browser

For Netscape Navigator, Netscape Communicator
and Microsoft Internet Explorer

1.   Browser Tips That Will Increase Your Speed
2.   The Perfect Printout
3.   E-Mail Power Features
4.   18 Browser Shortcuts Speed-Surf with Keyboard Combos
5.   Hidden Browser Handbooks
6.   It Begins in the Home Page, Chinging default Home Page
7.   Surf Faster, Without the Graphics
8.   Playing With Favorites or Bookmarks, Manage and Customize
9.   A History Lesson, Web sites you've recently visited
10. Sending Blind-Copy Emails
11. Kiss Your Cache Good-Bye
12. Make the History File History
13. Wipe Out the Pull-Down Menu
14. Maximize the Browser Window, Hiding the navigation toolbars
15. E-mail Compactors

**Browser Tips That Will Increase Your Speed**
*You can surf the Web faster by using these tried-and-true browsing tips.* *November '98 Yahoo! Internet Life*
1. Sometimes a single image can slow down an entire Web page. When a site tales a long time to load, try clicking your browser's STOP button. You may find that the Web page appears with all the information you need (with the exception of an image or two.)
2. If it's taking your browser forever to connect to a Web site, open another browser window and keep surfing elsewhere. In either Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer, select "New Window" from the "File" menu.
3. Keep surfing during a file download. The download may take longer, but you'll be able to take care of such unfinished online business as viewing site, sending and receiving e-mail messages, and chatting with friends.
4. Have you ever hit your browser's Back button, only to have that same page load all over again? You may have gotten "stuck" at a "server-side redirect." To get "unstuck" and link to previously viewed pages, use the browser's "Go" menu option instead of its Back button.
5. If a Web page comes up blank, it may not have loaded correctly in your browser. Don't despair! Hit your browser's Reload button to try again. Also, use the Reload button if a Web page's content appears dated. It may be that your browser is showing you an old version of the site stored in your browser's memory.
6. Don't let Web pages push you around. Internet Mute Inc.'s interMute shareware (www.intermute.com) speeds up surfing sessions by filtering out such common Web site nuisances as animated images, background music MIDIs, Java programs, JaveScript, and ugly home page wallpaper. Program is available for Windows 95/98/NT platforms for $19.95 or download for 14-day trial version. We, at UDATAnet, have never used this software and do not have an opinion at this time, this software program recommended by Yahoo Magazine..

**The Perfect Printout**
*How to Turn Web Copy into Readable Hard Copy*
*Many sites do not translate well when put to paper, monkeying around with your browser settings can make all the difference. December '98 Yahoo! Internet Life*
INCREASE OR DECREASE THE SITE'S FONT SIZE Explorer 3.0, 4.0: Click on "View," and choose "Fonts." Then adjust the font size. Navigator 3.0: Click on "Options" and choose "General Preferences." Select the "Fonts" tab. Click on the Choose Font button to begin adjusting font size. Navigator 4.0: Click of "View," and choose "Increase Font" or "Decrease Font."
CHANGE THE SITE'S TEXT COLOR When a site's text color is yellow, gray or white it may be difficult to read when printed. Try setting site's text color to a darker color. Explorer 3.0: Click of "View" and choose "Options." Select the "General" tab. Within the "Colors" section, uncheck the "Use Windows colors" box Click on the Text button to launch a color palette. Choose a new hue, and click "OK." Explorer 4.0: Click on "View" and choose "Internet Options." Select the "General" tab. Press the Colors button to launch the "Colors" window. Click on the Text button to launch a color palette. Choose a new hue, and click "OK." Navigator 3.0: Click on "Options" and choose "General Preferences." Select the "Color" tab. Click on the Choose Color button that appears next to the word "Text." This will launch a color palette. Choose a new hue, and click "OK." Navigator 4.0: Click on "Edit" and choose "Preferences." Click on the category "Appearance" and choose the heading "Colors." Click on the Text button to launch a color palette. Choose new hue, and click "OK."
ALWAYS PREVIEW WHAT YOU PRINT Navigator 3.0: Use the "Print Preview" and in Navigator 4.0: Use the "File", "Print Preview" to see what a Web page is going to look like on paper before you hit the Print button. The feature can save you loads of paper; instead of printing out an entire document, use this option to determine which pages you actually need. Navigator 3.0, 4.0, Explorer 3.0, 4.0: All offer a Page Setup feature, "File", "Page Setup" that lets users alter such advanced print settings as margin preferences.
COPY AND PASTE If all else fails, copy and paste a Web site's text into a word processing program, and print it from there. To do this, highlight the desired Web document and copy (Ctrl + C). Next, paste the document (Ctrl + V) inside an open word processing document. Now, format & print as usual.

