Browser Basics

Definitions

1. URL – stands for “Uniform Resource Locator” which designates the computer (server) and the file where a Web page is
2. Bookmark (Safari, Mozilla, Firefox, Netscape) or Favorite (Internet Explorer) – A Web address (URL) that is saved in a “bookmarks” or “favorites” file so that you can easily return to the page.
3. Browser – Software (e.g., Firefox or Internet Explorer) used to display Web pages

Organizing Bookmarks or Favorites
Manage your web browsing better. Organize your bookmarks into named folders so that you can find them and easily return to these resources for sharing or for your own use.

Organizing strategies are as individualized as people are.

1. Organize bookmarks under groups/organizations to which you belong
2. Organize by project or your interests
3. Organize by persons with whom you have regular contact
4. Organize by course, course unit, topic, or assignments
5. Put sites that you want to look at later into a folder
6. Put sites accessed every day in a special folder
7. Organize your folders and bookmarks alphabetically
8. All of the above

Organize Favorites – Internet Explorer

1. From Favorites menu bar, select Favorites, Organize Favorites.
2. Highlight the item under which you’d like to place a new folder.
3. Create folders by choosing Favorites, Organize Favorites, New Folder. Then type a name for the folder.
4. Make folders for several categories
5. Drag bookmarks into these folders. A black bar will indicate the insertion point.

Organize Bookmarks – Firefox
1. From the menu bar, Bookmarks, “Manage Bookmarks.”
2. Expand or contract folders using the triangle icon (Macintosh) or “+” and “-” (Windows).
3. Drag the small icon in front of the web location (URL) into a folder or between bookmarks in the Bookmarks window.
4. A black bar will indicate the insertion point.

Organize Bookmarks – Netscape
1. From Bookmarks menu bar, select Bookmarks, Edit Bookmarks.
2. Highlight the item under which you’d like to place a new folder.
3. Create folders by choosing File, New Folder. Then give the folder a name and click OK.
4. Make folders for several categories
5. Drag bookmarks into these folders. A black bar will indicate the insertion point.

Netscape (late versions)
1. From the menu bar, Bookmarks, “File Bookmarks.”
2. Select the folder or sub-folder in which you want to store the bookmark.

Add new bookmarks into your newly organized framework
Internet Explorer
1. From the menu bar, Favorites, Organize Favorites.
2. Expand or contract folders using the triangle icon(Macintosh) or “+” and “-” (Windows).
3. Drag a favorite into a folder or between favorites in the Favorites window.
4. A black bar will indicate the insertion point.

NOTE: You may store a bookmark in more than one folder if you wish.
Expand your organizational framework

1. Add new folders as you need them
2. Delete junk you no longer use.
3. Instead of just “Add Bookmark” or “Add Favorite,” organize as you add each new one.

Other Web Browser Tips
Opening frames and printing a Web page frame- Frames are panes within one browser window. One frame (or pane) can have links that control what is shown in another frame on the same page. For example, headers or advertisements can be in frame at the top such that they always show.

Macintosh computers (Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer)
To open frames in a separate window, press and hold the mouse button over the background area of the screen you want to view separately. When the menu appears, select “This frame,” then “New window with this frame” (or Open frame in new window) and lift the mouse button.

Windows (Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer)
To open frames in a separate window, click the right mouse button once in the background area of the frame you want to print. Then select “Open Frame in New Window” by highlighting this choice and clicking the left mouse button.

Depending on your browser version,
1. File, Print or just select “Print” OR
2. Within the print window, “print frames.”

Copying and pasting a Web location
Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer (Windows)
1. Click once in the location bar (where the http is) or drag over the Web location (URL) in the location bar to highlight the full address (URL).
2. From the menu bar, select Edit, Copy (shortcut Command-C) which places the Web address into temporary storage.
3. Go to the location where you would like to place the address (URL).
4. From the menu, select Edit, Paste (shortcut Command-V).

Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer (Macintosh)
1. Click once in the location bar (where the http is) or drag over the Web location (URL) in the location bar to highlight the full address (URL).
2. From the menu bar, select Edit, Copy (shortcut Ctrl-C) which places the Web address into temporary storage.
3. Go to the location where you would like to place the address (URL).
4. From the menu bar, Edit, Copy (shortcut Ctrl-C) and Edit, Paste (shortcut Ctrl-V)

Help your Web browser speed up
The cache is a storage area on your computer which contains the contents of the Web pages you’ve visited during the current session. It can fill up and slow down your computer.

To empty cache, from the menu bar,
1. Select Preferences from the menu under which it appears.
2. Under “Advanced,” select Cache (Mozilla Firefox) or Clear History (Internet Explorer).
3. Then clear cache or clear history.

Browser Force Refresh or Reload
Depending on your Operating System, press the following keys.
Windows: ctrl + F5
Mac: apple+r
Linux: f5

EDIT (Will Rhodes) : “Pressing F5 should force all browsers to reload or refresh these days, you don’t have to hold the Ctrl key.

Screen shot in a browser window is one thing that people need to learn – hitting the Print screen button will screen shot your whole window, but if you hold down the Alt key then the Prt Scrn key you will only copy the active part of of the browser window – doing so means that you don’t have to worry about what other applications you have running in the task bar – try it, it works. “

Safari – To get the best out of wordpress please read this information and this Safari 3.0.3 Beta Report (Hat tip)

Flock - is a web browser heavily based upon Mozilla Firefox and other Mozilla technologies.

Related blog posts:
Browser Tutorials
Which Browser and Version