Free Computer Tips and Tricks

The Internet Explorer is the Web Browser software that is used to access the information available on the Internet. It is developed by Microsoft Company of USA and it is built-in in Windows operating system. When Microsoft Windows (98, 2000, XP or Vista) is installed, it is automatically installed and its icon is created on the desktop. The independent latest version of Internet explorer is also available in CD-ROM.

To start the Internet Explorer, follow any one step from these steps.

• Double click the Internet Explorer icon on the desktop.
• Select “Programs” from Start menu, a submenu will appear.
• Select the “Internet Explorer” from the “Programs” menu.

After starting the Internet Explorer, a window appears on the screen as shown in figure below.

Components of Internet Explorer Window

The main components of the Internet Explorer are described below.

1. Address Bar

Address Bar is the most important component of the Internet Explorer window used to access the website. The URL address of the web page is given in address bar. When website address is typed in the Address bar (or can be selected from the dropdown list) and Enter is pressed or GO icon located at right end of address bar is clicked, Internet Explorer connects to website and starts downloading the web page. For example, to access the website of FreeComputerTips, the web site address is given as:

http://www.free-computer-tips.info

The use of http://www is optional in the latest version of Internet Explorer, so mentioned address can be written as:

free-computer-tips.info

The Internet Explorer also maintains the list of recently accessed web site addresses. These can be displayed and used by clicking the down arrow at the right end of the address bar.

2. Toolbar Icons

Like other Windows based application programs, Internet Explorer also has toolbar icons used as shortcut commands to perform different tasks. The brief description of each of these toolbar icons is given below.

Back = It is used to access or display web page that was accessed immediately before current web page. It is enabled only if more than one page is accessed otherwise it is disabled.

Forward = It is used to access or display the forward page that was loaded after the current page. It is enabled only if you use the Back icon to see the previous page otherwise it is disabled.

Stop = It is used to stop the downloading process of the current web page.

Refresh = It is used to reload the current web page. Some websites are updated continuously after a specified interval of time. The browser program downloads the page only once. So to download the latest information of the current page, Refresh button is clicked. Similarly, it is also used if the download process is stopped or slow or your computer is disconnected from Internet. After making connection it is used.

Home = It is used to download the default page. You can set any web page as default page through the setup of the Internet Explorer. When the Internet Explorer is started, the home page or default page automatically starts to be downloaded.

Search = It is used to access different search engine programs. The search engine program is used to search information on the Internet.

Favorites = It is used to maintain a list of important website addresses and also to access them. The website addresses in the list of favorite can also be deleted.

History = It is used to see the list of website addresses that are recently accessed or visited.

Mail = It is used to read and send e-mail.

Print = It is used to print the information that is downloaded from current page.

Discuss = It is used to access the discussion group on the Internet.

3. Menu Bar

The Internet Explorer also provides menu bar in which commands are perform different tasks. The brief description of menu bar is given below.

File Menu

It contains commands that are used to organize the information collected from the Internet. For example, the downloaded information of web sites can be saved on disk, new Internet Explorer window can be opened, information can be printed using print command etc.

Edit Menu

It contains commands used to manipulate information downloaded from the Internet. For example, Copy command is used to copy the selected information of page to the clipboard.

View Menu

It is used to set the appearance of Internet Explorer window. For example, Toolbars command is used to view or hide the various toolbars on the Internet Explorer window.

Favorites Menu

It contains commands used to organize and to add the most important web site addresses.

Tools Menu

It contains commands that are used for the setting of different options of Internet Explorer.

Help Menu

It is used to get help about the Internet Explorer.

3. Setting Your Home Page

The main page or title page that contains the links of other Web pages is referred to as Home Page. The Home page is downloaded first when you enter the URL address of the Web site. You can assign any page in Internet Explorer as your home page. Each time you start Internet Explorer, home page automatically loaded.

To specify a home page, follow these steps.

1. Choose Internet Options from Tools menu. The dialog box will appear.
2. Click the General tab.
3. Type URL address in the “Address:” text box.

If you want to assign the current downloaded page as Home page then click the “Use Current” button. Similarly, if you want to set a blank page then click “Use Blank” button.