On-Line Communication and Collaboration

Using Netscape Communicator Professional Suite

http://www.njin.net

Sponsored by The NJIN ITCThe New Jersey Intercampus Network

Internet Technology Center

IntroductionsYour Instructor

• Michael E. Dobe, Network Support Manager

• RUCS Telecommunications Division

Netscape Communications Corporation“Founded in April 1994 by Dr. James H. Clark, who

founded the Fortune 500 computer systems company Silicon Graphics, and Marc Andreessen, who created the NCSA Mosaic software whose graphical user interface simplified Internet navigation.” -- Company Backgrounder.

“Fastest Growing Software Company in History”

About Netscape Communicator• “Integrated set of client software for open e-

mail, groupware, editing, calendaring, web browsing, and push content delivery.”

• Versions for 17 platforms (Windows 95, Windows 3.1, Windows NT, Mac OS, OS/2, and a various UNIX platforms).

• Standard and Professional Editions.

Best of All -- This is FREE Software!

Netscape Communicator Standard Components

• Navigator: WWW browser.

• Composer: Graphical editor used to create and publish HTML documents.

• Messenger: Electronic mail program.

• Collabra: Discussion Group program.

Netscape Communicator Standard Other Components

• Netcaster: Push delivery for dynamic content. Also provides off-line browsing.

• Conference: Internet telephony, shared whiteboard, file transfer, group Web browsing and chat.

• AOL Instant Messenger: “Instant communication over the web”.

Please Note: Of The Above Three Components, Only Netcaster Will Be Covered in

Today’s Session.

Netscape Communicator Professional Added Components

• Calendar: Cross-platform calendaring and scheduling.

• AutoAdmin: Centralized management of Netscape Communicator.

• IBM Host On-Demand: Host connectivity to 3270-based mainframe host systems.

Please Note: Of The Above Three Components, Only Calendar Will Be

Covered in Today’s Session.

Goals For The Morning Session

• Learn the fundamentals of Web browsing with Navigator.

• Practice Web authoring and publishing with Composer.

• Use Messenger to send, receive and manage electronic mail messages.

Tool # 1: Navigator

• Intro to The Internet and The Web

• Viewing HTML Documents

• Transferring Data With FTP

• Helper Apps and Plug-ins

• Security: Support for SSL

• Java Support

• Bookmarks, History Lists and Caches

Navigator Demo• Preferences and Toolbars

• Navigating Pages and Viewing Source Code

• Transferring Files: FTP Get and Put

• Example Plug-in: Adobe PDF Viewer

• A Secure Site: https://www-noi.rutgers.edu

• A Page With Java: http://java.sun.com

• Bookmarks, History Lists and Caches

Hands-On Navigator

• Visit The NJIN Web Page and View the Source Code: http://www.njin.net

• Transfer Files From the NJIN FTP Server ftp://ftp.njin.net

• Transfer Files To Your NJIN Account ftp://username@ftp.njin.net

• Set Bookmarks, View History List and Check Your Cache

Tool # 2: Composer

• WYSIWYG HTML Editing

• Hyperlinks In and Between Pages

• Text Manipulation and Spell Check

• In-Line Images (GIF and JPEG)

• Table Support

• Editing The HTML Code Directly

• Mail and Publish Pages

Composer Demo

• Starting the Composer Program

• Manipulating Text and Checking Spelling

• Copying and Pasting In-Line Images

• Adding A Borderless Table

• Editing The HTML Code Directly

• Mailing A Draft Page

• Publishing A Draft Page

Hands-On Composer• Start the Composer Program• Open the file x:\ihl\dobe\98spring.htm• Manipulate Text and Check Spelling• Copy and Paste an Image• Try Removing Borders From The Table • Try Editing The HTML Code Directly• Mail This Page to Yourself• Publish This Page to Your Pilot Account

BREAK

Tool # 3: Messenger

• Support For POP3 and IMAP4 Protocols

• Composing Messages: Rich HTML, Plain Text Messages and MIME Attachments

• Mail Management– Address Book With LDAP Support– Distribution List Features– Mail Folders, Text Searching, Message Sorting

and Threads

Messenger DemoPart 1: Configuring Messenger

• Mail Server Info: POP3 vs. IMAP• Rich HTML vs. Plain Text Messages

Part 2: Working With Mail Messages• Using Internet Mail Directories• Creating Distribution Lists• Working With Mail Folders• Searching Text• Sorting Messages• Using Threading With Mail

Hands-On Messenger

Set Up Your Personal Preferences: • POP3 With email. njin.net (Leave Mail on Server)

• HTML Messages By Default

Try The Following:• Start Messanger and Download Mail

• Get Your Neighbor’s Address and Send Them a Message With an Attachment

(try x:\ihl\dobe\lensyll.doc)

Hands-On Messenger (Cont.)

