Exploring the Internet

The Internet can help you work, learn, shop, communicate, or just have fun. It can broaden your horizons. This document will help get you up and "surfing."

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. The names of companies, products, people, characters, and/or data mentioned herein are fictitious and are in no way intended to represent any real individual, company, product, or event, unless otherwise noted. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation. If, however, your only means of access is electronic, permission to print one copy is hereby granted.

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About This Document

This document will help you get started using the Internet and Web, learn more about its history, and give you ideas about how you might use the Web. Once you’re up and "surfing," you’ll undoubtedly encounter some challenges. We hope you’ll find that communicating with people around the world is worth dealing with the challenges. And, remember that Internet technology is constantly growing and improving.

Depending on how much you know or where you are in the process of using the Internet, you may find the beginning sections of this document helpful:

• Introducing the Internet (Web)
• System Requirements
• Getting Connected
• Troubleshooting

If you already know what the Internet is and have gotten connected, but want to know more about using Internet Explorer, you can skip ahead to "Using the Internet Explorer Web Browser."

These days, you see Web addresses (such as www.microsoft.com) everywhere: on T-shirts, billboards, and television advertisements. You may wonder what it’s all about: where is the Web, why does it exist, or who owns it?

Simply put, the Web, which is a part of a larger group of connected computers called the Internet, is a system that enables you to see documents in richly formatted text and graphics. Perhaps you’ve heard a wide range of opinions about the Web. Some people consider it to be the best place to spend time and energy. Other people regard it as "hype" and a waste of time. What can the Web, also known as the World Wide Web or WWW, do for you?

In some ways, the Web is like a huge, disorganized encyclopedia with text and pictures about subjects ranging from aardvarks to zygotes. The Web differs from a volume of printed books, because Web content is constantly being added to and changed. It isn’t created by a single publishing company, and it comes in a variety of forms: text, video, graphics, and even pages you can interact with.

The Web has its challenges. It’s not always easy to find what you want. You might encounter broken links (text or pictures you click to move to another page). One reason the Web is imperfect is that no one person or company owns all the hardware, the software, or the content. Some view this as a handicap; for example, the Internet doesn’t have a customer service department you can complain to. Some view this as a strength, however, because it fosters a sense of freedom and diversity.

The Web brings with it a lot of new terms and concepts. The "Understanding Internet terms" section at the end of this document explains many of the more common ones.

Internet History

You may wonder how the Internet was created, and what makes the Internet work. In the late 1960s, the United States Department of Defense sought ways to buffer its network from problems, ranging from power outages to military disasters. Its network had been centralized, and officials believed a decentralized network was more resistant to disasters. The point was to create a network that could still function, even if a portion was damaged or inoperable.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency launched its own decentralized network, called ARPANET. The network relied on a protocol – or a common set of communications rules—called Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, or TCP/IP.

The network was used by the government and occasionally by universities. Over time, more and more educational institutions sought ARPANET connections, so ARPANET was split into two sections: NSFNET, for civilians, and MILNET, for the military.

Though the 1980s, people and institutions from Europe and Asia began to use the Internet. The Internet provided various ways to share data, though electronic mail, Telnet (a service that enables one computer to log onto another), and newsgroups, sometimes known as bulletin boards.

In the middle 1980s, CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics in Geneva, expanded TCP/IP throughout its network, called CERNET. Initially, CERNET didn’t use external connections, but by 1989, it began using the Internet as a means of transmitting data. Tim Berners-Lee, a CERN researcher, proposed the World Wide Web project as a graphical, nonlinear means for physicists to share data and collaborate on projects.

In the early 1990s, the Web was born. Server computers from other institutions—such as the National Center for Super Computing—were added to the Web project. Web browsers—programs that help people view WWW content—started being developed. And other institutions begin to use the Web, although the initial use was primarily among scientists and educational institutions.

In the next few years, the popularity of the Internet exploded. More and more companies offered Internet service. More companies, institutions, and private individuals created Web sites. Now, you can find Web sites for anything from Abyssinian cats to Zanzibari culture.

Ways to Use the Internet

Perhaps you’re wondering how the Internet might help you. Well, do you have hobbies that you want to know more about? Are you wanting to increase your professional knowledge? Are you planning a trip? Searching for a friend? Here are some ideas.

Imagine that you build radio-controlled boats. You might find companies who sell parts, clubs who share the same hobbies, and tips and tricks about installing motors. Whatever your hobbies are, you might be surprised to find out how many people across the world share similar interests.

You may be able to find information about your profession. Do you belong to a professional association? It may have a Web page. Are you interested in a specific technology or process? Some researchers publish excerpts from their work. Are you looking for a job? Some companies post their own job listings, and some sites are devoted to employment information. Many metropolitan newspapers—and some smaller newspapers—post employment information on the Web.

Suppose you’re planning a trip to Barbados. By searching the Web, you can find out what the climate is like, which official documents (such as proof of citizenship) you’ll need, and what to do for fun. (For information about searching, see "Finding Information on the Internet" later in this document.) You might even find a menu from a restaurant, or a restaurant review. You might find places to call or write for more information. Some services even enable you to purchase an airline ticket or book a hotel. You should be careful about the information you find on the Web, though, especially if you don’t know the company or person who produced it.