**E-Mail Power Features**
*Making the most of Netscape Messenger and Microsoft Outlook Express. January '99 Yahoo! Internet Life*
CHECK YOUR SPELLING Messenger: With your e-mail message open, click on the Spelling button on the tool bar. To add a word to the spelling dictionary, click the Edit Dictionary button. Outlook Express: With your e-mail message open, go to the "Tools" menu and choose "Spelling." To add a word to the spelling dictionary, click the Add button.
SEARCH MESSAGES Messenger: Looking for a message e-mailed to you some months ago? Click the "Edit" menu, and choose "Search Messages." Click the More button if you'd like to enter multiple search criteria, such as date, sender, and subject. Click the Search button. Outlook Express: Click the "Edit" menu, and choose "Find Message." Enter as many search criteria as you'd like, and finish by clicking the Find Now button.
SEND A WEB PAGE VIA E-MAIL Messenger: Right-click anywhere on a Web page, and select "Send Page." Outlook Express: Go to the Web page to be sent. Click the Mail button on the browser tool bar, and choose "Send Page."
SET UP DISTRIBUTION LISTS Send an e-mail message to everyone in your family or on your soccer team with just a click. Messenger: Click the "Communicator" menu, and choose "Address Book." Click the New List button in the tool bar, and then type in a title for your new distribution list in the "List Name" entry field. Type in names from your Address Book in the "To add entries...." entry field. Outlook Express: Click the tool bar's Address Book button, and then click the New Group button. Type in a title for your distribution list in the "Group" entry field. To add names from your Address Book to the distribution list, click the Select Members button. To add new names to the list, just click the New Contact button.
MANAGE MULTIPLE E-MAIL ADDRESSES Configuring Messenger and Outlook Express to retrieve e-mail for multiple home and business accounts. To do this, you'll first have to obtain the mail-server data for each of your accounts. Contact your Internet Service Provider to this info and set up another email account Messenger: Exit Communicator. Open the "User Profile Manager" (from the Start menu in Windows95/98, go to "Programs/Netscape/Communicator/Utilities/User Profile Manager"). Click the New button, and follow the steps for adding a new user. Outlook Express: From the "Outlook Express" window, click "Tools," and then choose "Accounts." Click the Add button, select "Mail," and then follow the steps for adding a new e-mail account.

**18 Browser Shortcuts**
**Speed-Surf with Keyboard Combos**
The following "quick keys" (shortcuts in which both keys are pressed at the same time) work for Netscape Navigator 3.x and 4.x and Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.x and 4.x, except where noted. (Macintosh owners should use the Command key---the one with the apple icon on it---instead of the Ctrl key.) *February '99 Yahoo! Internet Life*
Add a page to "Bookmarks/Favorites" Ctrl + D	Copy----------------Paste Ctrl + C ----------- Ctrl + V
Open your "Bookmarks/Favorites" folder Ctrl + B	New message Ctrl + M (Navigator 3.0, 4.0 only)
Open a new browser window Ctrl + N	Print current page Ctrl + P
Close a browser window Ctrl + W	Saves as Ctrl + S (Navigator 3.0, 4.0 only)
Open the "History" folder Ctrl + H (Navigator 3.0, 4.0, Explorer 3.0 only)	Find in a Web page Ctrl + F
Reload current page Ctrl + R	Stop a page from loading Esc or AppleKey + . (Mac only)
Select all text on the page Ctrl + A	Scroll to the end if a Web page Space Bar
Move from link to link on a Web page Tab	Back---------------Forward AppleKey + [ ----- AppleKey + ] (Mac only)
Open the "Location" (URL) field Ctrl + O (Navigator 4.0, Explorer 3.0, 4.0) Ctrl + L (Navigator 3.0, Explorer 3.0, 4.0)	Back----------------------Forward Alt + < ---------------------- Alt + > (Navigator 3.0, 4.0 only) Ctrl + left arrow --------- Ctrl + right arrow (Explorer 3.0, 4.0 only)

**Hidden Browser Handbooks**
Accidentally lose your Web site address bar? Having trouble running a Web search? Getting frustrated? Click on the browser's "Help" menu. This underutilized feature connects you to hundreds of browser tips & tricks. March '99 Yahoo! Internet Life
Communicator 4.x: Click on the "Help" menu and choose "Help Contents." This will launch the "NetHelp Navigator" window. Click on the Index button for a complete list of Navigator browser tips.
Navigator 3.x: Click on the "Help" menu and choose "Handbook."
Explorer 4.x: Click on the "Help" menu and choose "Contents" and "Index." This will launch the "Help" window. Click on the "Index" tab for a complete list of browser tips, or on the "Search" tab to find a tip by keyboard.
Explorer 3.x: Click on the "Help" menu and choose "Help Topics." This will launch the "Help Topics" window. Click on the "Index" tab for a complete list of browser tips, or on the "Find" tab to search for the tip by keyword.

