- What's the difference between browsing
and searching?
- Browsing, or
surfing the Web, is what you do when you're looking
at different pages and links through a Web browser.
You search, usually using a search engine, when you've got a
specific Web page or subject in mind and you are trying to locate it.
Back to top
- How do I access the Web through an
online service?
- Most online services provide Web access, although if you have an older
version of the service's software, you may have to upgrade, because Web
access hasn't always been included. You'll usually find either a PPP
(Point-to-Point Protocol)
connection option, or a WWW icon on the home page.
Here are some online services to look into:
AOL, CompuServe,
Delphi,
Genie,
Microsoft Network,
and Prodigy.
Back to top
- Which Web browser should I use?
-
Different browsers offer different ways of viewing the Web. When deciding on
a browser, think about what you will be doing online. If you're interested
in buying goods with your credit card, you should be sure the browser
provides good security and encryption features. If you're picky
about the
way pages are displayed, you should check out several browsers and graphic
display options, including frames.
Most people use Netscape Navigator
or Microsoft Internet Explorer .
If you're
interested in seeing what other browsers are out there, look at Cyberdog
(Mac only), Lynx (Unix only), Mosaic ,
NetCruiser (Windows
and DOS only), and SlipKnot.
Back to top
 |
Framed
|
If you're on a page with frames, place your cursor within one of the frames.
Right-click on your PC mouse to display a pop-up menu that allows you to
return to the previous frame. Clicking the Back button in this situation
would take you to the previous page, not frame.
|
|
- Can I change the page that is
automatically displayed when I open my browser?
-
Most browsers let you customize your home page. You can make it
something fun, such as The Dilbert Zone, CNN,
or your company's home page.
To change your home page in Netscape, go to the Options menu, which
houses
General Preferences. From there, click on the Appearance tab and enter the
appropriate URL in the field underneath Home Page Location.
Back to top
- Why do certain pages take so long to
display?
- Graphics are almost always responsible for this delay. The delay could also
be caused by the page's slow server, over which you have no
control.
Try connecting to the site at a different time of day, such as in the
evening or on a weekend.
In Netscape, you can
choose to download the text before the images, so you
can at least read the page while you're waiting. Under the Options menu,
choose General Preferences, click on the Images tab, and select the After
Loading option next to Display Images.
In Internet
Explorer, you can configure your browser to ignore graphics and
just download text if
you're impatient.
Back to top
 |
Forget the pretty pictures
|
For faster downloading of Web pages, configure your browser to ignore all
graphics. In Netscape, under the Options menu, click on Auto Load Images so
there is not a check mark next to it. In Internet Explorer, choose Options
from the View menu and click on the General tab. In the Multimedia box,
unclick the box next to Show Pictures.
|
|
- What do I do if I get an error
message?
- Make sure you have the correct URL address, and then try, try again.
Sometimes the server is down and pages just will not display. Returning
later is a good idea.
You can also try going to the parent site and linking in from there, because
many pages are sections of other sites.
For example, if you can't get into
http://www.netguide.com/knowhow/index.html try deleting the end
of the address and going back to the previous slash:
http://www.netguide.com/knowhow/, and so on, as in
http://www.netguide.com/.
You can also try finding the page by its name through a search engine.
URLs change all the time and you could just have an old address.
Back to top
- Do I have unlimited access to all Web pages?
- No you don't. Access might be denied in five typical scenarios.
1) You're on the Web via your school's server and access is
censored by a system administrator or service provider.
2) If you get a "forbidden" message, the page's server is rejecting your
request.
3) Some "forbidden" messages could appear as a result of the
Communications Decency Act, which still criminalizes obscenity and child
pornography on the Web, even though parts of the law were overturned in
June 1996.
4) If a parent or teacher has access to your computer, he or she could be
running blocking software on your machine, which could limit your Web
access.
5) Some sites require you to register before you see the contents. Of
these, many charge you for the service.
