Welcome

Welcome to Alexa!  Alexa is a free Internet navigation service that helps you surf the Web smarter, faster and easier.  The service helps you determine the value of web sites you visit through a variety of statistics and facts about each site and then recommends links of where you might want to go next.  These links are based on unique search technology that learns from all users' web surfing history.   With Alexa as your guide, you’ll be able to find the sites and information that you’re looking for with ease and precision.

Alexa works with your Web browser (either Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer) and is displayed as a toolbar on your desktop.

We hope that Alexa will enhance your online experience and make surfing the Web fun and easy!


What is Alexa?

Alexa is a free Web navigation service that helps you surf the Web smarter, faster, and easier.  The service is displayed as a toolbar that works with your Web browser (Netscape or IE) to provide a continuous source of relevant recommendations of where to go next on the Web.

Learn more about the site you are on!

Who owns the site

How many pages are on the site

How frequently the site is updated

The site's popularity among our users

Receive targeted recommendations of where to go next!

This continuous source of relevant suggestions is based on an analysis of patterns within the Web and anonymous usage paths.

Instantly communicate with your friends and colleagues!

Alexa tells you instantly which of your friends and colleagues are currently online, and lets you send instant messages so you can communicate with them in real-time.

Perform research on the Web through your complete desktop reference tool!

Access the leading reference tools Encyclopaedia Britannica Online and Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus.

Exclusive access to an archive of the publicly available Internet!

Use the Archive to retrieve unavailable pages.   Now, instead of your browser displaying a "404 -- Not Found" message, Alexa will retrieve a copy of the page from its archive.


How does Alexa work?

There are two components to Alexa—the Alexa Toolbar and the Alexa Instant Messaging system.   As you browse the Web the Alexa Toolbar retrieves data from our servers that can help you surf the Web smarter, faster and easier.  This is information about whom is behind the Web site you are currently viewing or other Web pages you might want to see based on that page.   Also, you can research specific topics as you surf the Web through the Encyclopaedia Britannica search box.  The toolbar includes a “no dead links” feature that allows you to retrieve pages from the Alexa Archive when you can’t access a site because it has been deleted or moved.

The Alexa Instant Messaging system lets you see which of your friends and colleagues are on the Web and allows you to send them instant messages.  To use this feature, simply use your e-mail address as your name for Alexa Instant Messages.  By default, Alexa launches with Windows so that you can immediately use Alexa when you open your browser.


Why Should I Use Alexa?

Because you want to surf the Web smarter, faster, and easier.  Alexa’s many benefits include:

Know more about the sites you visit.

Make snap decisions about the value of the site you are on by reviewing Alexa’s site information.  Find out in seconds: who owns the site, how large the site is, how often its updates, and how popular it is among our users.

Know where to go next.

This continuous source of relevant and targeted suggestions is based on an analysis of patterns within the Web and anonymous usage paths.

Instantly access the leading desktop reference tool—online.

Access the leading reference tools Encyclopaedia Britannica Online and Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus.

Instant Message with friends and colleagues—online.

Alexa tells you instantly which of your friends and colleagues are currently online, and lets you send instant messages so you can communicate with them in real-time.

Eliminate “404 Not Found” errors.

Use the Archive to retrieve unavailable pages.  Now, instead of your browser displaying a "404 -- Not Found" message, Alexa will retrieve a copy of the page from its archive.


System Requirements

In order to run Alexa, you need to be running Windows95 or Windows NT and one of the following browsers:

Netscape Navigator 2.0 or later.

Netscape Communicator 4.0

Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 or later

Hardware requirements

486 or Pentium family processor

3MB of free disk space

256-color mode or higher display adapter


Alexa's Privacy Policy

Alexa is committed to ensuring the privacy of our users.  In addition to fully supporting the Principles of Online Solicitation adopted by the Interactive Services Association (ISA) and the Direct Marketing Association, Alexa also pledges that:

Alexa will not provide an individual's e-mail address, usage paths, or demographic data to any third parties.