**It Begins in the Home Page**
Are you happy with your home page? It's the Web site that first pops up in your browser window when you go online. It's also the site that's linked to your tool bar's Home button. Would you like to change it? Here's how. April '99 Yahoo! Internet Life
Communicator 4.x: Click the "Edit" menu, and choose "Preferences." In the "Preferences" window, click on the category "Navigator." Enter a new home page address in the "Location" field. Click "OK."
Navigator 3.x: Click the "Options" menu, and choose "General Preferences." Click on the "Appearance" tab. Enter a new home page address in the "Browser starts with:" field. Click "OK."
Explorer 4.x: Click on "View" menu, and choose "Internet Options." Click on the "General" tab. Enter a new home page address in the "Home page" field. Click "OK."
Explorer 3.x: Click the "View" menu, and choose "Options." Click on the "Navigation" tab. Enter a new home page address in the "Address" field.

**Surf Faster, Without the Graphics**
A default setting in your browser tells it to load images automatically. If you're surfing for text-only information online, you might consider turning off this setting. Doing so can significantly speed up Web page downloads. May '99 Yahoo! Internet Life
Communicator 4.x: Click the menu heading Edit and choose "Preferences." In the "Preferences" window, click the category heading "Advanced." Uncheck the item that reads "Automatically load images."
Netscape 3.x: Click the menu heading "Options." Uncheck the item "Auto load images."
Explorer 4.x: Click the menu heading "View" and choose "Internet Options." In the "Internet Options" window, click the "Advanced" tab. Uncheck the item "Show Pictures."
Explorer 3.x: Click the menu heading "View" and choose "Options." In the "Options" window, click the "General" tab. Uncheck the item "Show pictures."

**Playing With Favorites or Bookmarks**
How to manage and customize you bookmarks. In Explorer & Navigator, bookmarking a site is as simple as clicking on the Browser's Favorites or Bookmarks button and choosing the "add" option. What's not so simple is managing and customizing the hundreds that accrete over time. October '98 Yahoo! Internet Life
DELETING A FAVORITE OR BOOKMARK Explorer 3.0, 4.0: Go to "Favorites" then "Organize Favorites." Highlight the Favorite you want to remove, and click on Delete. Navigator 3.0: Go to "Bookmarks" then "Go to Bookmarks." Highlight the Bookmark you want to remove, and then press the Delete key. Navigator 4.0: Go to "Bookmarks" then "Edit Bookmarks." Highlight the Bookmark you want to remove, choose "Edit," and then press the Delete key.
RENAMING A FAVORITE OR BOOKMARK Explorer 3.0, 4.0: Go to "Favorites" then "Organize Favorites." Highlight the Favorite whose name you want to change. Click Rename, and then type in a new title for the Favorite. Navigator 3.0, 4.0: Go to "Bookmarks" then "Go to Bookmarks" (3.0) or "Bookmarks" then "Edit Bookmarks" (4.0). Highlight the Bookmark whose name you want to change. Then go to "Item" then "Properties" (3.0) or "Edit" then "Bookmark Properties" (4.0). A dialog box will pop up. In the "Name" field, type in a new title for the Bookmark. Click "OK." You can also reach this dialog box by right-clicking on a highlighted Bookmark and choosing "Properties."
SENDING A FAVORITE OR BOOKMARK VIA E-MAIL Explorer 3.0, 4.0: To send a Favorite via Outlook Express, click on the Mail; button and select the "Send a Link" option. Then just choose the Favorite you want to send. To send a Favorite via another e-mail program, grab the link icon next to the address in the "Address" field and drag and drop it into the body of any e-mail message. Navigator 3.0, 4.0: Click on "Bookmarks," highlight the Bookmark you want to send, and then drag and drop the Bookmark's icon into the body of your e-mail message.
IMPORTING BOOKMARKS If you want to change or upgrade your browser, but you don't want to lose your precious Bookmarks/Favorites, then download a bookmark-converter program. These shareware utilities allow you to create bookmark files that work independently of any browser and exchange bookmarks between 3.0 and 4.0 versions of Navigator and Internet Explorer. Yahoo Internet Life recommends BookLock (www.gttech.com/acquire.htm) and Bookmark Importer 1.1 (www.webobj.com/bookmark).

