Re: permanent page cacheing by WWW browsers

Lew Hitchner (hitchner@netcom.com)
Wed, 7 Dec 1994 19:58:22 -0800


This morning I posted a reply to the VRML list and included in it some
wonderings about whether there exist any current WWW browsers that save
cached pages between sessions. This afternoon while at my part-time
job I got the answer to my question.

Yes -- Netscape's netscape browser (i.e., the formerly named Mosaic,
Inc. of Jim Clark and Mark Andreason). It allows the user to set
preferences that specify how long cached pages are kept around in days,
ranging from 0 to forever. It also creates a directory where it stores
your cached pages which by default is a hidden directory in your $HOME
dir. Of course, you can set a preference that overrides the dir. name
and location. The browser has a lot of other better-than-Mosaic
features including the ability to load inline images via progressive
refinement, i.e., low res blocky image replaced by gradually higher
res. images. We counted 4 resolutions on some .gif images, but
couldn't figure out how it works. I know .gif supports a 'postage
stamp' minature embedded within the file, but I'm not aware that .gif
also supports multiple resolution versions. Maybe there's a new GIF94
std. that supports this??? Another better-than-Mosaic feature is the
option to have it open more than one channel, so e.g., it can actually
be fetching two or more inline images simultaneously (if you've got the
bandwidth, that is).

Lew Hitchner
Virtual Reality and Visual Simulation Consultant
Mountain View, CA
Voice: 415-964-9425
FAX: 800-825-7689 (USA)
FAX: 510-472-6951 (international)
email: hitchner@netcom.com
URL: ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/hi/hitchner/hitchner.html