Alexa will honor a request by a user to terminate his or her account.  Upon termination of an account information about that user will be erased.

Alexa will not monitor the content of personal communications sent using the Alexa software.

Alexa is dedicated to improving Internet navigation for everyone, and firmly believes that personal privacy is a commodity worth protecting.  We are acutely aware that evolving technologies present new challenges for user privacy.  We work to comply with the guidelines set by numerous privacy organizations to ensure that we stay on the cutting edge of privacy protection.


Introduction
Toolbar Introduction

The Alexa Toolbar is the main interface for using the Alexa service.  Upon installation, Alexa places itself in the Windows StartUp Folder.  Each time you start your computer, Alexa will run in the background in the Windows "Tray," located at the right of the Windows Taskbar.

Each time you launch your Web browser, Alexa will detect its presence and display the Alexa Toolbar to accompany you as you surf the Web.  This section describes all the functionality on the Toolbar in detail.  Once you become acquainted with the features of Alexa, you will find the Web easier to navigate and more fun.

Welcome to the Alexa community!


Toolbar Properties

Anytime the Toolbar is on the screen, you can drag it to a new location on your screen.  To do this, click the Toolbar at the left or right end of the bar and drag the Toolbar to a new location.   Right-clicking anywhere on the Toolbar activates a menu of four items.  Click the buttons below for an explanation of each option.
On Top of Browser    Autohide    About Alexa    Exit


The Alexa Logo (Alexa Access)

Clicking the Alexa Access button (Alexa logo) opens a menu of five items.  Click the buttons below for an explanation of each menu item.   Go to Alexa Site    About Alexa    Technical Support    Help    User Preferences


Setting Up Your Internet Connection

This dialog box tells Alexa how you connect to the Internet.  An explanation of the three choices follows:

Direct: Select this option if your system is connected to the Internet via Local Area Network.  An example would be at work, where you have Internet access through your company’s network without using a modem.

Dialup: Choose this option if you use a modem to dial-in to your Internet Service Provider.

Offline: Use this option when you are not connected to the Internet.  Alexa’s features will be disabled while you are offline, and attempts to transfer data to and from Alexa’s servers will be suspended.

Feel free to change these settings as often as needed.


Customizing to You

By filling in the fields in this dialog box, you enable Alexa to recommend Web content of interest to you, based on your zip code and other demographics.  This may include sites for local news and weather, for instance.

Special note on privacy

To preserve your privacy, Alexa assigns separate installation numbers to the Alexa Toolbar and the Alexa Instant Messaging System on your computer's hard drive.  When your Toolbar software gets information from our servers, we see only the installation number.  We do not link it with your name or e-mail address.


Sending Messages

In order to participate in Alexa Instant Messaging, you need to be registered by a unique e-mail address.  Enter your e-mail address here.  After entering your e-mail address, you will receive a verification notice via e-mail with instructions for finalizing your registration.  This e-mail address is how you will be identified on Alexa's Instant Messaging System.

The other option in this dialog box is a check box at the bottom of the dialog.  Check this box to be removed from the Alexa mailing list.  This list is used a few times a year to keep you aware of new release dates, new features, or other major announcements.

Special note on privacy

Your e-mail address is only used by Alexa's Instant Messaging System for identification purposes.  It is in no way associated with your Web browsing.


Ratings

Ratings for particular Web sites are determined by the number of hits a site receives.  Hits are measured as the total of all visitors to the site and are not limited to Alexa users.  Selecting this option will disclose further information about the site's ratings.  Site data for newly registered web pages may not be posted on the toolbar immediately.  Some traffic is required before a site becomes part of Alexa's rating system.

Note to Netscape Navigator users

Selecting the "Ratings" menu item will pop up a new secondary window with the site information.  Your main browser window will not change.

Note to Microsoft Internet Explorer Users

Selecting the "Ratings" menu item will change the page in your browser window to Alexa's rating information for the site you were viewing.


