Computer Tricks & Tips: Internet Tips

Showing posts with label Internet Tips. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Internet Tips. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Placing Your Favorite Web Page on Your Desktop

Did you know that you can place your favorite website on your desktop just like one of your desktop icons? Here’s how…

Right-click on your desktop, select Active Desktop, and click on Customize My Desktop. You will see your display properties box, select the Web tab. Make sure the ‘Show web content on my active desktop’ box is checked.

(XP Users: Right-click on your desktop, select Properties. On the Desktop tab, click the Customize Desktop button, then click on the Web tab.)

Click on New, you’ll see the ‘New active desktop item’ box. This is where you will type in the address for your favorite website. If you know the address for the site you want, simply type it in. If not, you can go to it and copy and paste it into this box.

Then click OK. It will now start to connect to your site. The next box you will see is to verify this process. You can either click OK or if your site needs a password to access, click on Customize and type the password. It will then synchronize and your site is added to your display properties.

Now back at the Display Properties window, make sure the site you just entered is selected and click Apply then OK.

Once your site is added to your desktop then you can resize it with the sizing handles. You can also move it to different parts of your desktop by clicking and dragging at the top of the screen. You can even make it as big or as small as you like, but now you can get to your favorite site a lot quicker than by any browser.

Internet Errors

You were surfing the web the other day when you got an error message that said
something like:

An error has occurred in the script on this page
Line: 35
char. 3725
Error: Expected identifier
Code: 0
URL: mhtml:ml//-----------
Do You Want to continue running scripts on this page?
Yes No

What's wrong with your browser?

Probably nothing. That error is a scripting mistake found within the web page you were accessing. The browser was expecting to find something that it didn't, so it coughed up this error.

Usually when I get an error like that, I simply mumble something nasty about people who don't test their web pages. Then I choose the "no" button, sit back, and watch what happens. Sometimes you can still use the page, other times you can't. You might try hitting the "Refresh" button on your browser too. Sometimes the page doesn't download correctly and that can cause a good script to go bad.

If you do stumble on a site that generates the error, you may want to try to tell the webmaster of that site about the problem.

Internet Information Safety

Giving out your personal information to sites on the net is a touchy subject. My suggestion would be to only give out info to sites that you trust. If you don't trust a particular site, don't give out your info. I'm not too worried about giving out my info to most business / major contest sites but I'm not going to give it to someone who just would like to have it in order to see where their visitors are coming from.

Note that most good, reputable sites will have some sort of privacy policy that tells you exactly how the information you give them will be used. If you're at all unsure, it may be worth reading the privacy policy for the site in question. If you can't find one, any paranoia you have regarding that site is probably justified.

Most sites that ask for your personal information are doing so because you're signing up for something or making some type of purchase. After all, how can you buy something online if you won't give out your address and credit card info? When this is the case, I carefully look through the site to make sure it looks OK (I check for stuff like contact info, addresses, etc.) before I give out my any of my information.

If a site is asking for a credit card number, they will only get it if I'm actually making a purchase. If it's for any other reason, forget it. If they are trying to get my social security number, they don't have a chance unless I see good reason for them to have it (applying for a loan, joining an affiliate program, etc.)

Oh, one more thing since we mentioned credit cards. I get a lot of people who are worried about sending their credit card info to a company via the internet. As long as the site is secure (you should see a little "lock" in the Status Bar of your browser - lower left hand corner), you should be safe.

Of course, you have to trust the company you're dealing with. If you give your card to a site that's shady (porn, illegal items, etc), then you shouldn't be too surprised if you run into problems.

On the other hand, if you're dealing with a good, legit site, then you shouldn't have any problems. However, remember, not all companies are the same - before you give any site your credit card info, be sure they have stuff like contact info, a privacy policy, and you may want to check their return policy too (assuming it applies). Doesn't hurt to do a little homework.

For the most part, it seems like credit card theft on the internet is more likely the result of having a dishonest employee (and that's not just an internet problem), than the transmission getting intercepted. It just kills me when I see people who won't use their card online, but they don't hesitate to call a company via a cordless or cell phone and give it that way - never giving it a second thought. In my opinion, you're at least as safe - if not more so, online.