Are you an investor? You can find a wide variety of investment information on the Internet. You can even find official 10K reports, which companies provide to the Securities Exchange Commission. Investing is another area where you should be especially careful. Don’t provide personal or financial information to anyone you don’t trust. For more information about security, see "Setting Security Levels" later in this document.

Have you lost touch with a friend? You can search for people by using popular Internet white pages. For information, see "Finding People on the Internet" later in this document.

Now that you have a basic grasp of what the Internet is, why not jump in and start using Internet Explorer?

Internet Explorer Quick Start

Where do you start when you want to explore the Internet? This section tells you what you need and how to get connected.

System Requirements

If you haven’t already connected to the Internet, you’ll need a modem and an Internet service provider (sometimes called an ISP) who supplies a "gateway" to the Internet, or access to a local area network (LAN) that supplies Internet services.

If you’re connecting to the Internet from home, you’ll probably connect using a modem. A modem can be inside your computer, or it can attach externally to your computer. If your computer didn’t come with one, you can purchase a modem through mail order, from a computer store, or in the electronics section of some department and discount stores.

Here’s a checklist that will help you get started:

• Microsoft Windows® 95 or Microsoft Windows NT®
• 12 megabytes (MB) of memory for Windows 95 or 16 if you install the Windows Desktop Update; 16 MB of memory for Windows NT 4.0 or 24 MB if you install the Windows Desktop Update
• 40 to 73 MB of available hard-disk space to run Internet Explorer components
• A CD-ROM drive (recommended)
• A modem (14.4K baud or higher) or a connection to a local area network (LAN)
• An Internet service provider (ISP)
• A mouse or compatible pointing device

Getting Connected

Follow the instructions from your Internet Service provider for installing Internet Explorer.

After Internet Explorer is installed on your computer, double-click the Internet Explorer icon on your computer desktop. If you are connecting to the Internet for the first time, the Internet Connection Wizard appears. Follow the instructions in the wizard to set up your connection.

If you encounter problems, consult the materials that your ISP or network administrator supplied you. If you have a modem, you should double-check the settings. To do this, in Control Panel, double-click the Modems icon, and make sure the settings are correct for your type of modem.

Troubleshooting

Are you having problems getting started? If you received written materials from your ISP, you should check to see if they contain troubleshooting instructions, and then follow them. If you’re already up and surfing, then you can skip to the "Using the Internet Explorer Web Browser" section of this document.

The first step in troubleshooting a problem is to write down any error message that appears when you try to complete a task. You should also try to remember exactly what you were doing when the message appeared. That way, if you call for assistance, you can give technical support personnel as much information as possible.

If you’re having trouble setting up an Internet connection, the troubleshooting steps you need to take vary depending on what option you chose when you ran the Internet Connection Wizard. The wizard offers three options to set up your computer to connect to the Internet: Automatic, Manual, and Current.

This option is best if you don’t have an account with an ISP. The wizard sets up your computer and gives you a choice of service providers.

If you chose this option and can’t connect, the Internet Connection Wizard displays a Could Not Connect screen with a Help button. Click Help to open the Internet Connection Wizard Troubleshooter. This is the best way to solve problems setting up your Internet connection.

If you still encounter problems after running the troubleshooter, you can find product support phone numbers in online Help. Look up "support" in the Internet Explorer Help Index. If you are trying to connect to the sign-up page for an ISP, contact the ISP’s customer support.

The Manual setup option is best if you want to connect to the Internet by using a local area network or if you already have an account with an ISP and need to set up your computer to use that account.

The Current setup option is best if your computer is already set up to connect to the Internet or you already have an account with an ISP. Choosing this option bypasses the Internet Connection Wizard and starts Internet Explorer the next time you double-click the Internet Explorer icon on your desktop.

If you chose either of these options and can’t connect, the Internet Connection Wizard does not provide additional help. In this case, you should investigate two broad areas to find the source of your problem:

• Check to see whether your modem is set up and working properly. For more information, see the next section, "Trouble with Your Modem."
• Check to see whether you correctly entered the following account information when you set up your connection software to your ISP. If you’re using Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows NT, you’ll type this information into Dial-Up Networking. To start the Dial-Up Networking setup wizard, double-click the My Computer icon, and then double-click Dial-Up Networking.

If you connect through an ISP, type:

• The name of your service provider
• Your user name
• Your password
• The phone number you dial to connect to the Internet
• Your POP3 and SMTP mail server addresses
• Your Domain Name System (DNS) server address
• Your IP address and subnet mask, if any
• Authentication procedure (whether or not your provider requires a terminal window to log on)

1. If you don’t know any of these, contact your ISP.

1. If you connect through a local area network (LAN), type the address of the Internet gateway computer (or proxy server) on your network from your network administrator.

If you are still experiencing problems, consult the materials you received from your ISP, or contact your ISP.

To determine whether you can’t connect because your modem is not working or set up properly, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is the modem attempting to dial? If it is dialing properly, you should hear a dial tone, followed by a sequence of tones, just as when you place a phone call.
2. If you can’t hear a dial tone, check to see whether the modem is properly installed:

• If it is an external modem, make sure it is turned on.
• Make sure that the wire between the modem and the phone jack is firmly connected to both outlets.
• If the modem is an external modem, make sure it is attached to the correct COM port and that the power is on. For more information, see the modem topic in the online Help for your operating system.
• Check to see whether the correct modem is installed in the modem setup dialog box. For more information, see the modem topic in the online Help for your operating system.

