Lesson 1

Customizing Your Browser Settings

Take just a few minutes to set your preferences in your browser.   
Explore, decide and adjust your cookies, Java, cache and a few other browser preferences.  Optimizing your browser performance, customizing the monitor display and adjusting the cookies will speed up your Internet viewing.

Four Items to Adjust
 

Viewing Preferences

• ADVANTAGE - Visual accessibility.
• DISADVANTAGE - none
   

PROGRAM	TEXT SIZE	FONT TYPE	TOOLBARS SHOW-HIDE
Internet Explorer	Page: Text size (Zoom Text)	N/A  (Uses specified font of page.)	Tools: Toolbars   (or right-click toolbar) Tools: Customize Toolbar
Safari	View: Make text bigger; Make text smaller. CMD +  or  -	Preferences: Appearance (Adjustable if web page does not specify a default font)	View: Toolbars (Show/Hide  Address Bar  or Bookmarks Bar) View: Customize Toolbar
FireFox	View: Text size: Increase or Decrease	N/A  (Uses specified font of page.)	View: Toolbars (Navigation, Bookmark, Status, Sidebar: Bookmarks & History)

Window Size

• ADVANTAGE - Allows you to adjust "real estate" on your computer screen.
• DISADVANTAGE - none

PLATFORM	MAXIMIZE WINDOW	WINDOW SIZE
Internet Explorer	Click the 'maximize" screen icon in the upper right corner  to fill screen with window.	Expand the window by grabbing the lower right corner with your cursor.
Safari	Click green "gum drop" on window (upper left.)	Pull lower right corner  of window downward or to the right.

Web Page Locators  -  Bookmarks & Favorites

1. Remove any Bookmark / Favorites that came default with the browser download.
2. Add favorites or bookmarks for pages you will use such as an alternate search engine, reference or news site or WebReady ;-)

• ADVANTAGE - Keeps your most commonly used links quickly accessible.
• DISADVANTAGE - none
  

PLATFORM	VIEW	ADD	MANAGE -  DELETE / REORDER
Internet Explorer	Favorites	Add Favorite - Create a folder, store bookmark in folder or preferred toolbar.	Edit: "Edit" Use delete key to remove unwanted bookmarks. "Organize Favorites" to add new folders.
Safari	Bookmarks	Add:  Select "add" and select a folder or location to store bookmark	Bookmarks menu (top of screen):  Edit: "Show All Bookmarks". Use delete key to remove unwanted bookmarks. Click on text to shorten or edit names and URLs. (Click on text. Wait 4 seconds and then click on text again to make the text editable.) Create New Folder:  "Add Bookmark Folder"  Enter name for folder.
FireFox	Bookmarks	Add: "Bookmark this page" Select a folder or location to store bookmark. You can customize your toolbar and add an icon to add bookmarks quickly. View: Toolbars: Customize	Bookmarks menu (top of screen):  Edit: "Manage Bookmarks". Use delete key to remove unwanted bookmarks. Click on text to shorten or edit names and URLs. (Click on text. Wait 4 seconds and then click on text again to make the text editable.) Create New Folder:  "Manage Bookmarks"  Select "new folder icon.

Personal Toolbar / Favorites Toolbar

• ADVANTAGE - Keeps your most commonly used links quickly accessible in the toolbar.
• DISADVANTAGE - none
  

PROGRAM	DRAG METHOD	MENU METHOD
Internet Explorer	Make Links toolbar visible. View: Toolbars: Links Drag favicon to directly onto the Links Toolbar	Add Bookmark:  Add to Favorite to Links folder.
Safari	Make Bookmark toolbar visible.   View: Toolbars: Bookmark Toolbars Drag favicon to preferred toolbar location. (See image below.)	Add Bookmark: Bookmarks: Add to Bookmarks Toolbar.
FireFox	Make Bookmark toolbar visible.   View: Toolbars: Bookmark Toolbars Drag favicon to preferred toolbar location.	Bookmarks menu:  Bookmark this Page: Add to Bookmarks Toolbar.

