USC / University Seal

Last Revised on Friday, October 29, 2004 at 2:31 PM


Netscape for Mac OS X.2

In order for most Web-based processes to function as desired, the following recommendations are suggested on the end-user's desktop computer.

AIS recommends that all users of Apple's Macintosh Operating Systems utilize the Mac OS X.2 and Netscape 7.2 web browser or higher.

In order to verify the version of Netscape installed:

  • Open an instance of Netscape and locate the toolbar on the top of the browser window with the following drop down menus:
    Netscape | File | Edit | View | Go | Bookmarks | Tools | Window | Help
  • From the toolbar, click Netscape, and then click About Netscape or from the toolbar, click Help, and then click About Netscape.
  • The version number will be listed in a new window. Verify that the version is either Netscape 7.2 or higher.

If the version is not Netscape 7.2 or higher, AIS recommends downloading the latest version of the Netscape web browser.

Once verified that Netscape 7.2 or higher version is running on the desktop system, confirm that the following recommended settings are selected:

  • Open an instance of the Netscape browser and locate the toolbar on the top of the browser with the following drop down menus:
    Netscape | File | Edit | View | Go | Bookmarks | Tools | Window | Help
  • From the toolbar, click Netscape, and then click Preferences...
  • A new browser window named Preferences will appear on the screen with the following Categories listed on the left. Click on the links below to go directly to the specific category recommendations area within the document.

Appearance

From the Category list on the left click on the arrow next to the Appearance heading. This will display the following four items under the Appearance category:

  • Appearance
    • Fonts
    • Colors
    • Themes
    • Languages and Content Packs


Click on the Appearance category and edit the following settings on the right.

  • "When Netscape starts up, open" display box:

    • Verify that only the Navigator check box is selected

  • Verify that the Show Tooltips check box is selected
  • Verify that the Show Web Site Icons check box is selected
  • Verify that the Resize large images to fit in the browser window box is not selected

Click on the Fonts sub-category and edit the following settings on the right.

  • "Fonts for:" display box verify that the following settings are selected:

    • Western from the drop down menu
    • Serif from the "Proportional:" drop down menu
    • 16 from the "Size (pixels)" drop down menu for the Serif typeface
    • Times from the "Serif:" drop down menu
    • Helvetica from the "Sans-serif:" drop down menu
    • Apple Chancery from the "Cursive:" drop down menu
    • Gadget from the"Fantasy:" drop down menu
    • Courier from the "Monospace:" drop down menu
    • 13 from the "Size (pixels)" drop down menu for Courier typeface
    • None from the "Minimum font size:" drop down menu

  • Verify that the "Allow documents to use other fonts" check box is selected
  • Verify that the "Display resolution:" drop down menu is set to 96dpi

AIS has no specific recommendations for the Colors sub-category.

AIS has no specific recommendations for the Themes sub-category.

Click on the Languages and Content Packs sub-category and edit the settings on the right.

  • "Installed language packs:" text box

    • Verify that the diplay contains English (US)
  • "Installed content packs:" text box

    • Verify that the diplay contains US Region


Navigator

In the Category list window click on the arrow next to the Navigator heading. This will open the following seven items under the Navigator category:

  • Navigator
    • History
    • Languages
    • Helper Applications
    • Smart Browsing
    • Internet Search
    • Tabbed Browsing
    • Downloads


AIS has no specific recommendations for the Navigator sub-category.

AIS has no specific recommendations for the History sub-category.

Click on the Languages sub-category to edit its properties on the right.

  • "Languages for Web Pages" text box

    • Verify that the "Languages in order of preference:" display box contains
      English/United States [en-us]
    • "Character Encoding" text box

      • Verify that Western (ISO-8859-1) is selected from the "Default Character Encoding:" drop down menu

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Helper Applications sub-category.

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Smart Browsing sub-category.

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Internet Search sub-category.

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Tabbed Browsing sub-category.

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Downloads sub-category.


    Composer

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Composer category.


    Mail & Newsgroups

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Mail & Newsgroups category.


    Instant Messenger

    In the Category list window click on the arrow next to the Instant Messenger heading. This will open the following six items under the Instant Messenger category:

    • Instant Messenger
      • Privacy
      • Buddy Icons
      • Notification
      • Away
      • Styles
      • Connection


    AIS does not recommend using the Instant Messenger for security purposes.

    Click on the Instant Messenger category and verify that no checkboxes in the Instant Messenger category are selected.

    • "Signing on to Instant Messenger" text box verify that none of the following checkboxes are selected:

      • Show Today window at signon check box
      • Disable automatic login to websites using the Screen Name Service check box
    • "Creating and formatting messages" text box verify that none of the following checkboxes are selected:

      • Enter key inserts Return check box
      • Tab key inserts Tab check box
      • Show timestamps on messages in new windows check box
      • Display emoticons as graphics check box
    • "Instant Messenger in Mail" text box verify that none of the following checkboxes are selected:

      • Show online state in message envelope check box

    ICQ

    AIS does not recommend using ICQ for security purposes.


