World-Wide Web Support on MUSIC/SP

World-Wide Web Introduction

Web Support on MUSIC/SP

MUSIC/SP has proven to be very efficient in handling WEB pages for the masses. MUSIC's strengths have always been in supporting thousands of userids and files in a central location, while providing a secure environment. Individuals have complete access and control of their own files (WEB pages), while MUSIC provides a WEB server that is reliable and available 24 hours a day (at most sites).

Typically, WEB pages (html files, gif files, etc.) are created at your PC and uploaded to your MUSIC account. Any files stored on MUSIC in your http directory (path) are available on the WEB. (Of course, your files can only be changed by you with your userid and password.)

In addition to the information below you can find out about how WEB documents are created on MUSIC by visiting our WEB site.

World-Wide Web Terms

The following are some terms that you should be familiar with when using the World-Wide Web.

CGI: - Common Gateway Interface is typically the application program behind the HTML forms support that is used to respond to the user's interactions. CGIs, also know as scripts, can also be executable programs defined by a link in a HTML document.
Form: - is a HTML document used to gather information or to control and guide what a user is offered next.
Home Page: - Many institutions provide a Home Page on the Web that is the base for all other documents (links) they provide. Individuals may also have personal home pages if they have access to a Web server. A home page is like a main menu to the information that the author feels is relevant.
HTML: - HyperText Markup Language. HTML is used to format, provide graphics in a document, and provide links to other documents on the Web. You can type in the instructions (html tags) yourself with any PC editor or Word Processor, or you can use an html Editor.
HTTP: - HyperText Transfer Protocol is needed to communicate between Web browsers and servers. It is unlikely that you will need to know details about this protocol.
HTTPD: - is the program name for the Web server on MUSIC.
ITS: - ITS is short for Index Text Searching. See the topic "Index Text Searching (ITS) and HTTP" for more information.
URL: - The Web uses URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) to specify the location of files on Web servers. See the topic "Storing Web Documents on MUSIC" for details about URLs.
Web Browser: - Your Workstation needs a Browser (or Web client) to access the Web (connect to Web servers). Some examples of Web browsers include: Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. MUSIC has a line-mode browser that is accessed by the command "WEB".
Web Server: - is a place to store Web documents (MUSIC's Web server is described in the MUSIC/SP Administrator's Reference.) Web servers usually include an entry point (Home Page) into the Web. Some servers include personal home pages. These documents typically contain information about a person and may contain links to their favorite Web information.
WWW: - World-Wide Web is an information service on the Internet that is based on accessing hypertext documents. As a hypertext service, it allows cross-references (links), graphics, sound, and video.

Web Line-Mode Browser

The MUSIC command "WEB" invokes the line-mode browser for accessing Web sites. You can explore the latest news from IBM, Microsoft, McGill and view most of the estimated 10 million documents available on the World-Wide Web. You can do it from just about any MUSIC supported workstation without the users having to get any special software.

Supported Features

Shows Web documents on any MUSIC terminal that is connected as a 3270 or VT100 terminal. This includes 3270 and VT100 emulated terminals on PCs, Macs or Unix machines.
Just type "WEB" to start the browser. This command works from MUSIC command prompts in the editor, view etc., to allow you to immediately look at Web sites mentioned in mail messages.
The browser can also be started by the command "WEB HTTP://xxxx" to immediately fetch the referenced document. This allows it to be included in menus such as FSI and CI. So, teachers can prepare HTML documents that students can view without them having to get and install Web Browser software on their PCs.
The browser can also be started by the command "URL http://xxxx" to immediately fetch the referenced document. This is the method used in the MUSIC/SP Mail Facility when an URL hotspot is executed (clicked on).
Can display documents in HTML format that are stored on MUSIC without having to make them available to external users.
Supports the TAB function to allow users to quickly jump to the linked document names.
Allows users to save the location of a document they are viewing for later use. This is done by pressing a key that saves a pointer to the document in a MUSIC file along with a description of document. This information is stored under the filename of @WEBKEPT. When the Web browser is started again, it will start by showing this document.
Information in the @WEBKEPT file is stored in HTML format and users can add information to this file by using the editor. The user can also use this file to collect a list of URLs to be included in a home page or other HTML document.

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This page last updated May 2, 1997.