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Top Ten Ways To Supercharge Your Browser

When you installed Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer it set itself up in ways that allow it to work with almost any computer system. These program settings, commonly called the default values, are fine for most operating conditions. But a little time spent changing selected default settings can kick your browser into high gear. We’ll show you what settings to change and why. We’ll even explain how to make the changes in a step-by-step method that’s so easy even a grownup can do it without a hitch.

Go Easy On The Graphics

Graphics and picture files are generally quite large and take a long time to download. If you really want Web pages to load quickly you can opt to turn off the ability to display graphics and pictures. The browser will still display the text associated with the page and replace the graphic or picture with a small icon.

Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on the View menu
  2. Click Options
  3. Click the General tab
  4. Uncheck the "Show Pictures" box to turn off graphics loading.

Netscape Navigator:

  1. Click on the Options menu
  2. Uncheck the "Auto load Images" option.

Note: You will still have the ability to view any graphic or picture you choose to by clicking on the graphic's icon.

Change Your Default Home Page

When you start a browsing session with Netscape Navigator it automatically starts at Netscape's home page. Conversely, Internet Explorer starts at Microsoft's home page. Why start there? You can change either browser to start browsing at any site you want by simply changing the default home page.

Netscape Navigator:

  1. Click on the Options menu
  2. Click "General Preferences"
  3. Click the Appearance tab
  4. In the "Browser Starts With" box type in the address (URL) of any site you wish.

Internet Explorer:

  1. First, go to the page you wish to use as your start page
  2. Click the View menu
  3. Click Options
  4. Click the navigation tab
  5. Click on "Use Current"

Increase Type Size

For some people the size of the print on a page may be to small to read comfortably. Changing the size of the displayed type will keep you from squinting and relieve those headaches you get during a long browsing session.

Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on the font icon at the top of the Explorer window. (It's marked with an "A".)
  2. The large A increases the type size while the small A decreases the type size.

Netscape Navigator:

  1. Click the Options menu
  2. Click General Preferences
  3. Click on Fonts
  4. Select "Choose Font"
  5. Change the size to a higher number.

Change The Font

The displayed font (typeface) on your browser can also be hard on the eyes for some users. You can change the default font, called a proportional font, to something better suited to you.

Netscape Navigator:

  1. Click the Options menu
  2. Click General Preferences
  3. Click on Fonts
  4. Click on "Choose Font" then experiment with one that looks good on your screen.

Internet Explorer:

  1. Click the View menu
  2. Click Options
  3. Click General
  4. Click on the Font Settings button to change it.

Saved For Reference

Both Explorer and Navigator employ a system that allows you to save a frequently visited site so you can quickly go back to it anytime you wish. Explorer calls these "Favorites" while Navigator calls them "Bookmarks".

To add a site to your Internet Explorer Favorites list:

  1. Right-click on any blank area on a page you wish to add
  2. Select "Add To Favorites" from the menu that appears on your screen

To Bookmark a page (Navigator)

  1. Right-click on a blank area on a page you wish to add to your Bookmark list
  2. Select "Add Bookmark" from the menu that appears on your screen

Increase Web Page Real Estate

You can increase the size of the viewable area your browser uses to display pages by eliminating some of the navigation toolbars at the top of your browser. Of course, by doing this you eliminate the navigation buttons at the top of the browser’s window. You can still navigate by using keyboard shortcut keys instead of your mouse.

Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on the View menu
  2. Click Options
  3. Select General
  4. Uncheck Address Bar, Links, or Standard Buttons if you wish.

Netscape Navigator:

  1. Click the Options menu
  2. Remove the check marks at Show Location, Show Toolbar, Net Search, and/or Show Directory Buttons.

Note: Explorer version 4.0 users can get rid of all the fancy stuff by clicking on the "Full Screen" icon.

Shortcuts To Extra Special Sites

Don't just add an extra special site to your favorites list or Bookmark file, create a shortcut to it right on your Windows 95 desktop for instant access.

For both browsers:

  1. First go to the page you wish to create a shortcut to
  2. Right-click on a blank area of the page
  3. Select "Create Shortcut" from the menu that appears on the screen.

Organize Your Favorite Sites

After a short time your Favorites or Bookmarks list can become a confusing mess. Organize them into folders that make sense to you for quicker reference.

Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on the Favorites menu
  2. Click "Organize Favorites"
  3. Click once on folder/category
  4. Click the Open button
  5. Now, drag (Hold down the mouse button while moving the mouse to the new position.) your favorites into the folder

Netscape Navigator:

  1. Click on the Bookmarks menu
  2. Click "Go To Bookmarks"
  3. Under the Items menu click on insert folder and give the new folder a name
  4. Drag (Hold down the mouse button while moving the mouse to the new position.) your bookmarks into the folder.

Decaffeinated Browsing

Java applets, small programs that some sites use to perform specific functions, can slow you down dramatically. Eliminating Java support in your browser will speed up page loading.

Netscape Navigator:

  1. Click the Options menu
  2. Click Network Preferences
  3. Click on the Language tab
  4. Uncheck the Java and/or Java Script boxes.

Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on the View menu
  2. Click Options
  3. Click Security
  4. Uncheck the appropriate box.

Follow Links With A New Window

Following links from a search engine (or any page for that matter) can be frustrating when you continually need to back-track from a link that doesn't follow through. To keep the search engine page readily available while following a link from it:

With Both Browsers

  1. Press and hold down the "Shift" key while clicking on the link. The linked page will open in a new window.
  2. To get back to the search engine just maximize the engine's window.

Special Tip For AOL Users

America Online's Web browser is a customized version of Internet Explorer 3.0. If you wish, you can use any other Web browser you choose, including Netscape Navigator. First, though, you need to get your hands on the browser of your choice by either downloading or buying it. (Downloading is easier.) After you install your browser on your PC use it to surf the Web through AOL:

  1. Start your AOL session as you normally would
  2. Minimize the AOL Program
  3. Launch your preferred browser to surf the Web.