First a word about the fonts I use... None! I don't make this Web Site any
more complex than absolutely necessary. I do however specify font styles,
or attributes if you prefer that word. Most of the site is in non-proportional
font because it is more uniformly readable from one browser configuration
to another, and from one platform to another. I also set strong, or if you
prefer bold, and italics. This page like Linux, and engineering disciplines
generally, assume you the end user are better suited to make choices about
things that your hardware, and eyes are best able to utilize. What this means
is that my page will probably yield a sub optimal viewing experience if you
fail to take the time to set the "Default font" and especially the
"Default font size" for both non-proportional, and proportional
fonts. Changing these settings probably only affects Web Sites that like mine
intentionally do not set the fonts.
If instead of hearing sound, you were asked to download a file
and then give it a name, your browser is not properly set up.
My experience in this area, is limited to Netscape on RedHat 6.0 Linux
If someone comes forward from the Micro$oft world, with some
configuration info I'll place it in this section
Ask and you'll be besieged with answers. Here's the skinny.
If a windows user installs WinAmp, all they have to do is click
on the link. The user will be prompted to open the file or save it
to the disk. If they select "open it", WinAmp will automagically
launch, and begin to play the file.
Whew... Ok, here's the RedHat 6.0 Linux/Netscape 4.51 instructions
First click on the "Edit" bar at the top of the Netscape window
move the mouse all the way down to bottom option "Preferences"
and click on that.
A "NETSCAPE: PREFERENCES" window will open up, move the mouse
pointer to the right pointing triangle in the "Category" panel,
that is just to the left of the "Navigator" option.
When you click on that triangle, several "Navigator" sub options
appear below, and indented to the right a bit.
Click on "Applications" as you do this, a window opens up titled
"Applications Specify helper applications for different file types"
Click on the box marked "New" and a window opens up titled
"Netscape: Application" in it are three boxes grouped together
at the top, and a bunch of buttons and a box in the "Handled By"
section below. The first of the three is labeled "Description:"
the second is "MIMEType:" and the third is "Suffixes:" Ok so now Layin the
following settings...
Description: MPEG Audio http
MIMEType: audio/mpeg
Suffixes: mp3
Now in the "Handled By" box, click on the diamond button labeled
"Application:" and layin the appropriate setting for your player
I show two examples below...
Application: mpg123 %s
or
Application: xmms %s
The first is probably available to you, via the default installation
of Linux, the second is an example of using the nicer Xmms program
but you probably had to download it, so if you have this, you know
who you are. The %s in both examples tells Netscape to create a
/tmp/spool file that handles receiving the mp3 data from the internet
and thus insures that the Mpeg decoder you have chosen is called and
fed this spool file. After playing the audio, the disk space is
automatically recovered, as the spool file is erased. Now click the
" OK " button, and lay in setting for local mp3 files.
Click on the box marked "New" and the "Netscape: Application"
window opens up. Layin the following settings...
Description: MPEG Audio local
MIMEType: audio/x-mpeg
Suffixes: mp3
Now in the "Handled By" box, click on the diamond button labeled
"Application:" and layin the appropriate setting for your player
I show two examples below...
Application: mpg123 %s
or
Application: xmms %s
Note the only differences between the two, are the "Description:"
label "MPEG Audio local" versus "MPEG Audio http" and the
"MIMEType:" directive "audio/x-mpeg" versus "audio/mpeg"
The "local" settings allow you to play mp3 tracks, from a local file
The "http" settings allow you to play mp3 tracks from off the Internet
"audio/x-mpeg" works with local files, where as "audio/mpeg"
is an Internet MIME Type
Now click the " OK " button, and then the " OK " button
for the "NETSCAPE: PREFERENCES" window, and you're done.
Retry the "Audio Test" at the top of this page, with any luck it should play
the audio, instead of downloading it to a file