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Using Your Browser

Getting Started

The two most popular Web browsers on the market are Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator.  When you first launch your browser, it may automatically display a preset Web page called your "home" or "start" page. Most of the time, the browser initially takes you to the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator Web site. If you prefer to begin with a different Web page, for example, lighthouse.org, you can change your start page by following the steps below:

For Microsoft Internet Explorer

  1. Click on "Tools" in your browser menu.
  2. Click on "Internet Options."
  3. Under the "General" tab in the "Home Page" area, do one of the following:
    • To specify a new home page, type the address of the Web page you want as your new home page in the "Address" edit box.
    • If you have the Web page you want as your new home page already displayed in your browser, click "Use Current" to save it as your home page.
    • To use the default home page, click "Use Default."
    • To have no specific home page, click "Use None" and your browser will start with a blank page.
  4. Click "OK" to save your selection and exit the menu window.

For Netscape Navigator

  1. Click on "Edit" in your browser menu.
  2. Click on "Preferences."
  3. Click on "Browser Display" under "Web Browser."
  4. In the "Home Page" area, do one of the following:
    • To specify a new home page, in the Address box, type the address of the Web page you want as your new home page.
    • To use the default home page, click "Use Default."
    • To have no specific home page, click "Use None" and your browser will start with a blank page.
  5. To display your home page each time you open a new window, select "Automatically go to this Home Page when opening a new window" check box.
  6. Click "OK" to save your selection and exit the menu window.

Changing the Font Size of a Web Page

You can always change the text size of any Web page in Microsoft Internet Explorer, by following these two steps.

First:

  • Click on the Tools menu or press Alt+T.
  • Select the Internet Options submenu or press O.  This will open the Internet Options dialog box.
  • Click on the Accessibility button in the General tab or press Alt+E.  This will open the Accessibility dialog box.
  • Check the checkbox with the label: Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages or press Alt+Z.
  • Click on the OK button or tab to it, then hit Enter to close the Accessibility dialog box.
  • Click on the OK button or tab to it, then hit Enter again to close the Internet Options dialog box.

These steps are important to make sure that the size you select will override the font size specified in the Style Sheets of the Web page (if any).

Second:

  • Click on the View menu or press Alt+V.
  • Open the Text Size submenu or press X.
  • Select the text size you are comfortable with from the five options available: Largest, Larger, Medium, Smaller and Smallest.

Parts of the Browser and Browser Functions

Browser Address

This edit/combo box is used to type in or to select the Web address (URL) of the site you want to visit. Click on the "Go" button or press the "Enter" (Return) key on your keyboard when you are done to actually go to the site.

Tip: You do not have to start the Web address with "http://"; it is usually filled in by default.

Browser Toolbar

The toolbar buttons at the top of your browser window are used as navigational tools to go back, go forward, stop loading a Web page, refresh its contents, or go to your home page.

Here are the basic functions of these buttons:

  • Back Arrow: Takes you back to the previous Web page you visited.
  • Forward Arrow: Takes you to the next Web page you already visited, if any (in case you clicked on the "Back" button).
  • Stop: Stops loading the current page, in case it was taking too long to show up. You can try it again later.
  • Refresh: Refreshes or updates the contents of the current Web page. If you think that the Web page did not fully load or did not load properly, you can reload it to get a "fresh" copy. Also, if the Web site you are visiting gives updated scores of a current football game for example, you should reload it frequently to get the latest updates (unless the Web page is set to refresh automatically).
  • Home: Takes you to your home page or start page.

Browser Status Bar

Located at the bottom of your browser window, the status bar shows the progress of the Web page being loaded, and identifies whether it is a secure page or not. If a closed yellow lock displays, the page is secure. A secure page is a page that hackers or intruders cannot break into to read or manipulate its content.

Favorites or Bookmarks

To save a Web site address so that you can easily get back to it anytime in the future without having to retype the entire URL, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to the page you want to save in your "Favorites" list.
  2. Click on "Add to Favorites" in the "Favorites" menu.
  3. Enter a nickname for that page or just use the default name selected.

To open one of your "Favorites" pages in the future, simply click on the "Favorites" menu, and then select the name of the page you would like to go to from the list.

What You Can Do