1. If the modem is connecting, are you able to log on? What do you see when you attempt to log on? If you can’t log on, there is most likely a problem with the way your software is set up to connect with your ISP. For more information, contact your ISP.

Browsing the Internet

Once you’re connected, you might wonder how to start browsing or "surfing" the Web. The first page that appears when you start your browser will most likely have links on it. You can click those links to see other pages, or you can search for pages that interest you. There are also links on the Links bar near the top of the browser window.

Using the Web Browser

If you’ve already spent a lot of time browsing the Internet, then you may want to skip to "Having the Internet Delivered to You" later in this document, to learn ways to explore the Internet that are new to Internet Explorer.

You can extend the Internet and Web technology beyond your Web browser. You can display Web content—such as a stock ticker—directly on your desktop, and have the content updated automatically.

Some Web pages take longer to download than others. If a page takes too long, you can click the Stop button on the toolbar and try again later.

You can go directly to a Web page by typing its address in the Address bar near the top of the browser window. The Address bar also displays the address for the Web page you’re currently viewing.

Sometimes it’s not so easy to remember the exact address of the page you want to go to. With Internet Explorer, you don’t need to type the entire address. Just start typing, and the AutoComplete feature suggests a match based on Web sites you visited previously.

1. If you’ve visited the site before, the AutoComplete feature suggests a match as you type.

1. For example, if you type microso, Internet Explorer guesses that you want to open the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com.

You can move back and forth through the pages you’ve just browsed. You can usually move backward through all the pages you’ve visited in the current session. After you move backward through one or more pages, you can move forward again to the pages you passed.

To see a list of the last several pages you’ve typed into the Address bar, click the down arrow on the Address bar.

The Back and Forward buttons also store a list of recent pages. Click the small down arrow next to the button to see the list.

Sooner or later, you’ll find a Web site you know you’ll want to visit again and again. You can save an address as a shortcut in your Favorites list, on the Links bar, or on the desktop.

You can save favorite Web pages (and other documents) and then select from an organized list in Internet Explorer and go directly to them, a real convenience if you expect to have lots of favorite pages or sites.

To view your favorite items, just click the Favorites menu or the Favorites button on the toolbar.

To help organize your favorites, you can add the link to a specific folder by clicking Create In.

The Links bar, located near the Address bar, contains preselected links to a few Microsoft Web pages. To open the Links bar, double-click the word Links or drag the left edge of the bar. As you’re browsing, you can easily add links to your Links bar.

Finding Information on the Internet

The Search feature in Internet Explorer makes it easy to find what you want on the Web. And the History and Favorites features, in addition to the Back and Forward buttons, make it easy to see where you’ve been and where you’re going.

The Explorer bar in the Internet Explorer browser lets you work with helpful links on the left side of the browser window while viewing Web pages on the right side.

In the Explorer bar, you can search the Internet, manage links to your favorite sites, see a list of the sites you’ve recently visited, and view the choice of Web channels. You display the Explorer bar by clicking the Search, Favorites, History, or Channels buttons on the toolbar.

Searching the Internet can be difficult, especially if there are many pages that contain information about the subject you’re looking for. It’s possible to receive hundreds of responses to a single query. It can be quite time-consuming to keep switching from the list of responses to the pages they link to.

The Explorer bar solves this problem by simultaneously displaying the list of pages that match your search and the contents of the pages. You can even start a new search in the Explorer bar without closing your current Web page.

When you click the Search button on the toolbar, the Explorer bar opens and you’ll see links to several search services that offer different searching capabilities. Some offer tips for advanced searches which can help you when information is hard to find or when you get too many responses to your queries.

You can get additional information about a Web page whose link appears in the Explorer bar. Just point to the link to display notes about the page.

If you get stuck while searching—you don’t get any search results or you get too many search results—add new terms to your search, use fewer terms, or try different terms. You may also want to try different search services, since they use different ways to locate information on the Web.

When you click the Favorites button, the Explorer bar opens displaying your Favorites list, in addition to the Channels, Links, and My Documents folders. If you click My Documents, then you can explore your hard disk right in the browser window.

You can also view and organize your favorite items from the Start menu.

Perhaps you remember a Web site you visited on Tuesday, and you want to view it again. The Explorer bar can display the pages you’ve visited, organized by week and day as well as by the site they belong to, which is helpful if you visited several Web pages at one site.

You can change the number of days that Internet Explorer saves Web pages in your History list. Reducing the number of days saves disk space. For more information, look up "history" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.

Channels are special Web sites that download content to your computer. You can display the list of channels you’re subscribed to, as well as those that are available, in the Explorer bar. You can use the Microsoft Channel Guide to preview information about additional channels. For more information, see "Subscribing to Channels" later in this document.

Making Your Computer Look and Work like the Web

There are many ways that your computer can now look and work like the Web. For example, you can add a background image to your folders. You can open documents and start programs with a single-click instead of a double-click. You can open your favorite Web sites right from the Start menu or add toolbars to the taskbar or desktop.