More Things to Try:• Find Someone’s Address on An Internet Directory,

Add Their Address to Your Address Book and Send Them Mail

• Add A Folder and Save a Message in This Folder

• Try Text Search

LUNCH

Goals For The Afternoon Session

• Use Collabra to participate in Internet-based discussion groups (a.k.a. Usenet).

• Learn to use Calendar for group scheduling and resource allocation.

• Experience the new Internet "push" technology using live channel content with Netcaster.

Tool # 4: Collabra

• Introduction to Usenet News– Alternative to Mailing Lists– Naming Hierarchy– Thousands of Groups

• Deja News Archives

http://www.dejanews.com

• Private vs. Public Newsgroups

Collabra Demo

• Configuring Preferences for News:

Groups Server Setting news.njin.net

• Subscribing to Discussion Groups

• Searching for Discussion Groups

• Accessing, Posting and Replying to Messages

• Unsubscribing From Discussion Groups

Hands-On Collabra• Configure Groups Server Setting

news.njin.net

• Subscribe to a Discussion Group of Choice

• Search for Rutgers Discussion Group ru.comp.network and Subscribe to It

• Access a Message in ru.comp.network and Forward it to Yourself

• Unsubscribing From ru.comp.network

Tool # 5: Calendar

• Agendas and Tasks in NS Calendar

• Group Scheduling and Asset Management

• Delegation of Authority

• Printing: Support For Most Common Business Planner Formats. Day Timer, Day Runner, etc.

• vCalendar Support

Calendar Demo• On-Line and Off-Line Modes

• Agendas and Tasks in NS Calendar

• Group Scheduling and Asset Management

• Delegation of Authority

• Printing: Support For Most Common Day-Planner Formats

• Day, Week and Month Views

• vCalendar Support

Hands-On Calendar• Log In With Assigned Username/Password

Host Name is margarita.njin.net

• Create Tasks and Make One Recurring

• Open Your Neighbor’s Agenda and View It

• Give Your Neighbor Rights to Modify Your Agenda and Have Them Add A Meeting

• Invite Your Neighbor to a Meeting

• Accept the Meeting Your Neighbor Invited You to Attend

BREAK

Tool # 6: Netcaster

• “Push” Technology

• Channel Concept

• Webtop Option (Similar to Active Desktop)

• Automatic Scheduled Downloading

• Off-Line Mode Available

Netcaster Demo

• Maximize and Minimize Channel View

• Subscribing to Channels

• Personalized Channel Listing

• Using Webtop Mode

• Scheduling Updates

• On-Line vs. Off-line

Hands-On Netcaster

• Subscribe to a Channel

• View the Listing in Your Personalized Channel List

• Set This Channel to Display Using Webtop Mode

• Enter Webtop Mode to View the Channel

• Schedule an update in the Next 10 Minutes

What We Accomplished

• Learned the fundamentals of Web browsing with Navigator.

• Practiced Web authoring and publishing with Composer.

• Used Messenger to send, receive and manage electronic mail messages.

What We Accomplished (Cont.)

• Used Collabra to participate in Internet-based discussion groups (a.k.a. Usenet).

• Learned to use Calendar for group scheduling and resource allocation.

• Experienced the new Internet "push" technology using live channel content with Netcaster.

Resources For Further Study

NetHelp On-Line Help Tool

Mastering the Net With Netscape Communicator, by ProSoft I-Net Solutions, Inc. (1997)

http://www.888prosoft.com/

Communicator Home Page

http://home.netscape.com/comprod/products/communicator/

Questions?

• Instructor’s E-Mail: dobe@noc.rutgers.edu

• Instructor’s WWW Page: http://clio.rutgers.edu/~dobe

• This Curriculum On-Line: http://clio.rutgers.edu/~dobe/presentations/1998

Thank You For Attending ...

Please Feel Free to Contact Me ...