Instructions for using a compiled Prospero client:

This file is available via anonymous FTP from PROSPERO.ISI.EDU in
pub/prospero/compiled-clients/INSTRUCTIONS.

We are experimentally providing an already compiled Prospero client
for those interested in testing the Prospero menu browser.  You can
get the full Prospero distribution via anonymous FTP from
PROSPERO.ISI.EDU in pub/prospero/prospero.tar.Z or
pub/prospero/prospero-new.tar.Z. The menu browser client we are
providing here is only available in the prospero-new distribution,
since it is still not robust enough to be included in the Prospero
beta release.

At the moment, the only compiled Prospero client available is on the
Sun 4, under SunOS 4.1.3.

To get the client, open an anonymous FTP connection to the directory
pub/prospero/compiled-clients on the host PROSPERO.ISI.EDU.  Go into
the appropriate subdirectory for your system architecture and
operating system (this will always be sun4.SunOS4.1.3 for now).  

Get the files 'menu' and 'vcache'.  Put them somewhere you can run
them.  Set the environment variable P_BINARIES to the name of the
directory where the 'vcache' program is located.  (vcache is an
auxiliary program that does much of the work of file retrieval.)

Type 'menu' to run the menu browser.  It will display the default
starting menu we provide in the prototype virtual system.  IF you run
the menu client with the -D9 option, the Prospero protocol messages
the client sends and receives will be displayed for you.

If you are interested in the Prospero protocol, you may find it particularly
interesting to see how we represent searches; go into the 'Online Databases'
directory of the root and pick the item 'archie FTP database at
SURAnet', and look at the attributes that were sent across associated
with that link.

A bit of documentation on the menu browser is available in the
Prospero user's manual (pub/prospero/doc/prospero-user-manual.PS.Z,
from PROSPERO.ISI.EDU).

The next version of the menu browser will support modification of
virtual systems.  

Bugs to bug-prospero@ISI.EDU, information requests to
info-prospero@ISI.EDU.