FW: [WEB4LIB] Children's games Web site difficulties

[Jim Didonato]

Sue,

I couldn't agree more with your frustration.  We have a very similar
situation at the Round Lake Area Library.  We are using Compaq workstations
(Compaq's professional line), of which only a few have 64 MB RAM, the rest
have either 128 or 256 MB RAM.  The slowest processor we have is running at
500 mHz.  We are running IE 6.0, and have the latest IE, Flash, ShockWave,
Quick Time, and Media Player updates as of May 15, 2002.  We have a T1 line,
Cisco router, switches, and hubs, and the network is running at 100 mbps.
All workstations are running Windows 98.  We're using WinU and Deep Freeze
to lock down patron computers.  We have been having the problem you mention
for quite some time, regardless of software / plug-in version.

We installed Public Web Browser on top of IE for added configuration /
security control in May.  This initially eliminated about 99% of the trouble
we encountered.  In the last few weeks, though, these same sites are again
giving us trouble.  I made sure "ShowScriptErrors" was set to false in
PublicBrowser.ini.  When we contacted PWB tech support they said they knew
of this and said the only solution they knew of was to purchase version 2.0
(we're running 1.0).  It is only $100 for a PWB, version 2.0, site license,
so we'll probably buy the upgrade.  However, I won't have the time to run
the install on all of our workstations in the immediate future.  I should
note that we turned off script debugging and the associated error
notification messages generated by these errors in IE.  This did not help
before or after installation of PWB.  Overall, though, I would recommend
installing Public Web Browser.  Infomercial voice aside, PWB has DEFINITELY
reduced the number of these incidents; it has not eliminated them.

The computers in our Youth Services department are giving us the most
trouble.  These workstations are running through Web Sense for internet
filtering, though I cannot see how any of these settings would cause this
trouble.  We aren't using Web Sense on our Adult Services workstations, and
though we don't experience these problems to the degree Youth PCs do, the
Adult PCs do still give us some trouble.  I cannot track this down to time
of day, day of week, or correlation with use of any particular programs.  We
can have two patrons on the exact same page, sitting at identical
workstations, and have one PC freeze while the other works without incident.

I have mentioned this issue to our computer consultant, and they say Windows
XP does a much better job of handling java memory problems - the supposed
root of this whole issue - than '98.  We won't be upgrading to XP until mid
2003, so I think we're both in the same situation for a while.

Please let me know if you ever hear of a solution.

-Jim


Jim DiDonato
Head of Technology
Round Lake Area Library
906 Hart Road
Round Lake, IL 60073
Phone: (847) 546 - 7060
E-Mail: jdidonato at rla.lib.il.us




-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org]On Behalf Of Sue Furman
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2002 12:33 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [WEB4LIB] Children's games Web site difficulties


Keywords: children's games web sites, plugins, Internet Explorer 5.5,
Netscape 4.08, Win 9x
If you don't deal with this area, you may delete now.


Hello Friends -
   It is time for me to de-lurk and request input from all in
Web4Lib land.
 I am confounded by an on-going inconsistency in using the following
children's internet sites for games. FoxKids.com, zoogdisney.com,
pbs.org, cartoonnetwork.com. Basically, sometimes they work, other times
errors are given such as "Director player error - unable to find file"
and "You need Flash (or Shockwave) to use this site"

Here is my setup:
I have a T1 line to the Internet. My internal network is 100mb/s. I'm
running Cisco switches The PC's are Gateway and Dell brands, Pentium II,
266 to 350 MHz processors. All have 128MB of RAM. Internet Explorer 5.5,
service pack 1, Netscape Navigator 4.08 and Microsoft Word97 are
installed. Deep Freeze is used as the security software. The Gateway's
are running Win98 SE, the Dell's are on Win95 B. Both brands experience
the same problems.
Plugins installed are: Java 1.3.1_01, Shockwave 8.5, G2 Real Player, SVG
Adobe, Intertrust Redemption Certificate, QuickTime 5.0.1, Adobe Acrobat
5.0, Flash 5.0 r41, LiveAudio 1.1.1515, NPAVI32.

There is no *one* certain time of day these sites don't work. All the
error messages involve either some indication that one of the installed
plugins is *not* installed or certain files cannot be found. Sometimes
there is no message at all, the site seems to not be responding, but
the upper right corner browser icon shows it's active. This can happen at
9AM or 4PM. One PC can be running a particular game, and the PC right
next to it, running the same game, will error out. Sometimes a game will
work on a PC and then an hour later, on the same PC, won't. Sometimes
a game won't work on Internet Explorer, but will on Netscape or vice-
versa.

We are a Public Library, and our Chidren's Services staff feel it is
important to offer these types of entertainment games sites for our
youth. This type of service meets the mission statement and Internet
usage policy of our library. Staff are becoming increasingly frustrated
with me and our state of automation in general because the kids have
difficulty using these sites. I'm baffled at what's happening.

My questions are:
1. Do others experience these error messages on these sites?
2. Do I have all the plugins I need to run these sites?
3. What am I not seeing or doing right?
4. Does your library offer these type of games? If not, why, and what do
you offer.

Any insight you can offer will be gratefully accepted. I'm at wit's end.
Thank you all.



Sue Furman -- District Automation Coordinator -- Fountaindale Public
Library District -- 300 W. Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook, IL 60440.
email: sfurman at fountaindale.lib.il.us
voice: 630-759-2102 x20
fax: 630-759-9314