Site Owner

Site owner information displays the name and address of the company who owns the Web site.  Address information is not always the corporate headquarters; sometimes it is the place where the computer operations are centered.  Alexa can retrieve registration information for web servers whose names end in .com, .org, .edu, and .net from the InterNIC.

In addition, Site Owner information shows how long the site has been online.  This date is the date of domain registration with the InterNIC.

Note to Netscape Navigator users

Selecting the "Site Owner" menu item will pop up a new secondary window with the site information.  Your main browser window will not change.

Note to Microsoft Internet Explorer Users

Selecting the "Site Owner" menu item will change the page in your browser window to Alexa's site owner information for the site you were viewing.


Site Stats

Clicking on Site Stats dispenses information about the server that hosts the site.  The stats include number of known pages, server speed, and freshness of the content within the site.  Alexa's Web crawlers are constantly scouring the Web to keep this information as current as possible.  However, the crawler cannot crawl dynamically built pages, pages generated from cgi scripts or areas of the site restricted by robots.txt files.

Note to Netscape Navigator users

Selecting the "Site Stats" menu item will pop up a new secondary window with the site information.  Your main browser window will not change.

Note to Microsoft Internet Explorer Users

Selecting the "Site Stats" menu item will change the page in your browser window to Alexa's stats information for the site you were viewing.


Other Information

Alexa may have gathered data on some sites on the Web in addition to Ratings, Site Owner, and Site Stats.  Examples of other site information you may find include content ratings, institutional information, and the number of Alexa users who have voted their opinion of the current site.

Note to Netscape Navigator users

Selecting an item from the "Where you are" menu will pop up a new secondary window with the site information.  Your main browser window will not change.

Note to Microsoft Internet Explorer Users

Selecting an item from the "Where you are" menu will change the page in your browser window to Alexa's site information for the site you were viewing.


How to vote for a site

To vote for a particular site, click the "Vote" button on the Alexa Toolbar.  A dialog box will appear allowing you the choice to vote whether you like or dislike the site.  After you have made your selection, an anonymous response will be sent to Alexa and logged with other users' responses.


Why should I vote?

By casting your vote, you are letting the Alexa community know how you feel about a particular site.  This vote is aggregated with all other Alexa users.  When a sufficient number of votes has been accumulated, you can find out how many fellow Alexa users liked or disliked a site through the "Where you are" menu.  The goal is to have one large surfing community that can learn from one another's time spent on the Web.  By voting, your voice influences this growing community.


Sites on the Toolbar

When surfing the Web, you will notice that the large center portion of the Toolbar lists names of other Web sites.  Some of them may even be familiar to you.  These four sites are recommendations of sites other people proceed to after they land on the site you are currently viewing.  Just click on any of them to be taken there directly!

These suggestions are drawn from Alexa’s archive of the entire web, currently six terrabytes and growing!  For additional sites, click the icon next to the sites to open a menu of up to ten "where to go next" suggestions.


Sites on the "Where to Go Next" Menu

Sites listed on this menu are there for a reason.  Alexa is constantly learning about the Web through its archive, and learning user preferences from its users.  This data is combined to list up to ten sites that are relevant to your Web surfing.  Sites shown may have similar content, or have proven to be sites users visit after they leave the current site.  To browse one of these sites, just click the site name and Alexa will point your browser there.

If you know of other sites that you feel are similar and not on the list, you can add them yourself by selecting "ADD A LINK TO THIS LIST ..." at the top of the menu.  For more information on adding your own sites, see "Personalizing your list ."


Personalizing Your List

If you happen to know of a site similar to the one you are viewing, and it is not represented on your suggestions list, Alexa allows you to add sites for further personalization.  To add a site, click the "ADD A LINK TO THIS LIST ..." item at the top of the menu.