I guess the best advice is to be careful. If you don't have a good reason to give out your info, then don't. If you don't feel comfortable with a site or don't completely understand why they need your info, then don't give it out.

Drag, Drop, And Save Those Web Pics!

Ever stumble upon a really cool picture while you're surfing? You know, the kind you're just itchin' to share with anyone who'll look? Maybe it's a picture of a cute little puppy hanging off a couch, maybe it's a funny kid with pie all over his face, maybe it's your Aunt Edna in her swimsuit—OK, maybe not.

In any case, saving that digital snippet can be a bit of a pain. First, you right-click, then you have to select "Save Picture As" from the menu, and then you have to pick a folder and save it, blah, blah, blah...

All right, granted if that's the worst thing that happens to you all day you're living a pretty good life. But still...

Here's what I do when I want to just snag a picture fast—I drag & drop it to my desktop . Just left-click the picture, keep your mouse button down, then plop it onto your desktop. So easy it should be illegal. Of course, if your browser is maximized and you can't see your desktop this isn't gonna work.

However, there is a hidden danger within this tip you need to be aware of (alright, it's not really a "danger" but you know how dramatic I get sometimes). If you drag and drop a photo that's linked to a web page, you'll end up with a shortcut to that link instead of a picture on your desktop.

Just think—after you have that little photo on your desktop, you can create a new e-mail message, drag and drop the photo to it, and send it off to everyone you know. Isn't the internet great?

Wait! STOP! STOP!!!

Have you ever clicked the wrong link while you were browsing? Don't you just hate that? You frantically try to get your mouse up to the Stop button before you end up at the wrong page, but you don't always make it. So, here are a few suggestions:

If you've clicked the wrong link and still have that left mouse button pressed down, just drag your pointer off the link to a blank spot and release. No harm done.

But what if you've already clicked the link and you're off to the wrong page? Is there any hope?

Yup, just hit your Escape key. That will stop your browser in it's tracks - it's also a good way to stop an onslaught of pop up windows, should you accidentally wander onto one of those kind of sites.

Get Yourself Connected (and Stay Connected)

(This is for non-XP people.)

Those of us with modems know that in order to get connected, we have to click on the dial-up icon to get the “connect to” box, then click on the connect button and wait for computer to dial and connect.

What if there was a way to get rid of the “connect to” box and go straight to dialing the Internet? There is!

To do this, go to Start, Settings, then Control Panel. The Control Panel will open up with many different options. Double-click your dial-up networking folder, right click on the dial-up icon and click Properties.

With your properties box open, click on the Security tab. There is a check box about half way down that says “Connect Automatically.” Put a check in that box and you’re done. That’s all you have to do.

Although while you are here how would you like to make your computer STOP disconnecting just because you walk away from it?

Go to the Dialing tab, find the check box close to the bottom that says “Enable Idle Disconnect” and uncheck it.

That’s it! Your computer will now start dialing the Internet whenever you click on your dial-up icon, mail, Internet explorer or any link. And now you can walk away for more than 2 minutes without it going offline.

Cable vs. DSL

You have the choice between a Cable connection and DSL connection but which is the faster choice? First, for those who are new to computing, let me define what these are.

Cable Connection - You have a "modem" that your regular cable line plugs into (you know, the one that normally goes to your TV). Most are a constant internet connection, a few (if you have analog cable as opposed to digital) use your phone line for uploads and the cable for download. They are still fast, but not quite as good a regular cable connection.

DSL Connection - DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line (some who have had difficulties may have another word for the "D" :-).

Anyhow, DSL uses your existing phone lines for connection, but at very high speeds. It is another "always on" type internet connection and in a few years may be the # 1 high speed type connection (cable is now).

Keep in mind that cable is generally a little faster then "standard" DSL. However, there are newer DSL technologies that are as fast, or even faster, than a T1 line ( a T1 line is really quick, you can easily host a busy web site, or multiple busy sites for that matter, with a T1 line). So if you go for one of these higher speed DSL connections, you'll blow away a cable modem.