Tab Viewing

• ADVANTAGE - Open pages are kept in an orderly arrangement for quick re-access to contents.
• DISADVANTAGE - To see pages side-by-side, you need to exit the tab mode (CONTRL + click or right click tab)
  

PROGRAM	TABS	IMAGE
Internet Explorer 7	Tools: Internet Options:  General tab: Tab Settings: Tabs appear when you have multiple web pages open.  The open pages display in the tab bar. Tabs allow you to keep more than one page open without having to deal with multiple windows.  You can choose whether you want to use tabs to display multiple pages that are open or use separate windows.    If you are in the Tab mode and want to display two pages side-by-side, you can always Control + click the tab and select "Open tab in separate window."
Safari	Win - Tools:Options: Tabs: (set prefs) Mac - Preferences: Tabs: (set prefs)
FireFox	Win - Tools: Options: Tabs: (set prefs) Mac - Preferences: Tabs: (set prefs)

Default - Home Page

• ADVANTAGE - Upon opening your browser, your favorite web, portal, or news site will immediately open.
• DISADVANTAGE - It takes longer for the browser to open.  You have to wait for the page to load to enter another URL.
  

PLATFORM	BROWSER HOME PAGE	IMAGE
Internet Explorer	Tools: Internet Options: General: Home page: (enter preferred start-page URL).
Safari	Mail Preferences: General: Home Page: Enter the URL of a preferred start-up page.
FireFox	Windows -Tools: Options: Mainl: Locations: Enter the URL of a preferred start-up page. Mac OS - Preferences: Main: Startup: Enter the URL of a preferred start-up page.

Default - Email Application

• ADVANTAGE - Unless you set the default email application in your operating system, your browser will now know which program to open when you click on an email link.
• DISADVANTAGE - none
  

PLATFORM	PREFERRED EMAIL APPLICATION	IMAGE
Internet Explorer	Tools: Internet Options: Programs:  Email Client (Use the menu to set your default email reader.)
Safari	Mail Preferences: General: Default Email Reader  Select your preferred program.  (If you do not see it in the menu, you will need to download and install the program first.)
FireFox	Windows - Set in system Control Panel 1. Start Menu: Control Panel: Set Program Access and Defaults. Note You can also start this utility from Control Panel. To do this, open Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel, and then click Set Program Access and Defaults. 2. Select the default programs for the listed computer activities by selecting the appropriate options.Note If your program does not appear by name, configure it as the default program, and then click to select the Use my current program option for the appropriate activity. For information about how to configure a program to be the default, contact the vendor of that program. 3. Click OK. Mac - Mail: Preferences: General: Default Email Reader	(see above)

Search Engine

• ADVANTAGE - Gives you easy access to your preferred search engine. (See Lesson 2 - About Search Engines)
• DISADVANTAGE - none
  

PLATFORM	BROWSER DEFAULT SEARCH ENGINE
Internet Explorer	Explorer defaults to Live Search.  Click Search Icon (Eye) in the Explorer toolbar.  A browser side-panel will open.  Click "customize" , a dialog box will open. Select "use one search service".  (Note: Google is missing in the list.)
Safari	Cannot change  (Apple has a deal with Google.  Put a Bookmark in your personal toolbar instead.)	none
FireFox	Select a search engine from the main toolbar.  Click the little arrow next to the (default) search engine icon which happens to be Google.

Pop-up Blockers

• ADVANTAGE - This feature will suppress annoying pop-up window that occur when visiting commercial sites.
• DISADVANTAGE - This feature will keep you from seeing important window used in discussion boards and and academic course management systems such as WebAccess (Moodle)
  

PROGRAM	DISABLE POP-UP BLOCKERS	IMAGE
Internet Explorer	Tools: Pop-up Blocker :   Turn off / Disable (Make sure that any previous installation of Norton is not enabling a pop-up blocking program.)  Symantec support page: http://service1.symantec.com/support/nip.nsf/pfdocs/2003082718220036
Safari	Safari Menu - Block Pop-Up Windows    (Turn off / Disable)
FireFox	Mac - Preferences: Content: Block Pop-up windows Win -  Tools: Options: Content: Block Pop-up windows (Turn off / Disable)

Setting Download Folder 

• ADVANTAGE - Each browser will download Internet items to different locations.  Set your preferred download folder to avoid losing things on your computer.
• DISADVANTAGE - none
  

PROGRAM	DOWNLOAD FOLDER
	When clicking on a browser link that downloads a document, you can decide to which location you want the file to go.
Internet Explorer 7	Tools: Internet Options: Security : Receiving Files: Download Options: Download Folder (Change Location)
Safari	Win - Safari saves automatically: XP saves to Documents folder; Vista saves to Downloads folder. Mac - Safari Preferences: General (Save downloaded files to)
FireFox	Win - Tools:Options: Main: (downloads section) Mac - Preferences: Main: (downloads section)

Empty Cache

Browser cache stores the images and text of the last few pages you have visited in your computer's memory.  It keeps the images safely in its memory in case you return to that page and want to view its contents and load it quickly. More info: Setting Cache

Setting cache:

• ADVANTAGE - It allows quick reloading of pages you have just accessed.
• DISADVANTAGE - it shows old or "unrefreshed" page views.  It causes login problems. It uses additional computer memory.
  

