Netscape Navigator - Navigator is widely regarded as the premiere Web browser. Available in commercial "gold" versions for Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX users for under 7000 yen from computer shops and in full-featured versions which are for free educators, Navigator has a high degree of versatility and makes Web navigation easy by "remembering" previous links and indexing the addresses of specific Web pages (known as "bookmarks").
Version 2.0 of this software enables users to send and receive e-mail and play videos and sounds using third-party software add-ons. Version 3.0 has improved security protocols, making it safer to send personal information over the Internet, and handles videos and sounds more effortlessly by integrating some third-party software programs directly into Navigator. Navigator features Java support, enabling designers to add moving graphic images to their home pages.
A free evaluation copy of Navigator can be downloaded at http://www.netscape.com [Inactive Link]. Those with ftp access can download the program from ftp.netscape.com/pub/navigator/ using a browser. MS Windows users can also use an ftp program such as CuteFTP to download Navigator and Mac users can use Fetchat . (CuteFTP and Fetch are both inexpensive shareware programs available on floppy disk with many Internet books.)
NCSA Mosaic - Mosaic supports some recent HTML Ver. 3 extensions, but its graphic engine is regarded as a bit; images take longer to load on screen. Version 2 for Macintosh and Windows is available in The Mosaic Handbook (1993) published by O'Reilly & Associates. A more recent version can be downloaded from
http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SDG/Software [Inactive Link]. Different versions of Mosaic are also marketed by Spyglass and CompuServe.
Microsoft Explorer - MS Explorer has nearly all the same features as Navigator 3.0, plus a few unique extensions such as the ability to play background soundtracks on a Web page. Like Navigator, version 3.0 of Explorer also has Java support. Available for both Windows and Macintosh platforms, MS Explorer is currently free and can be downloaded at
http://198.105.232.5:80/ie/ [Inactive Link].
Lynx - Some universities and Internet providers which still do not provide access to the WWW with a graphics browser like Navigator may provide a program called Lynx,
which converts graphical Web pages into text through which are navigated via tab or cursor keys. Lynx must be installed by the operators of the system and not by computer
novices. To see if your Unix or VAX system has Lynx, just type lynx at the command prompt of your terminal. Version 2.5 of this software can be downloaded at
.cc.ukans.edu [Inactive Link]. The University of Kansas also provides telnet access to Lynx at
lynx.cc.ukans.edu.
_________________________________________________
FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING ORGANIZATIONS
A good list of links to other foreign language teaching organizations is available at the Agora Language Marketplace. This has succinct descriptions of a dozen language teaching organizations with links to their home pages and e-mail addresses of their main offices.
ESL/EFL JOB INFORMATION HOMEPAGES
Probably the most comprehensive list of links to ESL/EFL/ESOL job sites online is at http://iteslj.org/Links/Jobs.html [Inactive Link].. This site has links to over twenty Web pages containing job search information. Several are specific to Japan.
ESL/EFL TEACHING TIPS AND THEORIES
Looking for practical ideas for your classroom? You might try the ESL Idea Page.
More academic in nature, the Centre for the Study of Classroom Processes contains some interesting theoretical information.
PEN-PAL CONNECTIONS
There are a number of electronic pen-pal pages on the Web. Our favorite is the ESL E-Mail Connection. This site has 10 to 20 messages a day from students of all
ages around the world seeking pen pals. ESL Teachers interested in corresponding with other teachers across the globe can contact
http://www.pacificnet.net/~sperling/teacher.html [Inactive Link].
INFO ON JAPAN
One excellent source of English information about Japan on the Web is the Japan Window. A cooperative effort between
NTT and Stanford University, this page features information about technology, business, job opportunities, and employment, along with stuff for kids, and an
event calendar of upcoming conferences in Japan. It also has links to the top ten "cool" Japanese Web sites of the week.