Hotline Client 1.1b21r2f
Hotline Client 1.1b21r2f is a Macintosh specific* client/server internet and intranet chat, file transfer and news program. It allows drag and drop, copy paste, private massaging, news posting and many other features.
I've used Hotline Client for about a week, and it is wonderful. It has three main functions:
Chat:
The chat feature of Hotline is nice, it allows anyone connected to a Hotline (Internet or Intranet) server to "cyber speak" with anyone else logged on. You may also send private messages to specific people by highlighting their user name and sending the message.
File Transfer:
Here is where Hotline shines! You can download any file that is in the servers download folder! So let's say that you and a colleague are working on ABC Co.'s website and you are doing HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) and the other is creating the graphics. You can exchange theses files easily, and if that pesky MacTCP is acting up and you get disconnected, you can log back on with Hotline and continue the download WHERE YOU LEFT OFF, yes I said where you left off, not start the whole download over again (Netscape software engineers are you listening? ;->) like you have to with Anarchie, Fetch, Netscape and most other FTP (File Transfer Protocol) clients.
Keep in mind that Hotline is NOT a FTP client, they (Hotline's programmers) specifically state that Hotline in this capacity is only a File Transfer program, meaning it uses non-Internet standards** in the Macintosh to accomplish this feat, but what a feat!
Now for the other end of the File Transfer feature:
You can also Upload files to the server for others to download, let's say you need to get a file to your colleague, just use Hotline and connect to the server use the upload feature and it is available to your colleague for download.
Please keep in mind I am showing you some business uses, but this can be also used by the casual surfer/cyber chatter, some of the large servers(Macline) on the Internet have nice shareware libraries available. Need a HTML editor or how about some image viewing software? They have it as well as a large selection of other free/share/postcardware.
News:
The news feature is neat in that you can post messages to all who log on and read the news, news can be the announcement of a new Macintosh site, new software available for File Transfer, or anything the server administrator deems appropriate.
In a Nutshell:
Hotline Client 1.1b21r2 f is a excellent Mac interconnection piece of software, whether you use it for fun or business (provided, at this time, your colleagues are on Macintosh computers also). It is a good, functional and fun product that is ahead of its time in some areas.
System Requirements:
For More Information:
Reviewers Grade: 
Notes:
*(For now, Win95 & WinNT are planned, but no release date has been set.)
**(Probably why there is no set release date for the Win95 & WinNT versions.)
***(I used 7.5.3 Update 2.0 for this review )
WilliamLH william@en.com
This article is Copyright (c) 1997 WilliamLH. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.
