Helpers and Viewers

Although today's Web browsers are increasingly sophisticated, so many different file formats are available on the Internet that to support all of them would result in a bukly software program. This would take a long time to download, and much memory to run. Instead, external helper or viewer programs are used to do the job.

Each Web browser has a way of recognizing th type of file being downloaded, and will either display it immediately (if it supports that format), or to start up a viewer to display the file. You don't have to do anything about this; most browsers have association tables that link each file format to an appropriate viewer.

Finding and downloading helpers and viewers isn't too hard, as usually a site that carries a specific Web browser will also offer the various helpers programs. Once you have a viewer installed, it will work with any browser. These programs come as a compressed archive, complete with documentation and ReadMe files.

You'll need a decompression program such as PKUnzip for Windows, or Stuffit Expander for the Macintosh, to decompress them. Generally, these programs are shareware or even freeware, so you don't have to pay to get them. You will be expected to pay shareware fees later, if you find you are using a program often. Mostly, this is between $10 and $40.

Follow the instructions exactly so the setup is done properly and everything works -- especially if you are using Windows. Macintosh users may have to rebuild the desktop by restarting the computer and holding down the Command and Shift keys just before the desktop appears, after all the Inits have loaded.

Here are links to the helper and viewer programs you will need for Web browsing. You don't need them all right away, but it's always best to be over-prepared than to have to go chasing later for a piece of software when you may be in a hurry to see a file.

Your assignment for this Lesson is to put together a complete Web browser tool kit, so it pays to be thorough at this stage.

On to Helpers and Viewers For Windows

On to Helpers and Viewers For the Macintosh

On to Assignment 5

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