JavaScript-Enhanced iMarvel
There are two versions of each Wizard, the JavaScript
version and the normal all-HTML version which has no JavaScript. The
all-HTML Wizards are actually safer than the average web page, because
of their simple design.
Most Wizards are improved about 5%-10% by JavaScript, but
JavaScript may not work reliably on some
computer systems. JavaScript might possibly cause your system to "freeze" and become
unresponsive to input from your keyboard or mouse, so these JavaScript Wizards
are really recommended only for experimental purposes. We also recommend
that before you use the JavaScript Wizards, you read the next section
entitled Optimizing Your System. You'll read about how to improve
your computer's performance and make it more JavaScript-friendly.
Two Wizards need JavaScript to function correctly: the
Address Book and Schedule Wizards. Other Wizards are somewhat more useful if
JavaScript is used: the Favorites, Calculator and Control Center Wizards.
If you'd rather
create an all-HTML Personal iMarvel page, click
over to the Fast Track page. This page
lets you create one in a few minutes and save it to your hard disk.
Optimizing Your System
This section contains our best advice for optimizing the performance and
reliability of your computer system.
The JavaScript Wizards may not run correctly on your computer
system. However, you may be able to increase reliability by downloading a
new browser version or an operating-system upgrade.
- Windows users would be well-advised to use the latest
version of Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE 5.0), the most reliable browser
available. Netscape browsers can also be used, with Navigator 4.5 or higher
recommended. If you use browsers that are older than what's recommended, your
computer may occasionally "freeze", in which case
you'll have to turn it off and restart it.
Does your Windows system sometimes malfunction? You should use the
latest version of Windows, to make sure Personal iMarvel and all
your programs run as smoothly as
possible. Free downloads of Windows upgrades are available from
Microsoft.
If you have Windows '98, MicroSoft has a downloads
page that shows you how to update your system easily and automatically.
If you have Windows '95, you should upgrade to the latest version of Windows '95
by taking these steps:
- Click on the Start menu of Windows '95, choose Settings,
click on Control Panel, and double-click on the System icon.
- Click on the General tab and look in the section labeled System
to see the numbers under Windows '95. If the number says 4.00.950,
proceed to step 3. If it says 4.00.950a, go to step 4. If it
says 4.00.950 B, you don't need any Windows '95 updates..
- Go to the Microsoft Windows '95 site
and click on Download.
Examine the list of files to find Windows 95 Service Pack 1. Click
on the link, then click Download Now. Select a folder to place this
file in, then click on OK. When the 1.2 megabyte download is
finished, double-click on the W95setup.exe file to install Service Pack
1, and follow the on-screen instructions.
- At this same Microsoft Windows '95
site, in the Download section, download and install Windows 95
Kernel 32 Update. That's all Personal iMarvel needs from this site. You may
also consider downloading the Windows 95 OLE 32 Update, to correct a
Microsoft Office security problem, To correct a password bug from Service Pack 1,
you may download the Windows 95 Password List Update.
- Macintosh users may want to stick to using the all-HTML
Wizards, because our testing on Macintosh browsers has been minimal.
We have tested Personal iMarvel on Netscape Navigator 4.01 and it works fine on that.
We've also tested Internet Explorer 4.01 with Personal iMarvel, which also mostly works.
But with IE-4.01, you'll probably get a few
"JavaScript Error" alerts, and the time devices (clock, calendar, schedule)
may not work correctly. We haven't tested IE-5 for the Macintosh, so that may
work better.
To upgrade to the latest browser, surf one of the sites listed below.
Downloading a new browser usually takes about one to three hours, using a
28.8K modem. It depends on the file size, which can range from about 9MB to 24MB.
Using The JavaScript Wizards
Almost all browsers can understand JavaScript. However, some
browsers are set to ignore JavaScript for security reasons.
Many JavaScript Wizards use cookies, a browser feature
that some people prefer to disable.
That's because sites can use cookies to build a marketing
profile on you, based on what sites you visit and what you buy.
It doesn't really matter: cookies are just one of many tools
that companies use to build your marketing profile. So if you've disabled cookies, we
recommend that you turn them back on. Otherwise, you should use the all-HTML Wizards.
If you're not sure whether your browser has JavaScript and cookies
enabled, click
here to run a quick test.
To try any JavaScript
Wizard, click on the yellow "Java" button ( )
on the navigation bar.
Note: JavaScript is generally more reliable than
Java, its more complex cousin. The only actual
Java in Personal iMarvel is in the TV Wizard. As you have surfed the
web, you may have found that your browser sometimes crashes. Sometimes
that's caused by badly-written Java applets; it may also be caused by having
too many browser windows open at once. It's always a wise precaution to
protect important documents on your computer, by saving them to disk
frequently.
What's Next?
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