Internet Tips and Tricks

For some info on IE8 and 9, click here.

Using the Internet with a computer (discounting all the special devices being sold just for Internet or e-mail use), can be a bad experience if you do not know what is going on.

First getting on the Internet or the World Wide Web involves having a connection. Not long ago a modem was the only way used by most computers to "log on" to the Internet (or Net). Now many people are connecting their computers via Cable or DSL. These are much faster connections and you are connected 24/7.

With a standard telephone modem, your computer must dial a number to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and wait until a connection is established before checking e-mail or browsing the web.

After you get connected, you use a program called a "Browser" that allows you to view various "sites" on the web. Check the Browser page for a discussion of different browsers and how to use them.

The third function you must learn to do is "Surf". Click Here to learn tips on Surfing.

There are many ways to enhance your use of the Internet. Once you are on the Internet, the first thing is to learn how to change your start page, referred to as the "Home page" in most browsers. Follow this procedure for Internet Explorer and Netscape. AOL and CompuServe do not have a "Home page".

Internet Explorer: If the program is open, click Tools, Internet Options. See Fig 1. In the Options dialog box, look at the Home Page selections. Fig 2. You can choose to make the current page the home page or type in a new one. You can start with a blank page if you wish. This makes loading faster. You can also display any document on your hard drive.
If you wish to access this dialog box without opening Internet Explorer, you can go to Control Panel, Internet icon. This is the same icon I put in my weekly cleanup folder on the desktop.

Netscape: In the program, select Edit, Preferences. See Fig 3. In the dialog box, note the Home Page section. Fig 4. You can select current page, delete the selection to use a blank or type in any URL you want to. You can also start with any document on your hard drive using the Browse button to find it. All preferences in Netscape are selected from this dialog box. Take time to look at other selections.

Fig 1 Click to enlarge	Fig 2 Click to enlarge	Fig 3 Click to enlarge	Fig 4 Click to enlarge

Now that you know how to enter a start page, the difficulty is to select one. Many sites bill themselves as a "Portal", a site to start from on your tour of the web. Check the Websites links page for suggestions.

Also be sure to check the How to Search the Web page.

For a discussion of what Cookies are, Click Here

For a discussion of Browser tips, Click Here

For a discussion of Connections, Click Here

Ever wonder which country is represented by the 2 letter abbreviations in a web address? Click Here to find out.