You can change the way your folders look for fun or to make them more useful¾ it’s easy with the Customize This Folder wizard.

You can display your favorite graphics as the background for your folders, just as you can for your desktop. You’ll also notice that some folders, such as My Computer and Control Panel, have a new look.

You can have your folder appear as a Web page (an HTML document), which can be useful if you share the folder with other people. If you are familiar with HTML (Hypertext Markup Language, the code used to create Web pages), you can modify the page. You can add instructions for using the files in the folder, for example, or insert links to helpful Web sites, such as technical support sites.

1. If you want to add a picture to your folder background, click Choose a background picture, and then follow the steps on your screen.

If you chose to install the Windows Desktop Update during installation, your desktop and folder windows (such as My Computer or Windows Explorer) can be set up so that you point to an item to select it, and you single-click an item to open it, just like on the Web.

1. If you want Windows to work as usual, click Double-click to open an item.

To make it easier to find files and start programs, you can add toolbars to the taskbar. You can also move these toolbars to the desktop and create a custom toolbar.

1. To create your own toolbar, click New Toolbar, and then click the folder you want to create as a new toolbar.

1. If you want to move a toolbar to the desktop, drag it off the taskbar, and then size it to your needs.

Taking Control

Perhaps you’ve noticed your Temporary Internet Files folder or heard about the cache and wondered why it’s there, or encountered some security warnings and wondered what they mean. You may have considered downloading a program or purchasing an item and wondered if it’s safe.

Internet Explorer provides you with tools to help manage and get the most out of your Internet experience. You can manage your temporary Internet files, protect your privacy, control which types of files are downloaded, and more.

Internet Explorer automatically saves a copy of each Web page you view, including its pictures, text, and multimedia elements, in a folder on your computer named Temporary Internet Files. This folder is sometimes referred to as the cache. Internet Explorer uses this folder so you can:

• View Web pages faster.
• View Web pages you’ve previously visited, or which have been downloaded as a subscription, without connecting to the Internet.

When you ask to see a particular Web page, Internet Explorer first looks for a copy of the page in the Temporary Internet Files folder. If the page has changed since the last time you viewed it, and it’s time to check for an updated version, Internet Explorer refreshes the page; otherwise, Internet Explorer displays the page from the temporary Internet files.

Because these items are stored on your hard disk, it’s to your advantage to manage the folder’s size. You can increase the size to save even more pages, or reduce it to free up space on your hard disk for other programs.

1. To prevent Internet Explorer from updating pages in the Temporary Internet Files folder, click Never.

Internet Explorer also uses your Temporary Internet Files folder when you download pages for offline reading. If you’ve recently visited a page, or if you’ve obtained updated content through subscriptions and channels, you can view information without being connected to the Internet. For more information about subscriptions and channels, see "Having the Internet Delivered to You" later in this document.

Using Internet Explorer is one of the safest ways to browse the Web. With its built-in set of Internet security technologies, you can communicate privately, download software you can trust, and verify your identity to others on the Web. With secure communications, you can buy consumer goods or even conduct personal banking on the Internet.

Internet Explorer supports the following security technologies:

1. For more information, see "Purchasing Items over the Web" later in this document, and look up "security" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.

• Site certificates are like your personal certificate, but for Web sites. They enable you to verify a Web site’s identity before you send any information, such as your credit-card number.
• Security warnings enable you to choose which security warnings you receive while browsing the Web. For example, some Web sites might download information (called a cookie) to your computer so that you can be identified the next time you go to that site. You can choose whether to be warned before a cookie is stored on your computer.

1. When you visit a secure Web site, or move from one to an unsecure site, Internet Explorer displays a dialog box to notify you, and displays a lock icon in a locked or unlocked position on the status bar.

1. Another message lets you know if you’re about to send information—such as lines of text in a search—across an unsecure Internet connection.

• Security zones enable you to establish different levels of security based on your level of confidence. For more information, see the next section, "Setting Security Levels."

Are you tired of seeing security warnings each time you visit a favorite Internet site—but don’t want to set a lower security level for fear of downloading harmful content from other sites?

Internet Explorer lets you set more than one security level by dividing your Internet world into zones. Security zones help you get the right warnings at the right time.

The Internet Explorer status bar displays the zone of the current Web page. Whenever you attempt to open files, download content, and perform other tasks on the Web, Internet Explorer checks the security settings for that Web site’s zone.

In addition to a zone for the files on your computer, Internet Explorer provides four security zones that you can configure:

• Local Intranet. This zone typically includes the trusted content inside your company’s "firewall," such as sites on your company’s network.

1. This zone can also include a list of specific sites your administrator trusts. By default, this site uses a Medium security level. If you want, you can change it to Low, based on setup and how much you trust the content.

• Trusted Sites. This zone consists of sites you trust more than the rest of the Internet. You can assign sites to this zone. The default security level for this zone is Low.
• Restricted Sites. This zone includes sites you specifically don’t trust or that you trust less than the rest of the Internet. You can assign sites to this zone. The default security level for the this zone is High.
• Internet. By default, this zone includes anything that is not on your computer, an intranet, or assigned to any other zone. The default security level for this zone is Medium.

