Internet Tips

Online Forums and Newsgroups

There are all kinds of online forums where you can exchange tips and ask questions on a specific topic. A Photoshop forum is usually the best way to reach Photoshop experts, and so on. Microsoft's teams hang around the Outlook Express Talk mailing list and the Internet Explorer newsgroup, too. Forums will also allow you to learn more about your Mac, thus increasing your general knowledge faster than the "trial and error" method. Check out the Macintosh-tips links for some good forums to join.

Comments

   

Netscape vs. Explorer

Although there are many proponents of both of these major browsers, and both have unique advantages, overall Internet Explorer seems to be the more useful and stable, IMHO. I have used both, and gradually migrated from Netscape to IE because of the more sophisticated "History" access and the Forms Autofill functions.

I have also had much better luck accessing Java-based sites and services with IE than with Netscape.

That said, there are some sites which work with Netscape but not with Explorer, and vice versa. I keep current copies of both on my machine, to cover all situations.

Comments

   

Tiny Type on Websites

Is the type on this website, or any other, too small for you to read comfortably? In Internet Explorer and Netscape both, it's easy to magnify your pages.

Explorer: Go to the "View" menu and scroll down to "Text Zoom." Select a magnification that's comfortable for you.

Netscape: Click "View" in your menu bar, and select "increase font size."

Comments

   

What Is This garbage?

What Is This Garbage??

Have you ever tried to download something from the net, and gotten a browser page full of gobblety-gook and no download? It's frustrating, particularly if it's something you really want, or worse yet, really need!

Here's a tip: That garbage in your window really is the download! These are http downloads, from servers that don't support anonymous FTP. So here's what you need to do to get your download:

Wait until the page completes downloading … you don't want to cut it off. Then use File =>Save As … in your browser, to save it as a text file on your desktop. Last, go to your desktop and drag-n-drop the file onto Stuffit Expander (or use Stuffit Expander to open the file). Presto! There's your download!

Comments

   

Websites the Easy Way

Are you craving a website of your very own, but don't know the first thing about HTML? There are a lot of site providers who cater to folks in your situation.

Many of the "Free website" providers, like Geocities, Fortune City, Angelfire, Homestead and Tripod, offer simple tools to let you build a cool home page without ever learning a single HTML command. So give it a whirl! Who knows? You might wind up learning HTML anyway!

Comments

   

Browse better with OSX and OMNIWeb

If OS X is your bag, but Internet Explorer just doesn't do it for you, check out OMNIWeb. Version 4.0 won two Apple Design Awards this year, and has been touted as "most elegant web browser" by MacAddict Magazine. Even better, it's FREE to use, although if your conscience bothers you, you can purchase a license from their site for $29.95.

Visit OMNIWeb

Comments