Subject: Re: IIGS specific graphics web browser for IIGS specific web sites!
From: CUTjefbla@bconnex.net (Jeff Blakeney)
Date: Thu, Aug 06, 1998 12«57¼° EDT
Message-id: <35c9d87f.1534053@news.bconnex.net>

On 6 Aug 1998 08:31:11 GMT, supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer) wrote:

>Ideas for a IIGS specific web browser.
>
>As I understand it, the main reason a graphical web browser
>in the traditional sense is not feasable for the Apple IIGS
>is the graphics formats.  Web graphics are stored in compressed
>formats that need to be decompressed.  The favorite formats
>are .gif and .jpg and these take time to decompress on a IIGS
>because the processor is not suited for heavy math functions.
>Furthermore, the images need to be scaled to fit the IIGS
>screen.

I've thought of the same thing.  Unfortunately SIS only supports a 7
bit connection at present which means the only way we could include
images in current web pages would be to BINscii encode them or
something.  This would increase their file size unfortunately.

However, if we wait a while for the new Marinetti and new Spectrum to
come out, then maybe Geoff will update SIS to use TCP/IP and therefore
give us an 8 bit connection.  Downloading images, or anything for that
matter, would become possible.

By the way, if the conversion routines from Convert.3200 were to be
used, most GIF images could be converted in a matter of seconds for
use on the IIgs.

Oh, and another problem right now is the way SIS displays its
information.  I believe at present it is using a TextEdit control
which doesn't support putting in images so any update to support
graphics would either have to have a separate window to view the
graphics or have to totally rewrite a large portion of SIS.  :-/

>This may sound crazy, but since we have SIS specific html
>tags, how about IIGS specific web graphics!  These graphics
>can be stored scaled to fit the IIGS screen and stored in
>SHR format.  No longer having to decompress and scale the
>graphics, a IIGS web browser using a IIGS specific web site
>will be able to browse a traditional looking web page.

There is no need to make a SIS specific image tag.  If you put in an
<IMG ...> tag that points to a graphic format that the current browser
doesn't have a viewer for, it will display a broken graphic image.  I
just tried it with Internet Explorer and I got an image frame with a
white document icon with a red X in it.

However, there is nothing stopping people from writing a plug-in that
will allow viewing of IIgs graphic formats for Internet Explorer or
Netscape.  They could even have the viewer automatically double the
height of the image to retain proper aspect ratio on the higher
resolution machines.

They could even do a PaintWorks animation plug-in too if they wanted
to get really fancy.  :-)

>I know that this will only work on IIGS specific web sites
>and that the graphics will not have the color and resolution
>of other web sites, but so what?  SIS specific web sites
>already have IIGS specific stuff.

Yes, you can put one of those "Best viewed on an Apple IIgs" icons on
the page for those less fortunate folk who are using IBM or Mac
machines.  :-)

However, see above for reasons why it could still work for other
browswers.

>This IIGS specific web browser will enable the updating
>of current Apple II related web sites to include graphics.
>
>Speed is not an issue....a full screen SHR graphic is just
>32k, a cinch to download at 14.4 (the most common speed
>of modem on the IIGS) and the graphics on these web sites
>will not be full screen....they will be smaller embedded
>images, like on other web sites.

Actually, if you use Apple Preferred images, which are compressed but
in a way the IIgs can deal with much easier, then the average size of
an image would be reduced to 8-16k.

>We already have pretty amazing and useful graphical
>HyperStudio and HyperCard stacks using nothing but
>640 mode graphics.  Again, this is without the use of
>the hires images seen on other computers but is nontheless
>great for conveying INFORMATION.  That's what the web
>is for, after all....
>
>IIGS developers, are you listening?

Unfortunately, they tend to hear things more on Compuserve, Genie and
Delphi but I'm sure they are already aware of this option and if not,
I'll be sure to tell them.  :-)

=== To ensure I see a reply please also e-mail me but remember to:
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    Jeff Blakeney - Dean of the Apple II University on Delphi