HP Secure Web Browser for OpenVMS Alpha (based on Mozilla) Installation Guide and Release Notes

This document is the Installation Guide and Release Notes for the HP Secure Web Browser (version 1.7-13, June 2006) for OpenVMS Alpha, which is based on Mozilla M1.7.13.

Key Information and Features:

• Platform: Exclusively for OpenVMS Alpha systems; a separate version exists for OpenVMS I64.
• Browser Components: It's a full browser including Navigator (web browser), Composer (HTML editor), Messenger (mail client), and Newsgroups (news client).
• Prerequisites: Requires OpenVMS Alpha 7.3-2 or higher, DECwindows MOTIF 1.3-1 or higher, and HP TCP/IP Services 5.4 or higher. Minimum memory is 256MB (512MB recommended). Local files must be in Stream_LF record format.

• Installation:

  • The kit is a self-extracting archive (CSWB-OPENVMS-ALPHA-V1713.SFX_AXPEXE) which unpacks PCSI kits for the browser, GTK+ for OpenVMS, and OpenVMS Porting Library.
  • Installation is performed using $ PRODUCT INSTALL CSWB.
  • Optional image installation (@INSTALL) is recommended for multiple users to improve system resource usage and performance.

• Running: Launched via $ @SYS$COMMON:[CSWB]MOZILLA. Requires sufficient global pages and sections.

• IPv6 Support: Disabled by default since Version 1.2-1 due to stability issues (frequent hangs and "GENERIC_POLL" messages). It can be manually re-enabled by defining a logical, but this is cautioned against.
• Java Plug-in: Supported with JDK v1.3.1-1 or higher, requiring specific file copying and Java setup commands.
• CDE Integration: The browser can be optionally integrated into the Common Desktop Environment (CDE) for icon-based launching.

Major Known Problems and Restrictions:

• Non-Privileged User Startup: The browser fails to start for non-privileged users due to incorrect file protection on COMPREG.DAT after a privileged user runs it. A manual fix (SET FILE /PROT=W:RE COMPREG.DAT) is provided.

• Mail Client Issues:

  • Mail folders may not display if the FILLM quota is low.
  • Mail sub-folders were problematic (not working or disappearing after parent folder rename) in older versions (V1.2-1 and earlier), largely fixed in V1.4.

• System Resources: Various startup or termination errors (e.g., "BadAlloc," "LoadPlugin: failed to initialize shared library," or global section errors) indicate insufficient system resources, requiring adjustments to account quotas (PGFQUOTA, FILLM) or system parameters (WSXTENT, WSMAX, PROCSECTCNT, DECwindows X server virtual memory).

• Full Screen Mode: In older versions (V1.2-1 and earlier), switching to or from full-screen mode could cause the browser to exit.
• Keyboard Mapping: PC-style keyboards may require defining GTK_KEY_MAPPING_MODE to 2 for the PAGE UP key to function correctly.

The document emphasizes that support for the Secure Web Browser is provided by HP under existing OpenVMS service agreements.