Back to top
 |
Let me see!
|
If you need to see more screen real estate, try removing the directory
buttons and that pesky toolbar. In Netscape, select Show Directory Buttons
or Show Toolbar from the Options menu. If the option is checked, the toolbar
will be displayed. If it's not, you won't see it.
In Internet Explorer, look under the View menu to hide the toolbar. To get
rid of the standard buttons in Explorer, choose Options from the View menu.
Under the General tab, you'll find a box next to Standard Buttons.
|
|
- Can I print Web pages?
- Most of the time you can. You print Web pages just as you would any other
document. In Netscape as well as Internet Explorer, the Print option is
under the File menu. However, if the Web page includes graphics, the
printing process will take longer than it does when printing text only.
Back to top
 |
Cache in
|
You can decrease download time by accessing pages you've recently visited
through the Go menus of Netscape and Internet Explorer. The URLs are already
stored in the cache, making them quicker to access.
|
|
- Can I use my browser to send
e-mail?
- Yes, it is very similar to sending regular e-mail. Once you've
set up your browser with your e-mail account information, you can send mail.
On Web pages, a Mailto: box will show up when you click on e-mail addresses
or on an individual's name. You enter a subject and a message and send as you
would within your e-mail program. You can also send e-mail through a site's
form-based page, usually set up to give feedback to the author.
Once you've configured the browser with your e-mail information, you do not
need to have your e-mail program open when sending mail; you can just use
the mail functions within the browser. To send a new message in Netscape,
select New Mail Message from the File menu. Internet Explorer houses the New
Message option under the File menu as well.
Back to top
 |
Home run
|
To return to your browser's home page, instead of typing in the URL address
or using a bookmark,
click on its icon--the "N" in Netscape, the "e"
in Internet Explorer--in the upper right-hand corner of your browser
screen.
|
|
- How do I tell where links are?
- On most pages, links
appear underlined or in a color different from
the rest of the text. Images can be links as well. A good rule to follow:
Put your cursor on the word or image and, if it changes into a
hand, you're on a link. You can also check the bottom of your Web browser
screen to see if the text changes. If it does, you're on a link.
Back to top
 |
Stop in the name of time
|
When accessing a Web page in Netscape or Internet Explorer, sometimes you
have to wait a long time for the page to display. Try reloading the page by
clicking on the Stop button in the toolbar and then hitting
the Reload button or the hyperlink again.
|
|
- How do I save the URL addresses of
pages that I want to visit again?
- You can "save" URLs by bookmarking; Internet Explorer calls this
adding a
favorite. Bookmarking a site in Netscape adds its URL to a file on your
hard disk. When you launch the browser, it reads this file and adds the
URLs it finds to the Bookmarks menu.
To bookmark in Netscape, go to the site you wish to save, pull down the
Bookmarks menu, and click on Add Bookmark.
You can also rename the page bookmark if
you wish. Go To Bookmarks, in the Bookmarks menu, will show you a list of
the bookmarks. Click on the one you want to rename, select Properties from
the Item menu, and enter the new name in the Name field. To delete a
bookmark, after you've chosen Go To Bookmarks, select the one you want to
remove, pull down the Edit menu, and click on Delete.
In Internet Explorer, bookmarks are called favorites. Add To Favorites is
located in the Favorites menu. When you select this option, a dialogue box
pops up with the name of the page highlighted. If you want to rename it,
this is your chance. To delete a Favorite, choose Organize Favorites from
the Favorites menu, highlight one and click on the Delete button.
Back to top
- Should I bookmark every site I
like?
- It's not a good idea, because you'll never find the bookmark you want.
However, both Netscape and Internet Explorer allow you to organize pages
into folders. This is especially helpful if you bookmark many sites, some
for pleasure and others for work. Check out the bookmark section in the
Netscape Handbook and
the Help Topics menu under the Help menu in Internet Explorer.
Back to top
- How do I go back to a page I was at five
minutes ago?
- If you have bookmarked the site, you can call up the bookmark and go back.
