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Subscribe via EmailDownload Director is a great little tool.
For the uninitiated, it IBM's own Java applet that allows fast downloads of multiple files from IBM's web repositories using multiple download channels, and supporting resume. In general it does a super job, at least on Windows.
However, on the Mac, it is a completely different situation. The applet simply does not work with Firefox or Flock (it hangs the entire browser requiring a Force Quit), and seems less than reliable on Safari.
Come on IBM, please start testing these things on all three platforms, not just Windows...
PS. Would be good if your own Visitor Wifi had the Download Director port open too ;-)
By: Stuart McIntyre | 8 Comments | On: 7 August 2008 13:32:32 | Tags: ibm
Comments
Has always (well, in the last 18 months or so) worked OK for me in Safari. But I don't understand the need to reinvent the wheel: resumable downloads don't need a custom Java applet!!
Agreed, Ben, but DD does more than just resumable downloads. It uses multi-threaded downloads to improve speeds - e.g. this week I was seeing 500KB/s from my DD download - I never get close to that from a standard HTTP/FTP download. So there is some value there, just wish it worked better, that's all...
Ben, the applet is not just because of resumable downloads, that's one of the reasons. There's a long list on the page Stuart linked to and it's not like they just invented the thing, it's been around since when applets were cool (whenever that was).
@3 re the "long list of features"... Proxy support? Multi-threaded downloads? Resumable downloads?
I repeat: none of these things need a custom applet in any modern (read: decent) browser or download tool.
Oh, and applets were never cool :-D
"The applet were cool" bit was just me being ironic.
I agree with you about using an applet to do this these days, FF does all that easily, now can you have someone come down and install it on my locked down PC? ;-)
When are you going to learn? IBM only supports one client.
Ubuntu :-)
Works great for me on FF3
PS. your spam filter rejected me. I had to go back in with TOR
It doesn't seem to work on Windows Vista either I'm afraid - just produces an error saying it can't access the download folder so we have to use http: instead.
Windows Vista isn't exactly a new system now.....!
David Clover
IT Development Manager
Maths, Computing and Technology Faculty
The Open University
Yep still hangs.
FF3.5 + JRE 5 / 6