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Date:      Sat, 18 Apr 1998 07:38:15 +0000 (GMT)
From:      Terry Lambert <tlambert@primenet.com>
To:        andrew@squiz.co.nz (Andrew McNaughton)
Cc:        freebsd-mozilla@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: netscape 4 status?
Message-ID:  <199804180738.AAA29106@usr06.primenet.com>
In-Reply-To: <v02120d01b15dbd971cea@[192.168.1.1]> from "Andrew McNaughton" at Apr 18, 98 03:38:27 pm

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Let me add my wishlist to yours:

> Some things on my wish list:
> 
> Make acceptance of cookies, javascript, java, plugins, gif animations, even
> images customizable by site.  As I imagine it when I get one of these from
> a new site netscape asks whether I want to accept one of the above, I'd
> like radio buttons to decide whether to accept it or not, and a checkbox to
> say don't ask about this site next time.  Doing it by the page might be
> nice for pages with buggy java programs and such like where you still want
> to use the features of the rest of the site, so maybe two checkboxes, or a
> radio button selection including 'always ask'.

1)	There should be a checkbox distinction for the insecure
	site submit between:

	a)	All submissions
	b)	Submissions of one field
	c)	Submissions of more than one field.

	In most cases, I want the warning only if it's a multifield
	form.

2)	The exception-by-domain-list is a good idea.  Some default
	entries that should probably be on it (and removable):

	altavista.dec.com
	www.yahoo.com
	etc.

> Make the server the Search button takes you to customizable.

This is already customisable via .Xdefaults, and via the Netscape
OEM customization control program.  I don't know the exact details,
but it's pretty easy to find the .Xdefaults stuff with "strings netscape".


> Make the tool bar strip smaller when shown as pictures or text only.

Uh, it does... are you perhaps using a Qt or Lesstif version?

> Make both the Search and guide buttons removable.  Perhaps just move these
> to the Personal toolbar.

Also already customizable.  Plus settable in "preferences" and via
JavaScript.

3)	Let me remove the "https:" secure connection indicator bar
	below the toolbar and above the content window with an
	"xxx=no" tag in JavaScript.

> Put an Add bookmark item into every sub menu of the hierarchical
> bookmarks menu.

4)	Use the right button on the menu for this.  You would "click"
	the menu up (button style; this makes the menu stick) and
	then right button for a pop-up "what can I do here", as in
	the menu that pops up for news servers, groups, articles,
	http: links, etc..

> Allow for collabra to view multiple newsgroups at the same time.

5)	Middle button "another windows", just like the browser.

6)	Make the middle button work under Windows.

> Add Hierarchical menus of mailboxes.

I think you can do this, too.  I use this feature at work.  This
may be another Qt/Lesstif layout problem?

> Make it possible to copy text from the navigator window using the Xwindows
> middle mouse button convention.

7)	Fix the selection of the leftmost character of a line that
	begins with a link.  This is really annoying; you have to
	try several times to select the full text.

8)	Once a selection of a link is started, make it act like a
	normal text selection until it is deselected (ie: double
	click to select work, sentence, etc.).

9)	This is a *biggie*.  Allow the user to drag links into other
	browser windows.  If the target and source are the same
	program, you don't need the Window manager to make it work.

10)	Allow dragging of links into the current window (especially
	useful if some idiot "frames" the entire Internet in his
	favorite frame).

11)	In the mail client, correctly decode RFC1894 delivery status
	notification messages, and present the "message" as a localizable
	translation of the DSN data from the DSN portion of the messsage.

	You can look at the rest of the message via a "Details..."
	button and/or "view/document source".

12)	In the news reader, make part of the line inactive, so you
	can select an article without downloading it.  Very useful
	for a group that starts with a run of obvious SPAM, or to
	ignore a useless thread without having to read at least one
	message in it.

13)	If the first window in the URL that caused the browser to be
	opened is JavaScript, let the frigging window.close() method
	close down the window.

14)	If the first window in the URL that caused the browser to be
	opened is JavaScript, let the window properties be adjusted
	(ie: removal of all the identifying marks).

	Between 3, 13, and 14, this would let you write applications
	in JavaScript that look like they were native code.  For
	example, a DHCP configuration "Property sheet" for a FreeBSD
	system, or an "Install Shield" type installation program
	that acts on FreeBSD "packages".

15)	Glue all user interface components together with either
	internal URL's (using the NOREF- URL/URI mechanism?) and
	allow other user interface pieces to be added and bound.

	This would let me do two things:

	a)	Access things like the *real* "Back" function in
		an HTML page, instead of invoking a backlink (YES!
		You could un-thread the "back stack" through a large
		HTTP site!).

	b)	I could hook a different mail client into the
		"window/mail" menu, or access other internal URL's
		from within a script.  For example, I could very
		trivially implement a "kill file" capability into
		the news reader...

16)	Tabbed dialogs in JavaScript?  (Is this already there?).

17)	Allow alternate views of the "file:" space (big icons,
	small iconlist, file/properties list [configureable
	formatting, of course]) to allow the Navigator to better
	act as a file browser.

	Using a portalFS on FreeBSD, you could add programatic
	namespaces, just like Windows 95's "Explorer".  "NFS
	Network Neighborhood" anyone?  8-).

18)	Add icon placement memory, as an option.  Use a "poop file".

19)	Allow the browser to be started on the root window.

	18 + 19 + the following == a Netscape desktop manager.


> Ability to call local programs, probably using something closely
> approximating the CGI calling convention, without a server in between.  In
> fact on a unix box you'd probably just run a server, but a cross platform
> approach to this would make it possible to write locally run, cross
> platform applications which use the browser's interface, but do not require
> your average joe to set a server up on their machine.

I think there is an RFC defined URL/URI for this type of thing; it's
"prog:", if I remember correctly.  If you had a JAVA, you could do
this pretty easily using a JNI to hook into the real "system(3)"
library function (for example).

If it isn't there, it should definitely be put in (to allow programs
on a Netscape desktop manager to be launched).


					Terry Lambert
					terry@lambert.org
---
Any opinions in this posting are my own and not those of my present
or previous employers.

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