You can also use the Back button in Netscape or Internet Explorer. In
addition, both browsers keep the page names under the Go menu, which you can
pull down to access. Click on the page name you want, and you'll go back to
it. Another option is to use the pulldown menu on the address bar of your
browser. Accessible via a down arrow icon just to the right of the URL
address, this menu keeps the addresses of recently visited pages.
Highlight the one you want to return to it.
In Netscape, you can also access the History function in the Window menu to
get to the most recent pages.
Back to top
 |
Skip the formalities
|
Type the URL in the location or address field and hit enter instead of using
the pulldown File menu and the Open Location function. Additionally,
Netscape and
Internet Explorer do not require you to enter http://.
Start the
address after the slashes; that is, start right out with www,
ftp,
or news. Also, when going to a page in
Netscape, you can type
x when the URL is http://www.x.com, and
you'll get there. For
example, try typing just cnn instead
of the full URL,
http://www.cnn.com.
|
|
- How do I find Web pages?
- The best way to find a page on the Web if you don't know the URL
is through a search
engine. These programs search their own
databases and the Web to find the pages you want by accessing key words that
you enter.
Your Web browser will probably provide you with a few links to search
engines, as well as with a few cool links to start you surfing. For a
thorough list of
search engines, check out the All-In-One Search Page.
You can also consult lists, directories, and indices, which are all similar to
search engines but more limited in scope.
Back to top
- How do I use search engines?
- Most search
engines have a tips link, which should help you get
the most out of your search. You should look for specific features that will
aid in your queries and cut down on your search time. For example, see
NetGuide Live's Search Advisor.
Boolean searching uses qualifiers such as AND, OR, and NOT to
limit
queries. AltaVista, for instance, lets you use commands, such as NEAR, to
find terms in close proximity, as in Fabian NEAR lyrics.
If you're looking for a phrase, most search engines let you use quotation
marks to denote your intentions, as in "Elvis Costello FAQ." Additionally,
you can use a concept to describe what you want, such as
vegetarianism, to get a list of relevant sites.
Searching is usually very straightforward. If you are offered options of
what to search, choose one. Many search engines have "the Web" and a local
database as choices. Enter your query as specifically as possible and hit
the Submit button. The resulting list may be quite long. But you can usually
scroll or page through the list of titles of the sites, which should help
you decide which are worth a look. Then it's just a matter of clicking on
the title or URL to go to the page.
Back to top
- Why do I need plug-ins and where do I get
them?
- Plug-ins are
invaluable if you really want to experience the
Web. Cool things are on the Web that you can't access if you don't have
certain software. You can check out QuickTime movies, get into chat rooms,
listen to music, or participate in videoconferencing--if you have the right
equipment.
The great thing about Web plug-ins is that most of them are free. If you can
locate the right page and follow the downloading directions, you'll have no
problems. For descriptions, software and hardware requirements, and
instructions on downloading several plug-ins, see What's On:
Resources.
Back to top
- How do I install plug-ins?
- First, check the plug-in's requirements to make sure it will work on your
operating system and that you have enough memory to install it. If you're
downloading multimedia plug-ins, you may need additional hardware, such as
sound cards. If you've got a Macintosh computer, you have a sound card. If
you have another type computer, check the specs.
You'll usually be prompted to select a version of the software; many times
both shipping and "beta" versions will be offered. You may also have the
option of reading the license agreement and accepting its terms. Select
your operating system and, if you're given a choice, a site from which to
download the plug-in. If sites are listed by location, choose the one
closest to you, because it will be faster. After you click on the download
button, you must select a name and location for the file, to be saved on
your computer. Once you do this, the program will download, so just
sit back and wait.
Back to top
 |
Resolve that space problem
|
To see more of the Web pages you're accessing, try switching to a higher monitor
resolution. Go to your PC Control Panel, for example, select Display, and
click on the MGA Settings tab. You can move the Display and Desktop area
sliders to alter the way pages appear on your screen.
|
|
By M. Trouble Sample
|