A dialog box should appear.  To set the link, leave the dialog box open and surf to the site you'd like to add.  Once your browser has the site loaded, click the "Set Link" button.  Congratulations!  You have just added a site to your suggestions.  Once you have set the link, Alexa will automatically bring you back to the site you were viewing prior to setting the link.  For an explanation of one and two-way links, see below.

One Way Links

With this box checked, only the site you are viewing when you start the customization process will have the link.  For example, if you are on the Alexa Web site, and set a one way link to Netscape's site, then every time you are on Alexa's site you will see Netscape as a recommendation.  When you arrive at Netscape's site, you will NOT see Alexa's site as a suggestion.

Two Way Links

If you set a two way link, then both sites will recommend each other as suggestions on where to go next each time you visit one of the linked sites.


What is Instant Messaging
What is Instant Messaging?

Alexa Instant Messaging allows you to see which of your friends or colleagues are online.  Unlike chat rooms, where anyone can sign on and chat, Alexa gives you complete control over who you see and who sees you.  There are no pre-determined names on the contact list.  You can add or remove people as you see fit.

Instant Messaging gives you a chance to send people a message in real time, as if you were in a chat room.  We think you will find this system easier and faster than e-mail.  Click the topics below for detailed instructions on how to use Instant Messaging.

  How do I become eligible to send and receive messages?

  How do I add/remove people from my contact list?

  How do I send/receive a message?

  Instant Messaging Preferences


How can I send and receive messages?

Becoming a registered user of Alexa’s Instant Messaging feature is easy.  Upon installation, there is a dialog box asking for your e-mail address.  Alexa will send you a notice via e-mail shortly after receiving your information.  Just reply to the message and send it off (no text on your part is required) and you will be registered as an Alexa Instant Messaging user.

To change e-mail addresses, type the new e-mail address in the ‘Sending Messages’ tab of the  Instant Message Preferences dialog box.


How do I add/remove people from my list?

1.  Open the Instant Messaging window by selecting the “phone” icon from the Alexa Toolbar.   2.  Select the “List Setup” tab from the Instant Messaging window.  Here you will see a list of people currently on your list. 3a.  To add a name, click the “Add” button at the bottom of the Instant Messaging window, enter the person’s e-mail address, then click “OK”.  Voila! That person’s name should now be on your contact list. 3b.  To remove someone from your contact list, locate their e-mail address in the Instant Messaging window.  Select the person and click the <Delete> button at the bottom of the window.  The person’s e-mail address will be removed instantly.

  Back to Instant Messaging Intro


How do I send a message?
How do I send/receive a message?

Sending messages

1. Click the Instant Message icon (phone) on the Alexa Toolbar.  This brings up the Instant Message window.  If this is already open, you can ignore this step. 2. Click the “OnLine” tab on the Instant Message dialog box.  This will show all of the people on your contact list that are currently online. 3. Select the e-mail address of the person you would like to send a message and click the <Send a message> button at the bottom of the window. 4. Type in your message and click the <Send> button on the lower left corner of the message dialog box or press <Enter>.  This will send your message.  A transcript of your messaging will appear in the gray box in the top half of the window.

Receiving messages

1.	Click the Instant Message button on the Alexa Toolbar.  This launches the Instant Message window and activates your session.

2.	Be sure the check box labeled “Accept Messages” in the lower right hand corner is checked.  With this option checked, you will be notified of any incoming messages.

  Back to Instant Messaging Intro


Instant Messaging Preferences

You can access Instant Messaging Preferences from the <Prefs> button located on the bottom of the Alexa Instant Messaging window.  From the Preferences menu, you will notice a dialog split into four tabs.  The first two are the same as the User Preferences dialog.  The third tab enables you to filter who can send you messages, and even block someone entirely.  The fourth allows you to designate sounds to be played when Instant Message events occur.  Click the buttons below for descriptions of all the Instant Message Preferences.