**A History Lesson**
If you want to see which sites you've visited in the past few days, open you browser's "History" file. It lists the titles and address of Web sites you've recently visited. It can also be deleted (in most cases).October '98 Yahoo! Internet Life
Navigator 3.0: To access the "History" file: Go to "Windows" then "History" (there is NO delete function in Navigator 3.0).
Navigator 4.0: To access the "History" file: Go to "Communicator", "Tools" then "History." To delete the "History" file: In the "Active History File" window, go to "Edit", "Preferences' then "Clear History."
Explorer 3.0: To access the "History" file: Go to "View", "Options", "Navigation" then "View History." To delete the "History" file: Go to "View", "Options", "Navigation" then "Clear History."
Explorer 4.0: To access the "History" file: Click on the History button. To delete the "History" file: Go to "Internet Options", "General" then "Clear History."

**Sending Blind-Copy Emails**
Would you like to copy an email message to family & friends-without revealing each person's address to everyone else? Enter recipient addresses into your mail client's "Bcc:" (blind carbon copy) field.
Navigator Messenger: Click on the "To:" button to access the "Bcc:" field. Enter recipient addresses into your mail client's "Bcc:" field.
Microsoft Outlook Express: The "Bcc:" field is located just beneath the "Cc:" field in the "New Message" window. Some email clients may refuse to send a message unless an address is entered onto the "To:" field. If this happens, place your own address there.

**Kiss Your Cache Good-Bye**
*The "cache" is a folder on your hard disk where the browser stores temporary copies of Web page files. Your browser uses these temporary files to quickly reload recently visited Web pages.*
Navigator 4.x: Click the "Edit" menu heading and select "Preferences." Click "Advanced" and then "Cache." Click the Clear Disk Cache button.
Navigator 3.x: Click the "Options"" menu heading and select "Network Preferences." Click the "Cache" tab and then the Clear Disk Cache Now button.
Explorer 4.x: Click the "View" menu heading and select "Internet Options." Click the Delte Files button.
Explorer 3.x: Click the "View" menu heading and select "Options." Click the "Advanced" tab. Under the "Temporary Internet Files" heading, click the Settings button. Click the Empty Folder button.

Make The History File *History*
Both Netscape Navigator & Microsoft Explorer maintain a "history" file that keeps a list of the sites you've recently visited. Any person using your PC can easily access this file and monitor your Web activity. Just hit [Control + H] while your browser is open. This will launch the "History" window. Hit [Control + A] to select all documents in the "History" window. Press the Delete key.

**Wipe Out the Pull-Down Menu**
Navigator 4.0: Click on the Windows Start button and choose "Find." Search for a file called Prefs.js. Double-click on the file, and openit in Notepad. Delete lines of code with the characters browser.url_history.URL_#. Save the Notepad file and restart Communicator
Explorer 3.x, 4.x, 5.x: Download and install TweakIE 2.0 [www.wizsys.com]. Launch the program and click on the "Internet Explorer" tab. Click the IESweep button and check the box titled "Typed URLs."

**Maximize the Browser Window**
*Viewing the Net through a wee 14" monitor??? Increase your Web browser viewing area by hiding the navigation toolbars.*
Navigator 4.x: Click the "View" menu and select "Hide Navigation Toolbar" (Navigator 4.5x users must first select "Show"). For extra room, select "Hide Location Toolbar" and "Hide Personal Toolbar." To recover the toolbars, click the "View" menu and select "Show Navigation Toolbar," "Show Location Toolbar," and "Show Personal Toolbar."
Navigator 3.x: Click the "Options" menu and uncheck "Show Toolbar." If you're still feeling cramped, also uncheck "Show Location" and "Show Directory Buttons." To recover the toolbars, recheck these menu options.
Explorer 4.x: Click the Fullscreen button. Click it again to return the window to its default size.
Explorer 3.x: Click if "View" menu and uncheck "Toolbar" and Status Bar." To recover the toolbars, recheck these menu options.

**E-mail Compactors**
*If you want to create extra space on your computer, compress you e-mail folders.*
Netscape Messenger 4.x: Click the "File" menu and select "Compress Folders." Navigator 4.5x users must select "Compact Folder."
Netscape Mail 3.x: Click the "File" menu and select "Compress Folder."
Microsoft Outlook Express 4.x: Click on either your Inbox or Outbox. Click the File menu and select "Folder." Then select "Compact All Folders."
Microsoft Internet Mail 3.x: Click the "File" menu and select "Folder." Then select "Compact" and "All Folders."

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Last modified on Friday, April 20 2001