 years?)

Got it in one.  I think it even appears as an AOL browser in your statistics (at least, I'm assuming so, since my husband looks at our site all the time and I have yet to see a "CompuServ" browser in our statistics).  It appears to use the installed version of IE as its engine, and just paint its UI onto the top of it instead of the usual one, and it stays as a child window of CS instead of being an independent window.  However, some sites that call new windows spawn actual IE windows instead of CS child windows.  Totally freaked my husband out the other day...  Anyway.  Your customer - or his/her dad, or spouse, or best friend who "knows all about computers" or something probably uses CS and that's how it ended up on your list.  Mumble something really technical under your breath, wave incense around the room a couple of times, take a nap - I mean, go into a trance - and tell your customer that viola!  You have made the site compatible with The CompuServe Browser, that'll be (insert several hours of billable time here).  That is, as long as you are sure it's compatible with AOL...

Paulette Neal-Allen