Files already on your computer are generally assumed to be safe. This enables you to open and run files and programs on your computer with few or no prompts. You cannot assign a folder or drive on your computer to a security zone.

To set up security zones, you need to assign specific Web sites to a zone and then set an appropriate security level for each zone. How you assign security levels and Web sites is completely up to you.

1. In the Zone list, click the zone you want to set the security level for.
2. Click the security level you want.

Sooner or later, you’ll be tempted to take advantage of some of the hundreds of offers of free or nearly free software available on the Internet. Or you might come across a link to another file, such as a Microsoft Word document, that you can download instead of opening. When that time comes, you’ll need to know how to handle the downloads.

If Internet Explorer fails to recognize a particular file type, or if the file is an actual program, you’ll see a warning before the file is downloaded to your computer.

• To view a document or run a program, click Run this program from the Internet.
• To save the file or program without opening it, click Save this program to disk. By saving a file to your computer, you can work with it later. Running the program from your hard disk is also faster than from the Internet.

Computer viruses are fairly rare on the Internet, but they can damage your computer or files. If you are concerned about a particular download, you should click Save this program to disk and then run the file through a virus scanning program before opening it.

You may see a warning when you click a link that runs a program. A High security level prevents you from running programs from an intranet or the Internet.

If you are using the Internet or intranet at work, check your company’s policy on downloading programs, or see your network administrator.

The Internet is valuable primarily because it provides unprecedented access to a wide variety of information. Some information, however, may not be well suited for every viewer. Content Advisor in Internet Explorer helps you control the content your computer can gain access to on the Internet. After you turn on Content Advisor, only Web content that is rated and meets or exceeds your criteria can be displayed. You can adjust the settings to reflect what you think is appropriate content in each of four areas: language, nudity, sex, and violence.

Content Advisor uses very cautious rating standards when you first turn it on. You can adjust these settings to match your own preferences. Not all Internet content is rated. If you choose to allow viewing of unrated sites, be aware that some of those sites could contain inappropriate material. However, if you specify to not allow viewing unrated sites, be aware that you will be unable to view many inoffensive sites.

Having the Internet Delivered to You

You no longer have to visit Web sites to see if content has changed. You can have the Web content delivered to you through channels, which are a special kind of Web site, and subscriptions to regular Web sites. The content can be downloaded while you’re working with other programs or even while you sleep. These subscriptions are generally free of charge.

A channel provider updates the channel content and delivers it to you on schedule in an organized way. You can tailor channels to meet your needs and interests. You can choose which channels to subscribe to and what kind of information you want from them. A channel can be displayed in your browser, on your desktop, or even as a screen saver.

If the information you want to receive regularly isn’t available in a channel, you can subscribe to a regular Web site. This enables you to automatically get updated information from the site on a schedule you specify, without having to visit the site and refresh the content manually.

When new content is available, a "gleam," or a red star-shaped symbol, appears next to the shortcut to the Web site in your Favorites list.

You can choose to either be notified that there is new content available or have the new content automatically updated and downloaded to your hard disk (for example, at night or when your computer is idle) so you can view the pages at your convenience. The Web Site Subscription wizard helps you make these choices.

You may want to view Web content when you aren’t connected to the Internet. With channels and subscriptions, you can have large amounts of content delivered to your computer and then view it offline. If you have a portable computer, you can "take the Internet with you" by downloading pages for offline viewing on the road, at work, or at home.

When you work offline, Internet Explorer will always start in Offline mode until you click Work Online on the File menu.

In addition to viewing subscribed Web sites offline, you can also view any Web pages stored in your History folder or your Temporary Internet Files folder.

Bringing Your Desktop to Life

With Internet Explorer, you can make your desktop more lively and useful. In addition to downloading channels to your desktop, you can use Web pages as your desktop wallpaper. You can even add a special item that updates regularly, such as a weather map or stock ticker, to your desktop. With the Active Desktop interface, you can view Web content without opening your browser.

When you install Internet Explorer, you can choose whether or not to install the Windows Desktop Update features (such as the Active Desktop) that make the rest of your computer look and work like a Web browser. If these features are installed, you can choose whether or not to use the Active Desktop interface.

You can also right-click any graphic on a Web page and then click Set as Wallpaper.

Personalizing Your Internet Experience

Tired of using a Web browser that seems to have been made for someone else? You can use Internet Explorer features to make the Web your own.

For example, with a few simple mouse clicks, you can change the size and position of your toolbar, and organize a listing of your favorite pages into folders.

If you want to see more of the toolbar, or you find that you need more space on your screen, you can resize or reposition the toolbars, or change their appearance.

You can also choose what appears on the Internet Explorer toolbar.

Web pages often have had particular font colors and sizes, typefaces, and background colors specified. These settings are specified for each item, or in a style sheet or template. If you know how to use HTML, you can also use your own style sheet, which is useful if you have limited or low vision.

Your home page is the page that appears when you start Internet Explorer. A home page already defined for you, but if you find a page you would rather visit, then you can change the home page to whatever you want.

Microsoft Outlook Express

Do you have business contacts in another part of the world? You can communicate with them in seconds by using electronic mail, known as e-mail. Do you have a hobby, such as cooking? You can share information and swap recipes with people around the world by using newsgroups.