  Internet Connection

  Sending Messages

  Receiving Messages

  Sounds


Toolbar Buttons

The Alexa Toolbar consists of several clickable buttons.  Accessing any of Alexa’s features begin with a mouse click on the Toolbar.  Below is an explanation of each area on the Toolbar.  Click a selection from the menu below to see a detailed description of each Toolbar function.

  Alexa Access

  Where Am I? menu

  Vote button

  Where Do I Go Next? menu

  Alexa Instant Messaging

  Encyclopaedia Britannica

  Alexa Archives


Where am I? Menu

Clicking the Toolbar on the “Where am I?” section brings up a menu with several different choices.  All items are focused on providing information about the site you are currently visiting.  Some of the items you can expect to see are the following:

Ratings    Site Owner    Site Stats    Other Information


Where Do I Go Next? Menu

As you surf the Web, you will notice that this menu changes constantly.  This menu offers up to ten different Web destinations similar in content to the page which you are currently viewing.  You can see the top four suggestions directly on the Toolbar.  Click the menu and to see a pop-up window of the top ten related sites.

At some sites, you may see targeted advertising.  These ads relate to the subject matter of the current page, and also serve as a recommended site.

Sites on the Toolbar    Sites on the Menu


Vote Button

The Vote button on the Alexa Toolbar allows you to vote whether or not you like the current Web site.  Aggregate votes are tallied by Alexa and will be presented in the “Where Am I?” menu once a substantial number of votes have been made.   How to Vote for a Site    Why Should I Vote?


On Top of Browser

Selecting this option means that the Toolbar will always appear on top of the browser.  In this way you can overlap the Toolbar and browser and rest assured that the Toolbar will not be hidden behind the browser window.  When the On Top of Browser setting is turned off the toolbar will not automatically appear when you open a browser, but can still be activated by left clicking the Alexa icon in your system tray and selecting ‘Show Alexa Toolbar’.


Autohide

If you dock the Toolbar to the top or bottom of the screen you may choose to use the “Autohide” feature.  This feature hides the Toolbar from view when the mouse is not over the Toolbar.  Move the mouse to where the Toolbar is docked and it will show itself again.  If the Toolbar is not docked at the top or bottom of the screen, the Autohide setting will not affect the toolbar.


About Alexa

Selecting this item displays the version number and copyright information of the Alexa installation on your system.


Exit

Selecting Exit will close Alexa Tools, including the Toolbar application and Alexa Instant Messaging.  This will NOT close your browser, allowing you to continue surfing without Alexa.  You can re- launch Alexa Tools from the Alexa folder in the Programs list of the Windows Start Menu.


Go to Alexa Site

This item directs your browser to the Alexa Web site where you can download the latest release of Alexa, and peruse new information about the software.


About Alexa

This menu item allows you to check which version of Alexa you are running and view copyright information.


Technical Support

Selecting this item will point your browser to the support area of Alexa's Web site.  Here you will find lists of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the service and an e-mail link to Alexa's technical support staff.


Help

Selecting "Help" launches this Help file.


User Preferences

Selecting "User Preferences" opens a dialog box split into two tabs, from which you can configure Alexa settings.  For more information see User Preferences.


User Preferences (Alexa Access)
User Preferences

Alexa’s User Preferences brings up a dialog box split into two tabs.  Filling in the correct information enables Alexa to work best for you.  Click the buttons below to learn about each preference tab.

  Internet Connection

  Customizing to You


Encyclopaedia Britannica Button

Clicking this button directs your browser to a special page designed by Alexa.  Here you can perform a search online of Encyclopedia Britannica, Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, or Merriam-Webster’s Thesaurus.  Just enter your search terms and click the “Search” button.


Alexa Archives

Alexa began archiving the Web in July of 1996, and is continually taking “snapshots” of the Web.  Alexa uses the content of the web to help generate "where to go next" suggestions.  It is also a source for metadata - information about the page you are visiting.  The metadata includes information such as who has registered the site and how many pages are on the site.

