[WEB4LIB] Internet Explorer question - clarification

[Andrew Mutch]

I 've received a number of responses to my original question about Internet
Explorer and 404 error messages.  I probably should clarify my question to
address some of those responses.

Normally, your browser displays the 404 error message that a server returns [if
it returns one].  As Thomas Dowling and others noted, if the 404 error page is
less than 1K in size [or is not generated], Internet Explorer generates its own
404 message.  What I want to know is if there is a way, on the browser side, to
modify the 404 message that Internet Explorer generates.  I want to control the
404 message that is displayed for ANY site that sends a 404 page less than 1K
in size.

Just for background, the reason this came up was that someone was using my
proxy help page for IE th restrict access on a workstation to their library
catalog.  When you try to access a site not permitted by the proxy, like
Yahoo!, IE "self-generates" the 404 message.  They wanted to customize the 404
message so that it would redirect [or provide a link back] to the catalog.

I hope that clarification helps!

Andrew Mutch
Library Systems Technician
Waterford Township Public Library
Waterford, MI