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- A

- ActiveX Online Resources

- ActiveX (Official) Information Sources
- Unofficial ActiveX Information Sources
- General Web/Internet Information

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A

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ActiveX Online Resources

by Warren Ernst

This appendix gives you some sources for more online information on ActiveX, the Web and the Internet, and related topics. When this book was written, ActiveX was in the earliest stages of development with some portions still awaiting final approval from either Microsoft or the Internet community, and this appendix gives you some launching points to read and retrieve the latest on ActiveX technologies.

###
ActiveX (Official) Information Sources

Naturally, the major "official" ActiveX site is hosted on the Microsoft Web server at http://www.microsoft.com, but since you might have trouble wandering through one of the largest Web servers on the Internet without some guidance, here are some of the high points:

The Internet Development Homepage (http://www.microsoft.com/intdev/) is Microsoft's top-level page that encompasses all its Internet development programs, including (but not limited to) ActiveX technologies. You can further refine your search for ActiveX information by using the search engine on the left side of the page.

The Microsoft Internet Explorer home page (http://www.microsoft.com/ie/default.htm) is the official home of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 3.0 and includes links for downloading, bug notices, feature lists, and technical notes.

The ActiveX Table of Contents (http://www.microsoft.com/intdev/tocl.htm) is a complete listing and description of every ActiveX-related document on the Microsoft Web site, with hyperlinks.

The ActiveX Component Connection Page (http://www.microsoft.com/devonly/community/cbisv_9.htm) is a fairly complete listing of the various software vendors that either are, or soon will be, offering ActiveX Technology components for sale (or free use, although this is not clear at some sites). Links to the vendor's own pages are supplied.

The Internet Component Download Page (http://www.microsoft.com/intdev/signcode/codedwld.htm) discusses the different proposed solutions for the issue of downloading and installing ActiveX controls on-the-fly while browsing Web pages. As the specification gets more solid, this will be a page you'll want to look at frequently.

The Visual Basic Scripting Edition page (http://www.microsoft.com/vbscript/default.htm) is the springboard for all queries about VBScript, including implementation schedules, programming tips, and new products.

The ActiveVRML page (http://www.microsoft.com/INTDEV/avr/beta/default.htm) provides links to examples, release notes, the installable test programs, and tutorials for creating and navigating through VMRL worlds with Active VRML.

###
Unofficial ActiveX Information Sources

Just because Microsoft makes ActiveX doesn't mean they have the market on information about it. Here are some of the more interesting alternative sources of information:

NCompass might be doing more to make ActiveX successful than Microsoft by making the Netscape ActiveX plug-in module freely available at http://www.ncompasslabs.com/. Also available is the specifications for writing Active controls for the NCompass plug-in.

There are probably at least 40 USENET newsgroups that deal with certain aspects of ActiveX technology, and Microsoft has compiled a thorough list of the most useful. This list is on the Newsgroups page at http://www.microsoft.com/intdev/resource/news.htm.

Brian Johnson has created a nice compilation of VBScript information at his Web pages, "The Visual Basic Script Information Page" at http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/bjjohnson/vbs.htm.

Vijay Mukhi's Technology Watch page (http://www.neca.com/~vmis/) has some interesting information about ActiveX from the standpoint of someone who is dabbling in it, as well as a nice comparison of ActiveX to Java.

###
General Web/Internet Information

If you've been using the Web and the Internet for a while but never really learned the nuts, bolts, ins, and outs that make it all work together, here are some sites that explain some of the gory details:

The Web Overview/W3C (http://www.ww3.org/) is an overview of the World Wide Web from the World Wide Web Consortium.

Web Info/EARN ( http://www.earn.com/gnrt/wwww.html), another introduction that explains the Web, from the European Academic Research Network Association is a somewhat lighthearted overview that makes a good read.

The Web FAQ (http://sunsite.unc.edu/boutell/faq/www_faq.html) is the Frequently Asked Questions (and answers) list about the Web. This FAQ is maintained by Thomas Boutell.

Yahoo - Web (http://www.yahoo.com/Computers/World_Wide_Web/) gives you a comprehensive set of links that describe the World Wide Web in one way or another.

Yahoo - Internet (http://www.yahoo.com/Computers/Internet/) provides another comprehensive set of links about the broader topic of the Internet.

HyperText Markup Language Specification 3.0 (http://www.hpl.hp.co.uk/people/dsr/html/Contents.html) is the most thorough breakdown of HTML you'll find anywhere. Sometimes it gets very detailed, but it can be considered an exhaustive listing.

OneWorld/SingNet WWW and HTML Developer's Jumpstation (http://oneworld.wa.com/htmldev/devpage/dev-page1.html) is a nice set of links that covers the different aspects of writing Web pages.

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