Windows Platform: 16-bit Versions

Internet Explorer delivers a full set of browser features and functions for Windows 16-bit versions. The 16-bit versions of Internet Explorer were designed for computers with less than 12 MB of RAM and require as little as 6.5 MB of hard-disk space to install, providing complete, standards-based Web-browsing and authoring capabilities even on lower-performance computers. Users can easily browse the Internet or intranet, use Internet standards-based e-mail and discussion groups, and benefit from the same secure browsing environment that is available to Windows 32-bit and UNIX users.

The Windows 16-bit browser also includes special features, such as the Preview button, which was designed to optimize the user's browsing experience on Windows 16-bit versions. The Preview button enables you to browse the Web faster by turning off images and formatting until you get to the page you want to see.

Some customization features, deployment methods, and maintenance practices for Windows 16-bit versions differ from Windows 32-bit versions. You should consider the following issues when you deploy Internet Explorer on Windows 16-bit versions:

• Digital signatures - Unlike Windows 32-bit versions with Authenticode technology, Windows 16-bit versions do not perform digital-signature verification. Windows 16-bit browsers do not support certificates, so automatic-configuration files are not signed. You do not need to sign your programs or cabinet files for this platform. You should, therefore, ensure that your automatic-configuration Web site has restricted access so that no one can tamper with your files.

• Certification authorities - For Windows 16-bit versions, you can import and install certificates for up to 20 certification authorities. If you have certificates for more than 20 certification authorities on your computer, you will need to identify the 20 that you plan to install, and then remove the certificates for remaining certification authorities before you build your custom package.

• File-naming format - If you build a custom package for Windows 32-bit versions and then rebuild a custom package for Windows 16-bit versions in the same folder, the file names will automatically be converted to eight-character names with three-character extensions (8.3 format). If you rebuild a custom package for Windows 32-bit versions in the same location, the files will continue to be converted to 8.3 format. After rebuilding a custom package for Windows 16-bit versions, it is recommended that you build a new custom package for Windows 32-bit versions in a different location.

• Dial-up access - If your users need dial-up access, you must include the Stack and Dialer for Windows version 3.1 as part of your setup package. If some users are running Windows NT version 3.51 and some are running Windows version 3. x , you should include at least two installation options: one with the dialer for Windows version 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups version 3.11, and one without it for Windows NT version 3.51. For dial-up access, you must first configure Windows NT version 3.51 computers for Remote Access Service (RAS).

• Media selection - When you build custom packages using the Internet Explorer Customization wizard, you can choose the multiple floppy disks option for your media type. You can distribute custom packages on multiple floppy disks for Windows version 3.1 and Windows for Workgroups version 3.11, but not for Windows NT version 3.51.

• Microsoft Outlook Express - With Windows 16-bit versions, you cannot use automatic configuration for Outlook Express.

• Custom channels - When you customize channels for Windows 16-bit versions, you should verify that any channels you include are displayed correctly for this platform.

• Security options - All security options apply to the Internet Explorer browser, but they are not necessarily applicable system-wide - that is, other programs may or may not respect these options. When you set the security options for Internet Explorer, you should be aware that the following options do not apply to the Windows 16-bit platform:

  • User authentication

  • Font download

  • Software channel permissions

  • Installation of desktop items

  • Microsoft ActiveX® scripting

  • Launching applications and files from an IFRAME element

• Setup download folder - You can find the IE5Setup.exe file in the media type folder created for your language and platform version. For example, the English version of Internet Explorer for Windows 16-bit versions would reside in the \Download\Win16\En folder of your build directory.

• Setup graphic file - For Windows 16-bit versions, the Setup graphic that you use for a custom package must be a 16-color, 162-by-312-pixel bitmap (.bmp) file.

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