With Outlook Express, you can both read your e-mail messages and participate in newsgroups from the same program. If you have more than one e-mail account, such as a work account and a home account, you can read both sets of messages. Outlook Express helps you keep multiple accounts organized.

You can add folders to organize and sort messages, and even have Outlook Express sort messages for you automatically, based on rules you set. You can use HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) ¾ the kind of format used in Web pages¾ to format the text in all your mail or news messages or use it on selected messages only. This enables you to use various fonts, colors, and graphics in your messages. You can also personalize your messages in seconds by using electronic stationery.

Setting Up Outlook Express

Depending on how your Internet service provider (ISP) set up your programs, you may have installed Outlook Express when you installed Internet Explorer. If not, consult the instructions from your ISP. If Outlook Express isn’t installed, then most likely you’ll need to run Setup again to install it. Your ISP may have customized Setup, so make sure to consult any documentation you received.

You will need the following information from your ISP or local area network (LAN) administrator:

• An account with an ISP that includes an e-mail account and a newsgroup account (if you plan to participate in newsgroups).
• The account name and password for your incoming mail server, and your e-mail address.
• The names of your ISP’s incoming mail server (POP3 or IMAP) and outgoing mail (SMTP) server.
• For newsreading, you need the name of the news server you want to connect to and, if required, your account name and password.

You can work with multiple mail and news accounts. For example, you might want to subscribe to newsgroups that belong to different news servers.

1. To display or change the properties for an existing server, click the Tools menu, click Accounts, click the server in the list, and then click Properties.

You can set Outlook Express to be your default e-mail or newsreading program. Then, whenever you click an e-mail or newsgroup link on a Web page, or click the Mail or News command on the Go menu in Internet Explorer, Outlook Express opens.

For more information about newsgroups, see "Working with Newsgroups" later in this document.

Working with E-mail

Faster and more fun than postal mail ("snail mail"), Outlook Express can put you in touch with friends, relatives, and new acquaintances in seconds!

When you start Outlook Express, you’ll notice a Welcome screen with the following choices: Read Mail, Read News, Compose a Message, Address Book, Update, and Find People. You can click any of these links to explore Outlook Express.

To send e-mail to someone the first time, you’ll need to know the person’s e-mail address. But once you add this name to the Address Book, you’ll never need to remember the whole e-mail name again. Outlook Express remembers it for you! (If you’re using e-mail on a corporate account, names may already be in a corporate directory service.)

All you have to do is type as much of the person’s name or e-mail address as you know in the To box in the mail message—for example, the recipient’s first name. Then click the Check Names button on the toolbar. Outlook Express will search the Address Book to find an entry that matches the name or address.

1. To send copies to someone without the name appearing to other recipients, which is sometimes called sending a "blind carbon copy," type the e-mail name in the Bcc box.

1. In the Subject box, type the subject of the message.
2. In the message area, type your message.
3. On the toolbar, click the Send button.

1. The message is placed in your Outbox.

If you are connected to the Internet, by default your outgoing e-mail is sent to your mail server immediately. If you don’t want your messages to be sent immediately , click the Tools menu, click Options, click the Send tab, and then clear the Send messages immediately check box. This will place messages you create in your Outbox until you click Send on the Tools menu.

When you start Outlook Express, it connects to your mail server and logs on to your e-mail account.

Depending on your what type of incoming mail server your ISP has, (IMAP or POP3), your e-mail will either be stored on a server or stored on your computer. Either way, you can easily read your messages.

• To read a message in the preview pane, click it.
• To read a message in its own window, double-click it.

Outlook Express makes it easy to reply to e-mail you receive, without having to type a name or e-mail address. You can also add the sender’s name to the Address Book.

You can use HTML format to provide emphasis and structure to your e-mail messages. You can change the appearance of text, change the way paragraphs are aligned, add automatic bullets or numbering, and apply background images and colors. You can even apply a background image or use stationery to personalize all or some of your messages.

When you use HTML formatting, and the recipient’s mail or newsreading program does not read HTML, the message appears as plain text, and is often accompanied by an HTML file consisting of the formatted version of the message. The recipient can view the attached file by opening it using any Web browser.

You can also create messages in plain text format.

To remove HTML formatting and use plain text, click the Format menu, and then click Plain Text.

HTML formatting isn’t interpreted by many newsreaders. When posting messages to newsgroups, you may not want to use HTML formatting.

Outlook Express comes with a selection of stationery patterns you can use for announcements, holiday greetings, and your everyday messages, and you can also choose a default stationery to use with all new mail or news messages you compose.

Working with Newsgroups

A newsgroup is a collection of messages, like an electronic bulletin board, posted by individuals to a computer called a news server. You can find newsgroups on practically any subject. Although some newsgroups are moderated, most are not, and messages can be posted and read by anyone who has access to that group. You should beware that some newsgroups may contain messages that are meant for an adult audience, so you may want to limit access to inappropriate sites. There are no newsgroup membership lists or joining fees.

Your Internet service provider (ISP) must have a connection to a news server in order for you to set up an account with that server in Outlook Express. After you set up a news server account, you can read and post messages to any of the newsgroups stored on that server. If you haven’t set up a news server, see "Adding or Changing a Mail or News Server" earlier in this document.

