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--------------------------- WarpCast ---------------------------
Source:  Mike Brown (mikebrow@us.ibm.com)
         Dimitry I. Platonoff (dip@lab321.ru)

Moderator:  Christopher B. Wright
            (wrightc@dtcweb.com)
+--------------------------------------------

Shortly after the Communicator for OS/2 pre-release 
was made available by IBM, WarpCast reported that it 
would not install on Warp v3 systems.  We also 
posted a modification to the install script that 
would allow Communicator to be installed under Warp 
v3 systems, along with a warning that the license 
agreement seemed to imply that Warp v3 was 
intentionally not supported.

This seems to be in error.  Mike Brown, an IBM 
Senior Programmer, sent me this message:

+----

"IBM has Tested and Supports (backed by the License 
agreement) one to use NS4.04 on the following 
platforms:
  OS/2 Warp 4
  OS/2 Warp Server Version 4.0
  OS/2 Warp Server ADvanced Version 4.0
  OS/2 Warp Server Advanced SMP Feature
  WorkSpace On-Demand

Having said that, there is no code in the 
COmmunicator product that restricts installation on 
a Warp 3.0 based product.  We simply check to ensure 
that the Warp base has the proper FixPack 29 level 
or above on Warp 3 systems.

+----

So while IBM doesn't officially support the use of 
Communicator on the Warp v3 platform, it doesn't 
restrict its use either, and the install program 
_should_ work (it merely checks for the presence of 
Fixpack 29 or higher.)

According to Dimitry I. Platonoff, however (the 
person who first informed us on how to modify the 
installation script) there seems to be a bug in the 
installation software which can cause some Warp 3 
systems with Fixpack 29 or later installed to be 
treated as if they did NOT have FP 29 or later 
installed.  He had received numerous reports from 
users in Russia that some systems with FP 29 or 
later would display the message "Netscape 
Communicator for OS/2 cannot be installed because 
Fixpack 29 is required" and refuse to install.

Warp 4 users, it seems, can also have this problem 
if they are running 4OS2.

Dmitry writes:

+----

"As I understand, the installation software tries to 
run a shell specified in the %COMSPEC% environment 
variable (to execute 'ver /r' command) and fails 
with the value 4OS2 returns."

+----

The modification to the installation script simply 
disables the install programs ability to check for 
Fixpack 29 or higher, which should get around these 
problems.  However, it is EXTREMELY important that 
you verify that your system have Fixpack 29 or 
higher if you are installing Communicator.  DO NOT 
modify the installation script if that is not the 
case, and modify only as a last resort.




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