    Privacy & Security

    In the Category list window click on the arrow next to the Privacy & Security heading. This will open the following nine items under the Privacy & Security category:

    • Privacy & Security
      • Cookies
      • Images
      • Popup Windows
      • Forms
      • Passwords
      • Master Passwords
      • SSL
      • Certificates
      • Validation


    Click on the Cookies sub-category and edit the following settings on the right.

    • "Cookie Acceptance Policy" display box:
      • Verify that the Allow cookies based on privacy settings radio button is selected

        • Click on the View... button to edit cookie setting in the Privacy Settings window
        • Verify that the medium radio button is selected in the "Level of Privacy" selection box
        • Click the OK button for the Privacy Settings window to register your selection

    • In the Manage Cookies and Sites display box select the Cookie Manager button.

      • Click on the Remove All Cookies button daily to delete the automatically saved cookies from your computer
      • Click on the OK button to register your selection

    This task should be performed daily because stored files and cookies degrade the performance of your computer and could pose a privacy and / or security risk.

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Images sub-category.

    Click on the Popup Windows sub-category and edit the following settings on the right.

    • "Popup Windows" selection box

      • Uncheck the Block unrequested popup windows radio button

    This is necessary because popup windows are needed for use with various AIS applications including: ePay, eTrac and Compliance Education Certification.

    Click on the Forms sub-category and edit the following settings on the right.

    • "Form Manager" selection box

      • Verify that the Save form data from web pages when completing forms check box is not selected

    Click on the Passwords sub-category and edit the following settings on the right.

    • "Passwords Manager" selection box

      • Verify that the Remember passwords check box is not selected
      • Click on the Manage Stored Passwords button to edit the settings in the Password Manager window

        • Click on the Passwords Saved tab in the Password Manager window
        • If there are saved passwords in the "Password Manager has saved login information for the following sites:" window, click on the Remove All button to delete the saved passwords from the browser
        • Click on the Close button for the Password Manager window to register your selection
    • "Encryption versus Obscuring" selection box

      • Check the Use encryption when storing sensitive data selection box

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Master Passwords sub-category.

    Click on the SSL sub-category and edit the following settings on the right.

    • "SSL Protocol Version" selection box

      • Verify that the Enable SSL version 2 check box is checked
      • Verify that the Enable SSL version 3 check box is checked
      • Verify that the Enable TSL check box is checked

    • "SSL Warnings" selection box

      • Verify that the Loading a page that supports encryption check box is not checked
      • Verify that the Loading a page that uses low-grade encryption check box is not checked
      • Verify that the Leaving a page that supports encryption check box is not checked
      • Verify that the Sending form data from an unencrypted page to an unencrypted page check box is not checked
      • Verify that theViewing a page with an encrypted/unencrypted mix check box is not checked

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Certificates sub-category.

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Validation sub-category.


    Advanced

    In the Category list window click on the arrow next to the Advanced heading. This will open the following eight items under the Advanced category:

    • Advanced
      • Scripts & Plugins
      • Keyboard Navigation
      • Cache
      • Proxies
      • HTTP Networking
      • Software Installation
      • Mouse Wheel
      • DOM Inspector


    Click on the Adavnced category and edit the following settings on the right.

    • "Features that help interpret web pages" selection box

      • Verify that the Enable Java check box is checked
      • Verify that the Send this email address as anonymous FTP password: check box is not checked

    Click on the Scripts & Plugins sub-category and edit the following settings on the right.

    • "Enable JavaScript for" selection box

      • Verify that the Navigator check box is checked
      • Verify that the Mail & Newsgroups check box is not checked

    • "Allow scripts to:" selection box verify that all the following check boxes have been checked:

        • Move or resize existing window check box
        • Raise or lower windows check box
        • Hide the status bar check box
        • Change status bar text check box
        • Change images check box
        • Disable or replace context menus check box

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Keyboard Navigation sub-category.

    Click on the Cache sub-category and edit the following settings on the right.

    • "Set Cache Options" selection box

      • Click on the Clear Cache button

    • "Compare the page in the cache to the page on the network" menu

      • Verify thst the Every time I view the page button is selected

    • "Link Prefetching" selection box

      • Deselect the Prefetch web pages when idle, so that links in web pages designed for prefetching can load faster. check box

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Proxies sub-category.

    Click on the HTTP Networking sub-category and edit the following settings on the right.

    • "Direct Connection Options" selection box

      • Verify that the Use HTTP 1.1 radio button is selected
      • Verify that the Enable Keep-Alive check box is checked
      • Verify that the Enable Pipelining check box is not checked
    • "Proxy Connection Options" selection box

      • Verify that the Use HTTP 1.1 radio button is selected
      • Verify that the Enable Keep-Alive check box is checked
      • Verify that the Enable Pipelining check box is not checked

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Software Installation sub-category.

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the Mouse Wheel sub-category.

    AIS has no specific recommendations for the DOM Inspector sub-category.


    When finished with all of the categories and the settings contained within them, click the OK button from the Preferences window to register the changes.