This page helps you decide if you wish to update your browser and links you to the Netscape and Internet Explorer sites to download the appropriate files.

Why should you upgrade to 3.+ (3.0, 3.1, 3.2 etc.) of either version?

The new 3.+ versions have many new features not existent in the earlier versions. If you are surfing the net and find yourself getting a lot of these:

or perhaps you’re getting these:

then perhaps you are using an old browser and need to upgrade.

The reason for getting torn picture icons and shut downs? Many sites are using the new features built into the 3.+ versions and if you are accessing the site from an earlier version, you may see the torn picture icons, indicating that you are missing out on some new feature, or worse yet, the “illegal operation” error, indicating that your browser just can’t handle the new feature.

What else are you missing out on? Depending on how old your version is:

• animated gifs
• Java applets
• frames support (those scrollable areas on the screen)
  (some sites won’t even let you in if your browser doesn’t support frames).

Ready to download Netscape Navigator?
When you get to the Netscape site, it will ask you to pick a product from a list. Netscape’s selection will boggle your mind. If you don’t know what you’re doing, simply select “Netscape Navigator 3.01 Standard.”

Next you will be asked which operating system you use. Do you use Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 or Windows NT as your operating system? Don’t know? Hmmmm... Okay, Windows 3.1 utilizes the Program Manager and you quit by using the File menu in the top left corner of your screen. Windows 95 uses the “Start” button which is usually found in the bottom left corner of your screen. Most Windows 95 and Windows NT users know who they are. <smile>

Also, if you’re using Macintosh or OS/2, you should know that by now. If you’re using UNIX, you’re on your own -- I couldn’t tell you how to select from that list.

Then it asks for your desired language and location: I would be selecting English and North America. You will then “click to display the download sites.” Click on ANY of those shown -- if the one you select seems to take too long, click on another site until you get one that isn’t busy.

Ready to download Internet Explorer?
Internet Explorer’s site will ask which operating system you use. The selection is fairly simple:

Do you use Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 as your operating system? Don’t know? Hmmmm... Okay, Windows 3.1 is 16-bit and utilizes the Program Manager and you quit by using the File menu in the top left corner of your screen. Windows 95 is 32-bit and uses the “Start” button which is usually found in the bottom left corner of your screen. If you’re using Windows NT, you’ll need to figure out if you’re using 3.51 or 4.0.

The other choice is Macintosh and if you don’t know you’re using that... well...

Click “Next” after making your selection. Again you must select from a formidable list of products. For simplicity, select: Internet Explorer 3.02a if you selected 3.1 or Internet Explorer 3.02 if you selected Windows 95 or NT 4.0.

You will then be asked for a language. It defaults to English. You’ll then be presented with a list of vendors. Select one at random and go!

What to do once I download?
Click on one of the Icons below to update Netscape or Internet Explorer. Once you go to the site, you will go through all the steps outlined above for each product.

When download begins, you will be asked where you want to save the file, at that point, you may type in a unique directory or let it save inside your existing browser directory. I prefer to have it download into a unique directory so that I can easily delete the archive when I am done installing and free up the hard disk space. (ie:  The file you download is an executable. When you click on it, it will automatically unarchive other files -- which includes your setup.exe. Once you have clicked on the setup.exe, it will ask you where to install the files and you can install in yet another directory. When this is done, the original directory is no longer needed and can be removed.) I also would hesitate installing in my existing browser directory as you never know if this new version will work for you (ie: enough hard disk space, enough RAM), so you don’t want to wipe out your existing browser installation until you know the new installation is going to work.

Once you have downloaded the proper version:

Go to File Manager in 3.1 or Windows Explorer in 95/NT, find the browser version you downloaded, double click on the file name to open it. It will unarchive the executable. Then click on the “setup.exe” file. This will begin the setup. You may select to have it load in your existing browser directory or create a new directory -- depending upon your preference. As I said previously, just in case the new version doesn’t work for you, you should have it install in a new directory -- just type in the name of a new directory like: “c:\ns\”  or “c:\ie” and the file name. It may ask if you wish to create a new “*.ini” file or use your existing file. Go ahead and select to use the existing file if you’re unsure what you’re doing.

Both sites below have detailed installation instructions for their product.

Modified: 02/11/99