Users of IE5 often complain about the browser's lack of a print preview function like the one found in Netscape Navigator. Without this function, printing a part of a Web page becomes a bit of a gamble (will the wanted passage fall on page 2 or 3?). Instead of wasting paper printing the entire Web page to make sure you get the small part you need, try this: When you want to print a Web page in IE 5, choose File*Edit with Microsoft FrontPage Editor. When the page finishes loading into FrontPage (included with Microsoft Office 2000) or FrontPage Express (included with IE5), choose File*Print Preview (see FIGURE 2).

The downside? If the link you click opens a conventional file type, such as a JPEG graphic or a text file, the Edit with Microsoft FrontPage Editor command won't appear on the File menu. In the case of text files, right-click the link in the browser and choose Save Target As, specify a convenient location, and click Save to store the file on your PC. Then locate and select the saved file. Press <Shift> as you right-click the file icon and choose Open With. Select WordPad from the list and click OK. In WordPad, choose Print Preview and follow the same instructions as you would for FrontPage. Delete the saved file when you're done.

FrontPage Express can display only certain kinds of Web formatting, so your Web page may look distorted or may not display at all -- especially if it uses frames. You'll fare much better if you install the full version of FrontPage 2000. Still, on many Web sites, using FrontPage Express can help you make an educated guess about printing the right page.

-- Scott Dunn