This little script will try to connect to the localhost:8080 server. When it succeeds it will open http://localhost:8080/ . So, you don't get an error page if the server isn't started. It will just go on trying until the server is there, and then open the page. A script like this will be included in the distribution of our content management system. Now, how does this work? It's simple, it's ugly and it's almost funny. It loads http://localhost:8080/ into an iframe 1x1 pixels big, and then waits 5 seconds. Then it checks if the iframes location.protocol is http. And if it isn't, I try again. The thing is, that when IE5.5 succeeds in loading the iframe, the iframes location *does not have a protocol property*. Hence, if the fram *is* loaded, the test will throw an exception, in which case I open the page. *Tada!* I feel like sharing this horrible ugliness. Here you are: <html> <head> <eta http-equiv="Refresh" CONTENT="5"> <title>Locating EasyPublisher Server</title> </head> <body> <p>Waiting for server to start...</p> <iframe name="newFrame" height="1" width="1"> </iframe> <script language="JavaScript"> function check() { try { if (newFrame.location.protocol != 'http:') { newFrame.location = 'http://localhost:8080/'; setTimeout('check()', 5000); } } catch(e) { document.location = 'http://localhost:8080/'; } } newFrame.location = 'http://localhost:8080/'; setTimeout('check()', 5000); </script> </body> </html>