You can interact with newsgroups as much or as little as you want. You can go to a newsgroup just to read what other people have to say, or you can post your own questions, tips, opinions, or answers.

You can browse any of the newsgroup servers your ISP offers, reading as many messages in as many newsgroups as you like. When you find newsgroups that interest you, you can subscribe to them for easy access.

If you cannot find a specific newsgroup in the list, your news server might not carry that newsgroup.

When you find a newsgroup that you want to visit regularly, add it to your Subscribed list. If your interests change, or if you find you don’t visit a newsgroup often, you can easily remove it from the list.

1. To cancel your subscription to a newsgroup, click the newsgroup, and then click Unsubscribe.

You might want to see a list of the newsgroups you subscribe to. You can see the list of newsgroups in the folder list, or you can view your subscription list.

It’s easy to post new messages to a newsgroup or individual, or reply to messages you read.

1. To send your message to additional newsgroups, click the Tools menu, and then click Select Newsgroups. Click a newsgroup in the list, and then click Add. You can choose from all newsgroups or only newsgroups you subscribe to.

1. Type the subject of your message. Outlook Express cannot post a message that does not contain a subject.
2. Compose your message, and then click the Post Message button on the toolbar.

Your message is delivered to your news server the next time Outlook Express checks for updated news.

1. To reply to the author of the message by e-mail, click Reply to Author.

1. In the message area, type your message.
2. On the toolbar, click the Post or Send button.

Managing Mail and News

Mail and newsgroup message files can accumulate quickly on your computer. You can organize your messages and reclaim disk space in several ways. You can:

• Create, compact, or delete message folders.
• Automatically or manually file mail messages in folders.
• Automatically remove newsgroup messages you’ve read, compact them when their space exceeds a specified limit, or delete them when they are older than a specified number of days.
• Determine whether you see all newsgroup messages or just the ones you haven’t read yet.

For information about these and other tips and tricks, look up "folders," "downloading mail automatically," and "downloading newsgroup messages" in the Outlook Express Help Index.

Sometimes, it’s hard to keep up with your e-mail messages. And downloading lots of e-mail and responding to it can require lengthy connection times. Maybe you have both a work account and a home account. Would you like to use both accounts from the same program? Or perhaps you share an e-mail account with someone else, such as a member of your family. Outlook Express offers solutions to all these situations.

To use your online time efficiently, you can download messages or entire newsgroups, so you don’t have to be connected to your ISP or the Internet to read messages. You can also download only message headers to view offline, and then mark just those you want to read the next time you’re connected.

You can also compose messages offline and then send them the next time you reconnect.

If you have mail accounts for home and work, you can set up Outlook Express to sort them into separate folders for each account. If several people share one mail account, you can have each person’s mail delivered to his or her folder.

If you have several mail accounts with different ISPs, you can use them all from one window. And if your newsgroup service (Usenet) provider uses more than one news server, you can set up separate accounts for each one and then easily switch between them without reconfiguring your newsreader.

You can manage your mail folders in a variety of ways to make it easy to locate the messages you want.

• To add a folder, click the File menu, point to Folder, and then click New Folder. Then, in the Folder name box, type the name.
• To switch to another folder, click the folder in the folder list.
• To delete a folder, right-click the folder in the folder list, and then click Delete.

By using the Inbox Assistant, you can have incoming messages that meet certain criteria sent to the folders you want. For example, individuals using the same e-mail account can have their messages delivered to their personal folders. Or all mail from a certain person can be automatically routed to a specific folder.

You can also specify that certain messages are automatically forwarded to a contact in the Address Book, or that message recipients are automatically sent a file.

You can also sort newsgroup and mail messages by columns, so you can determine which newsgroup messages you see. For more information, look up "sorting messages" in the Outlook Express Help Index.

You can find search for people by using popular Internet white pages. Address Book in Internet Explorer supports Lightweight Directory Service Access Protocol (LDAP) for accessing Internet directory services.

Directory services are companies that maintain lists of names, e-mail addresses, and other data. With Address Book, you can add these servers to the list of address books you use when addressing e-mail messages. If your company has set up a directory service, you can use it when addressing messages to other people in your company, without needing to add them to your address book.

More Troubleshooting Information

When you’re browsing the Web, whether by clicking hyperlinks, typing addresses in the Internet Explorer Address bar, or clicking a shortcut icon in your Favorites list, you might not be able to get to the site you want. Instead, you’ll see a page with a message and usually a number. Here’s an explanation of the most common numbers and messages.

The Web site you requested requires special access permission, such as a password.

To resolve this, make sure you typed the correct address. The page may have been removed from the Web site, renamed, or moved to a new location.

You might also try typing the address again but leaving off the file name. For example, if you were unable to find //www.microsoft.com/ie/sample.htm, try typing just //www.microsoft.com/ie/ to go one level up on the Web site.

The server for this Web site is too busy. To resolve this, try viewing the page again after 30 seconds or so.

An online form or the HTML code for an online form has an error.

This is a version of the 403 Forbidden error. The Web site you requested requires special access permission, such as a password.

The Web site’s URL couldn’t be translated into a valid IP address. This error is common on commercial sites because the computers responsible for translating the IP addresses are overloaded. This can also be caused by typing the wrong address.

To resolve this, type the address again, or try viewing the site later when Internet traffic might not be as busy.