PROGRAM	EMPTY CACHE	IMAGE
Internet Explorer	Tools: Delete Browsing History After emptying cache, click the reload button in IE toolbar (circular arrow).
Safari	Safari Menu - Empty Cache After emptying cache, click the reload button in Safari toolbar (circular arrow).
FireFox	Mac - Preferences: Advanced: Network: Offline Storage: Clear Now Win -  Tools: Options: Advanced: Network: Offline Storage: Clear Now or Clear Private Data: Browsing & download histories, cache, cookies, passwords, certificates, etc.: Mac - Preferences: Privacy: Private Data: Clear now Win -Tools menu:  Clear Private Data  After emptying cache, click the reload button in Firefox toolbar (circular arrow).

Setting Cookie & Privacy Preferences

Cookies remember you!   A "cookie" is a small amount of information that a web site copies to your hard disk.   A cookie can help a web site identify you the next time you visit. For instance, if you shop for books online, the bookstore's web site might use a cookie to store information about your favorite subjects, and later use that information to recommend particular books. More Info: Cookie Settings

Enabling Cookies 

• ADVANTAGE - Your browser cookie will help a site remember your name and login for you so that you don't have to type that information again.
• DISADVANTAGE - None. The script on your hard disk takes up negligible space. Cookies are not "spies" tracking your personal movements. They can help collect statistical data about users' visits to web pages and their movements / path through a particular site. Cookie Rumors
   

PROGRAM	COOKIE SETTINGS	IMAGE
Internet Explorer	Tools: Internet Options: Privacy: Advanced (If you wish to change the default settings, click "Override automatic cookie handling" to get to the settings box.
Safari	Safari Preferences: Security: Accept Cookies (Only from sites you navigate to . . . )
FireFox	Mac - Preferences: Privacy: Cookies: Win - Tools menu: Options: Privacy: Cookies: (Decide how long you wish to keep a cookie.  Note you can go in to the list and select cookies from commercial sites and delete them.) Clear Private Data: Browsing & download histories, cache, cookies, passwords, certificates, etc.: Mac - Preferences: Privacy: Private Data: Clear now Win -Tools menu:  Clear Private Data

Enabling Java

Java, enabled in your browser, allows for automatic loading of features which add media and active content.  When you bring a web page to your screen, your browser automatically loads (starts up) several features that help interpret web pages. These features can make web pages more lively; however, they may also take a bit more time to load.  More info:   Enabling Java

• ADVANTAGE - enables advanced loading of media and active content.
• DISADVANTAGE - none, may use more active memory of your computer
  

Form Auto-Fill 

• ADVANTAGE - saves you from having to retype form data
• DISADVANTAGE - enters incorrect information into forms when logging in (captitalizes letters that you may not want in case-sensitive logins)   Disable if causing problems
  

PROGRAM	FORM AUTO-FILL
Internet Explorer	Win - Tools: Internet Options: Content: Auto Complete: Settings: Disable (uncheck)
Safari	Mac - Preferences: Auto Fill: (enable or disable)
Firefox	No option to disable.  It can be cleared:  Mac -Tools menu:  Clear Private Data  Win -Tools menu:  Clear Private Data  http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Form+autocomplete

Script de-bugging

• ADVANTAGE - enables web designers to check pages for errors.
• DISADVANTAGE - impedes users with annoying messages about script errors in the code of the page
  

PROGRAM	INTERNET OPTION SETTINGS
IE	Win - Tools: Internet Options: Advanced: select (put a check in) the Disable Script Debugging check box.

Resources

1. IE7 Take a Tour, http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/columns/ie7_toolbar.mspx
2. Safari. Tour, http://movies.apple.com/movies/us/apple/safari/2007/wwdc/apple-safari_672x416.mov
3. Version Tracker   (PC/Mac)            http://www.versiontracker.com/   (Can't find a file or a version?  Check Version Tracker.)
4. Mac OS Downloads:  http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/
5. Windows Downloads:  http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/downloads/default.aspx

Continue!   

Centers for Teaching and Learning, San Mateo Community College District, CA USA    Updated  9/6/2008  by Sevastopoulos