M3
INSTRUCTIONS
INSTRUCTION PAGE

Instructions
  To use Agent 99, you will need an internet account.  This can be an account with a local provider, through an on-line service or from a nationwide provider.  A PPP account will provide the fastest connection, while SLIP will allow for adequate speeds.  Not all on-line services allow the use of third party (agent is a third party application, meaning it uses your net connection to access the news groups, so be sure to ask your provider if you can utilize third party news readers.
  
  The difference between a local provider, and a national one is varied.  As an example, I will use Netcom and my local provider to illustrate the positive and negative aspects.
  Netcom:
  National provider, local numbers, max. 28.8 access speed.
  Complete software package, Nice web browser, decent e mail support, bad news group software.
  Standard pricing, free hours on weekends, and between midnight and 7:00am, other hours 
  charged at an hourly fee.
  24 hour tech support, not toll free.
  E mail tech support is slow, but there.
  
  My local provider:
  All lines 28.8, with ISDN lines available, no extra connect cost.
  No software package, you must use what you have already or get. This is good and bad, if you
  know what programs you want to use, then this is good, if you are new to the net, then this
  is bad.
  Local call tech support, but limited hours.
  Quick e mail support.
  Pricing is set at $20.00 per month, flat rate, no hourly charge.
  
  So you can see, the difference is more than cost, and the decision is a personal "what fits me best" decision.  I strongly suggest that folks new to the net use a provider like Netcom, this way most of the tough decisions are made for you. And you get ready to run software.  Once you become familiar with the workings of the net, then look into a local provider, and save money!
  Agent and Free Agent run under windows, and will work with windows 3.x, and win95.  They are presently 16 bit applications, though a 32bit version is in the works.  To use the software, go through the checklist below.

These are things you must do:

1) You must be running windows 3.x or win95.
2) You must have an internet account OR an on-line service that allows third party software, this service MUST use winsock in order for agent to run. Agent cannot dial the net for you, you MUST have an internet account, or agent will not work!
3) You must get the news server address from your provider, agent cannot access the news groups without this.
4) You should also get the mail server address from your provider, this will allow you to send e mail from within free agent and agent, and receive e mail with agent.  Free agent does not allow for e mail retrieval.
5) Ask your provider if they require a log on password for their news server (most do not, but ask anyway).
6) An unzipping program, like winzip, or zip manager, so you can unzip the agent file.
7) The agent or free agent zip file.
8) Read over the list of things you should do.


These are things you should do:

1) Make a backup copy of the following items:
	autoexec.bat
	config.sys
	win.ini
	system.ini
Copy these items to a new directory in file manager, to do this, go to file manager, click on file, click on new, choose directory, name the directory (example, name the directory back1).  Once you have made the directory, go to the root directory (usually C:\), and find your autoexec.bat file, highlight it, then copy it to the new directory.  Do this for each file, the win.ini and system.ini files may be in your windows directory.
2) Print a copy of your autoexec.bat file.
3) Defrag your hard drive (you really don't need to do this, I am just a hard drive neatness person <grin>).  You should do this from time to time, especially if you use windows 3.x, as it dramatically improves speed, and memory (your hard drive provides windows with it's swap file, a recently defragged drive gives windows as large a swap file as it needs).
4) Find your winsock.dll file, usually in your windows directory.
5) Look at your autoexec.bat file, and see if the directory where you found winsock, is in your path= line.  This line looks something like this:
Path=C:\;C:\dos;C:\windows     though it may look a little different. win95 users don't have to do this step.
