From: Michael H. Warfield <mhw@wittsend.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 95 07:44:29 PDT
To: jsw@neon.netscape.com (Jeff Weinstein)
Subject: Re: Netscape for OS/2, when? (Re: Another Netscape Bug)
In-Reply-To: <44a4kt$jda@tera.mcom.com>
Message-ID: <m0sxxW0-0000vwC@wittsend.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Jeff Weinstein enscribed thusly:
> 
> In article <199509261223.JAA01800@bud.peinet.pe.ca>, sentiono@cycor.ca (Sentiono Leowinata) writes:
> > On Tue, 26 Sep 1995 05:58:19 -0400 (EDT) you wrote:
> > 
> > >> It's not an exploit script, but you can find an auto crash "animation"
> > >> for Ray's discovered bug on 
> > >>   http://hplyot.obspm.fr/~dl/netscapesec/c1.html
> > >> (or click from the updated http://hplyot.obspm.fr/~dl/netscapesec/)
> > >Crashes the 16-bit Windows version 1.1N.
> > >DCF
> > 
> > Same here. For more information (not Netscape related), Web Explorer
> > 1.02 for OS/2 also crashes for the long URL.
> > I wish Netscape will port it to OS/2 (already ask them, but no comment
> > from Netscape). I don't try it on Netscape 1.1N as it doesn't run
> > reliably under Win-OS/2 (10 min -> crash! ;)
> 
>   My understanding is that OS/2 is supposed to be windows compatible,
> as in "better Windows than Windows".  If our windows app doesn't run
> on OS/2, then isn't it IBM's bug, not ours?
> 

	Well, I'll admit that the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) on
OS/2 would seem to be a little bit worse that the MTBGPF (Mean Time Between
General Protection Faults) on Windows, but not much.  If I run Netscape
continuously for more than 20 minutes or so, I'm almost certain to get a
GPF.  I've even got a few tricks which can do it immediately.  When it
first comes up, Maximize the window, then hit stop, then hit another link,
all before the Netscape Home Page is fully loaded.  Bang!  "The application
Netscape has caused a General Protection Fault in module...."  I've learned
to let the dust settle before touching too much.  BTW - This is true in
1.1N (16 bits) as well as 1.2N (32 bits) and even occures in the "purchased"
browser (the office bought a copy).  Has been experienced on a half dozen
machines or so, 386, 486, and Pentium, with differing video drivers.

	I also occasionally experience a segmentation violation and core
dump while using Netscape 1.1N on Solaris.  No very frequently, maybe once
every week or so, and I use UNIX A LOT MORE than Windows, so stability
is actually even better.

	A GPF on Windows is roughly equivalent to a segmentation violation
under UNIX since they both involve a pointer misuse resulting in an
illegal memory reference.  Main real difference is that a GPF on UNIX
rarely takes out the operating system while under Windows a GPF is a
general indication that something has committed randome acts of terrorism
and Windows itself may be compromised.

> 	--Jeff

> -- 
> Jeff Weinstein - Electronic Munitions Specialist
> Netscape Communication Corporation
> jsw@netscape.com - http://home.netscape.com/people/jsw
> Any opinions expressed above are mine.

-- 
 Michael H. Warfield    |  (770) 985-6132   |  mhw@WittsEnd.com
  (The Mad Wizard)      |  (770) 925-8248   |  http://www.wittsend.com/mhw/
  NIC whois:  MHW9      |  An optimist believes we live in the best of all
 PGP Key: 0xDF1DD471    |  possible worlds.  A pessimist is sure of it!