How to use Internet Explorer

The following article has been on site for a few years now during which time Internet Explorer has not only changed somewhat but has also been superseded by other browsers such as Chrome, however, although some of the symbols and icons may have changed, many of the basics still apply so I thought it was worthwhile leaving it on site.

Regular visitors to Hints and Things will know that the ethos of the site is to provide basic, simple but useful information on a variety of subjects. The use of computers is one of the subjects in question and, with this in mind, we have been very lucky in obtaining permission to reproduce some Course Notes supplied by Bear Computer Services Limited.

Before using this information please read the Important Notice at the foot of the page.

Starting the web browser

1. Double Click on the Internet Explorer icon on the screen

2. Click on the Internet Explorer icon on your task bar

3. Click Start (on the task bar), Programs, Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer is started and your Home Page is displayed

Accessing a known web site address

If you know a web site address, such as, www.bbc.co.uk then you can enter this address in the Address bar.

The example address above is preceded with ‘http://’ you don’t have to type this in as part of the address.

1. Start Internet Explorer.

2. Click on the Address bar. Any existing address will be highlighted.

3. Type the web site address. i.e. www.bbc.co.uk

4. Press Enter.

Using the Internet Explorer Tool Bar

You can use the Back and Forward buttons in Internet Explorer to move forwards and backwards through the web pages that you have been viewing.

If you have started to make a connection and decide that you do not want to continue with it, you may use the Stop button to cancel the navigation.

You may occasionally need to Refresh a web page to ensure that you have the latest version of it.

The Home button will move you back to your home web page.

The other really useful button in the tool bar is the Print button, as its name implies, it will print the page you are looking at to the default printer.

Navigating a web page

Once you have loaded a web page you can navigate around that page and other pages that are linked to it. You can identify a link by the fact that the mouse pointer changes to a (pointing) hand when you move across it. These links, which may be pictures or text, may go to another web page or to a different place in the same web page. To make links easier to identify they are sometimes underlined if they are text, see the illustration below.

1. To use one of the links, position your cursor over link you want to use.

The mouse pointer will change.

2. Click on this link.

A new web page will be displayed or you will be moved to a new position within the same page.

Adding web sites to ‘Favorites’

Once you have found some web sites that you like (or use regularly) you can add them to your ‘favorites’, to do this :-

1. Access the web site that you wish to store.

2. Click on the favorites menu.

3. Click on Add to Favorites, you will be asked to supply a title then click OK.

The web site (with the title you gave it) is now added to the favorites folder.

SEARCHING

The Internet is a great source of information, you can find web sites relating to the subjects that interest you by using Search Engines. There are many search engines that you can use, we will just look at a couple.

Using the search button

1. Click on the Search button on the toolbar.

Your screen will split into two areas (called frames), the left frame displays the search options and the right will keep your current web page. You can Select a different search engine from the drop down list in the left frame if you want to, although it is not necessary to do that.

2. Type keywords that identify the information that you want to look for i.e. children's free software.

3. Click on the Search button (next to the keywords you just typed).

A list of web sites with possible matches is now displayed in the search area. You can click on them to view the site.

Specialist Search Engine web sites

You do not have to use the search engine built in to Internet Explorer, you can use one of the hundreds of internet search engine web sites that are available, some of these include :-

AOL Search                http://search.aol.com

Ask Jeeves                 http://www.uk.ask.com

Google                       http://www.google.co.uk

HotBot                       http://www.hotbot.com

Lycos                         http://www.lycos.com

Bing                           http://www.bing.com

Yahoo                        http://www.yahoo.co.uk

To use one of the above sites :-

1. Click into the Address bar.

2. Enter the address of the search engine you want to use.

3. Press Enter
Some search engines allow you to narrow down the search by first selecting a category i.e. Computers, Hobbies, select the category if necessary.

4. Type keywords that identify the information that you want to look for i.e. children's free software.

5. Click on the Search button (next to the keywords you just typed)

You may find information on the internet that you want to keep, this may include text or pictures. Be careful when you do this to ensure that you are not breaking any copyrights.

To save the current page on your computer

1. On the File menu, click Save As.

2. Select the folder you want to save the page in.

3. In the File Name box, type a name for the page, and then click Save.

Note: Internet Explorer saves only the text on a page, not the graphics.

To save a picture

1. Right-click the picture

2. Click Save Target As.

3. Select the folder you want to save the page in.

4. In the File Name box, type a name for the item, and then click Save.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The names, places, and/or events used in this publication are purely fictitious and are not intended to correspond to any real individual, group, company, or event. Any similarity or likeness to any real individual, company, or event is purely coincidental and unintentional.

NO WARRANTIES OF ANY NATURE ARE EXTENDED BY THE DOCUMENT. Any product and related material disclosed herein are only furnished pursuant and subject to the terms and conditions of a duly executed license or agreement. Bear Computer Services Ltd. cannot accept any financial or other responsibility that may be the result of your use of the information in this document or software material, including direct, indirect, special or consequential damages.

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