Internet Helper Application

If your users already have a licensed copy of the ACUCOBOL-GT runtime on their machine and they want to be able to access COBOL applications on a Web site, one way to do this is to set up their runtime as an Internet helper application or viewer inside their browser. Helper application and viewer are browser terms referring to user-based software that can read and process files of a given type. Netscape uses the term "helper application" to refer to such software. Microsoft Internet Explorer uses the term "viewer."

Because the ACUCOBOL-GT runtime has the ability to read and process COBOL objects, it allows users to run COBOL programs that they encounter when browsing your Web page. The main difference between this and a standard runtime configuration is that your COBOL object files are on the Web server and transmitted to the client machine via HTTP.

Keep in mind that the helper application/viewer is a full-featured runtime; it has full access to your users' machines, including system calls, memory, disk and network access. Therefore, it should be used only with programs from trusted sources, or in conjunction with the Internet security you have in place.