If Alexa has a copy of the page you are viewing in its Archives, you will see a “page” icon superimposed on the Archives button (see image).  Clicking this button will retrieve the archived page from the Alexa database as you continue to surf the web.  This comes in especially handy if the page you are looking for no longer exists, or has changed since the last time you visited.


Receiving Messages

The Receiving Messages section of the Instant Messages Preferences window has two parts: the Allow List and the Block List.

Allow List

The Allow List lets you configure who is allowed to send you messages.  You may choose to let any user contact you, or you may specify e-mail address of people who can send you Instant Messages.  Messages sent from parties who are not in the list will be ignored.

Block List

The Block List works opposite the Allow List.  You can choose to block all users, or you may specify individual users you want to block.  Blocking prohibits any Instant Message from blocked parties to come through.

To add people to your Allow List or Block List, click “Add Name” under the appropriate list and type the e-mail address of the user you wish to add.  To remove someone, select the name and click “Remove.”


Sounds

The “Sounds” tab allows you to designate sounds to Instant Message events.  Possible events are members on your contact list signing on, members signing off, first message received, subsequent messages received, and sending a message.

You can designate any WAV sound file on your system to be played when each of these events occurs.  Be sure that the checkbox to the left of each sound is checked to turn sound on.  If this box is not checked the sound will not play, even if a sound has been assigned to the event.


Proxy
I have a proxy.  Alexa launches, but shows nothing in the Toolbar as I browse the Web.

If the Alexa toolbar is not showing Where To Go Next data or site data, there is a good chance that we are unable to send information through your proxy.

If you browse via any of the Netscape browsers first check to see whether your browser is set to use a proxy.  If it is, go the control panel in the Windows start menu and select Internet.  In the second tab, “Connection,” if your proxy settings are blank, copy the proxy settings from Netscape to the Windows proxy settings.  If your Windows version does not have this in the control panel, or doesn't have the proxy tab, send us e-mail (support@alexa.com) and we'll tell you how to resolve this.

If they are not blank, and they differ from your Netscape settings, do not change your proxy settings.  Ask your network administrator to resolve the differences between the two sets of proxy settings.


Does Alexa work through firewalls?

If the Alexa toolbar is not showing Where To Go Next data or Site data, there is a good chance that we are unable to send information through your company firewall.  Your proxy settings may be the problem, please refer to our Proxy Help.

Alexa servers use port 80 to send information to the toolbar running on your system and HTTP when sending instant messages.  If your firewall allows these ports to be used and you cannot get data from Alexa, please e-mail support@alexa.com.


Error Message: Cannot connect to Instant Message Server

If you get this message every time you try to launch the Instant Message feature, Alexa may be unable to send information through your proxy.  Please refer to our Proxy Help.  If you have made adjustments to your proxy or you believe those settings are correct, we are making changes which may affect your firewall's disposition to allow Alexa data through.

The Alexa Instant Messaging server uses HTTP when sending messages.  If your firewall allows HTTP information and you cannot get data from Alexa, please e-mail support@alexa.com.


Memory Leak
My system crashes after using Alexa for a half-hour or more.

You may have a common Windows 95 memory leak that causes this crash.  To determine whether you have the fix for the leak in the TCP drivers on your system go to the find utility in your start menu and look for the file kernel32.dll.  If the date on this file is older than 2/2/96, you can get an update for Windows 95 at Microsoft’s Web site (http://www.microsoft.com/kb/articles/q148/3/36.htm).

Since Alexa is accessing these drivers when communicating with our servers, the increase in the number of times the memory leak is tapped would cause your system to manifest symptoms of the bug more clearly or more quickly than before you had installed Alexa.  Some other symptoms that may occur are noticeable lag in your systems' response to any activity or inability to launch applications.


Additional Help

Additional help can be found at Alexa’s Web site.  The support section is continually being updated with the latest fixes and workarounds for common problems.  The URL for Alexa support is:

http://www.alexa.com/support/index.html