TIFF Plug-Ins and USPTO

[Robert Sullivan]

>It amazes me that when I am having a problem someone on this list starts a 
>thread on the same thing. We have a patron using the USPTO database and we 
>are experiencing difficulties in viewing the documents. IE5 brings up the 
>document but even with our T-1 line, the image slows to a crawl to view the 
>entire document. We are also unable to print the images. If as I am reading 
>these are TIFF files, my IE5 is using something called "wangimg" to view 
>them. Am I understanding that we would be better served to install 
>AlternaTIFF? Will this plug-in solve the problems I've listed?

Hmmm.  Wang Imaging is one of the Accessories in the Start Menu (at least in
NT).  Maybe it's the default TIFF viewer if you have nothing else installed; I
put assorted viewers on during my IE installs so I can't say for sure.

I haven't noticed any particular speed problems with it, but I'll have to try
the USPTO site when I'm installing a new PC next week before I put the viewers
on.  Can you explain your printing problem?  AlternaTIFF appears to have more
image manipulation features than Wang Imaging, but I don't see why you couldn't
print.

Bob Sullivan                               scp_sulli at sals.edu
Schenectady County Public Library (NY)     http://www.scpl.org