You have attempted to download a file that needs a helper application, and Internet Explorer can’t find it.

To resolve this, click the View menu in Windows Explorer, and then click Folder Options. Click the File Types tab, and make sure the correct directory and file name are entered for the helper application. If you do not have a helper application, you can save the file to disk and then obtain the helper application.

The page that the hyperlink points to no longer exists.

Either too many people are trying to gain access to the site, the site is down for maintenance, there is "noise" on the line, or the site no longer exists. This can also be caused by typing the wrong address.

This section provides general Internet troubleshooting information. You can find out more detailed information in the following places.

For more detailed troubleshooting information about running Internet Explorer, see the Readme.txt online document.

The Help in Windows 95 and Windows NT contains topics that can help you troubleshoot connection and Internet browsing problems.

In Window 95, see the following Windows Help topics:

• If You Have Trouble Using Dial-Up Networking
• If You Have Trouble Using Your Modem
• If You Have Trouble Using the Internet (this topic is only available in recently purchased copies of Windows 95)

In Window NT, see the following Windows Help topics:

• Modem Troubleshooter
• Connecting to the Internet
• Connect to a remote computer or network

You can find helpful articles and other information online by connecting to the Microsoft Knowledge Base on the Web.

1. http:// support/microsoft.com/support

After you’re connected, you can easily look up your error messages and perform searches for solutions to other common problems.

Understanding Internet terms

From ASP to XML, Internet terms can be overwhelming. Perhaps a friend or family member bombards you with jargon like: "I’m really into using DHTML and ASP files now. I used to use CGI and IDC, but they were cumbersome unless you are using an ISDN connection. And oh, I’ll FTP that document to you right now." Whew!

The best advice is to not worry too much about the terms at first. Exploring the Internet can be fun, and as you visit more sites and become more comfortable, the terms will start to seem natural. To get you started, though, here are some of the most common terms you’ll encounter.

See also URL. An Internet address is the name of a site you want to connect to, such as www.microsoft.com. Also, an Internet address can be the address of someone you want to send e-mail to, such as name@company.com. A typical address starts with a protocol (need an entry for protocol)name (such as ftp:// or http://) followed by the organization that maintains the site; the suffix identifies the kind of organization. For example, commercial site addresses often end with .com.

An area on your hard disk that is reserved for storing images, text, and other files that you have viewed on the Internet. The Temporary Internet Files folder is the cache for Internet Explorer.

The program you use to view Web pages. Microsoft Internet Explorer is a Web browser.

A computer maintained by your Internet service provider that matches IP addresses to host names. Some providers will send you a specific DNS address. This address typically contains four sets of numbers separated by periods and is different from your IP address. See also IP address.

1. The main page of a Web site. The home page usually contains a main menu or table of contents containing links to other pages within the site. 2. The first page you see when you start Internet Explorer.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol. A protocol that makes hypertext information such as Web pages available over the Internet, when you use a computer that is connected to a server.

Hypertext Markup Language. The language used to create and design Web pages. HTML is a series of "tags" that create the page layout, format text, insert graphics and multimedia, and more.

Anything on a Web page that you can click to go to another page. A text or graphical link could go to another page at the same Web site or to page on a different part of the Web.

A way of presenting information in which text, sounds, images, and actions are linked together in a way that allows you to jump around between them in whatever order you choose.

The Internet is a constantly evolving group of international computer networks connected by telephone lines. When you're connected to the Internet, you can gain access to a wealth of information from the World Wide Web and Internet newsgroups (bulletin board services, or BBS). See also World Wide Web.

The IP address is the numeric address of a computer. Some Internet service providers will send you the IP address of their server. If you're not sure whether you need to enter an IP address, contact your provider. See also DNS.

An Internet service provider maintains a server that is directly connected to the Internet. You must connect through a service provider unless you are directly connected to the Internet. Connecting to a service provider entails calling the provider and setting up an account.

Integrated Services Digital Networking. ISDN is available from most telephone companies and is used for high-speed communication with the Internet, commercial online services, or corporate networks.

A proxy server acts as a security barrier (sometimes called a "firewall") between your internal network (intranet) and the Internet, keeping other people on the Internet from gaining access to confidential information on your intranet.

To click the secondary mouse button (in most cases, the one on the right side of the mouse). If you are left-handed, you can change primary and secondary mouse buttons in Control Panel.

The page you see when you click the Search button on the Internet Explorer toolbar. The search services that are available will vary depending on your Internet service provider. A search page provides an organized way to find and go to other Internet sites. Many search pages provide various searching capabilities, such as the ability to search by topic or by keyword. Others might provide a well-organized list of hyperlinks to selected Internet sites.

The act of navigating the Web by clicking hyperlinks.

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A suite of communication protocols that allow computers to talk to each other, thus creating the Internet.

Uniform Resource Locator. The address of a Web page. Web URLs start with http://. The URL of the page you are on appears in the Address box of Internet Explorer. See also address.

Any document you can view on the Web. A Web site consists of one or many pages.

Sometimes known as WWW, the Web is a system that enables you to see documents in richly formatted text and graphics. Using a Web browser, such as Internet Explorer, you can navigate the Web by clicking hyperlinks. See also hyperlink.