Answers to more SIS questions

[geoff@seeker.hermesnet.net (Geoff Weiss)]

On Wed, 19 Mar 1997, Joe Walters wrote:

> You are obviously a beta tester of SIS. Would it be possible for you,

Actually, I'm one of the main developers.

> or someone else, to outline just what one gets with SIS? e.g., I went

You get a Netscape-like Web Browser (no pictures are displayed in pages)
and a module to send e-mail.  There are network libraries to work with
Genie and a UNIX shell.  The Web site tells all the features--the site is
broken for Lynx 2.6 so you need an older version of Lynx, use any graphic
Browser, or wait until the site is fixed.  The Web Site works perfectly
with SIS :).  This is one point for SIS, zero for Lynx.  Granted, it was
the web page designer's fault for not putting in good code...

> and really didn't tell me anything. I'd hoped that it would show what
> kind of screen I'd experience with Spectrum/SIS and also the relative

There are a couple of pictures of the output of SIS.  I'm not sure what
the gif file names are, but they are labeled something like "screenX.gif".

> timeframe of "stuff." The text I've seen says that an accelerator is
> recommened. I have one, 8 meg, is that enough? Or, do I need to send
> my board to Doug P for the 14 Meg upgrade?

You are asking someone who uses a Sparc 5 box at work to ask about
speed...I think my 9 mHz Zip is too slow.  If you accept the fact that
the GS is slow and always will be slow (the IIgs has this darn 1 Mhz bus),
then page generation is acceptable.  A 14 mHz upgrade will improve
performance maybe something like 10 or 20 percent.  You will see a signifigant
performance from a 7/8 Zip to a 9/64 Zip.

> The price is right and I'll order it only to support Seven Hills,
> however, outlines on what one will experience would be great.

I insisted on the price to be as low as it is--there is no excuse for
anyone to pirate a copy.  Support SIS and it will be upgraded to
handle the advancements in the changing world of the Internet and the Web
(unlike AOL's proxy server, SIS is 100% HTTP 1.1 compatible).  Page
generation on a IIgs is much slower than a Pentium 133 running Netscape.
Page generation on a 9 Mhz Zip IIgs is comparable to a 8 Mhz Mac running
Netscape.  I use SIS alot since it produces pages closer to what the
author intended you to look at.  Lynx doesn't give you the different sized
fonts, colors, styles, etc...  Besides, you a full desktop environment:
open, save, print, copy to clipboard, and paste to the URL field all with
a mouse with no keyboard intervention needed.  SIS will probably be the
closest thing to a Netscape GS.  One of the features of SIS is that it also
supports a few easter eggs found in Netscape :)

> One observation was that SIS requires telnet. Is that what other web
> browsers use? e.g., if I have an Url of: hhtp://www.fred.com

I am under a non-disclosure in what SIS actually uses.  I will shoot down
any false suggestions in how SIS operates, though ;).  No other Web
Browsers on any other computer platform use the methods which SIS uses.
But our method works and works excellently for a computer with no available
TCP/IP stack.  I would love to see SIS upgraded to support TCP/IP...

Geoff
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