In the end, either one will be a vast improvement over your 56K modem. You'll probably be going 50 - 100 times faster than what you currently are. To me, the most important consideration would be which is more affordable in your area.

Moving Internet Favorites to the Links Bar

Are you like me and have about twenty to thirty things in your favorites menu, but only use 8 on a regular basis? If so, this tip is for you!

You can put the sites you visit most in the links bar at the top of your browser window. In order to move old favorites to this bar click on the Favorites drop down menu. Go to Organize Favorites. In the window that appears you can move the sites in your favorites menu to a folder called Links.

Before doing this, let’s get rid of all the stuff we don’t want in the Links folder that Microsoft has so nicely given us. Click on the Links folder to open it. Simply right click on the shortcut you want to remove and select Delete in the menu that pops-up. You might want to keep some of the shortcuts, none of them are absolutely needed, and I deleted all of them. Anything you want to save from this folder you can move using the following method:

Now that we have the folder cleared of unwanted shortcuts we can put what we want in it. Find a listed internet site that you want to have in the links bar. Click and drag it to the Links folder. Repeat this for all shortcuts you want in the links bar. Any link can be moved by dragging it to the proper destination.

OK, so now you just found a cool site, like www.worldstart.com, and you want to add it to your links bar, but for some crazy reason, it’s not in your favorites menu yet. Go to Favorites Menu and click Add to Favorites just like always. However, when the Add to Favorites window appears, click the Links folder before clicking OK. That’s it!

Also, if the links bar is not displayed, you can easily display it. First, right click anywhere in the toolbar of your browser. In the menu that appears, make sure Links has a check next to it. If you still can’t see the bar, look for the word Links somewhere in the toolbar. When you see it, click on the letters and drag it below the address bar and you’ll see the toolbar now. If you are unable to drag it, open that last menu again and uncheck Lock the Toolbars. Then try again. Happy surfing!

Beating Pop Up Windows

I know we've covered this before, but it seems like we have people begging for a pop-up cure on a daily basis. So, I've put together what I feel are the best ways to get rid of pop-up windows:

1. The Escape Key - This is my personal favorite. When the pop up windows just keep coming, pounding on the Escape key repeatedly will stop the madness.

How does it work? When you hit the Escape key, it's the same as hitting the Stop button in your browser. So, the little buggers stop loading and you can close them. I like this method the best since it is a quick, one keystroke deal.

2. ALT-F4 - This is another good way to get rid of pop-ups. ALT-F4 closes the current window, effectively stopping the pop-up process in its digital tracks.

3. CTRL-W If you don't like ALT-F4 (it's kind of a stretch for small hands) then try CTRL-W. This closes things down, too.

Finally, there are programs out there - pop-up killers - that you may be interested in. They are designed to stop these pop-up windows, but I really haven't been all that impressed with any that I have tried. If you want to give one a shot, head to:

http://www.hotfiles.com

Search for "pop-up killers" and you'll get a nice selection to choose from.

As for me, I'm going to stick with the Escape key for now...

Server Error Codes

It happens to all of us. We're surfing along, and up comes an error (usually 404). What do all those error codes mean? Here's a quick rundown of the most common:

400 - Bad Request - You probably typed in a URL wrong, the server has no clue what you're looking for, or you aren't allowed to have access. Usually, it's a matter of the URL being typing in wrong. Maybe you mixed upper and lowercase letters or something.

401- Unauthorized Request - you tried to get to something on the web server you're not allowed to play with. In other words, you ain't on the party list.

403 - Forbidden - You can't access the page. You may not have access (it may require a password), or it may be blocked from your domain.

404- Not Found - The page you were trying to look at was not found on the server. This is probably the most common error you'll come across. What has probably happened is that the web page you were going to has been removed or re-named.

500 - Internal error - Usually caused by a CGI error. You fill out a form, but the script used to process it is not working properly.

503 - Service Unavailable - The server may be overloaded, down, or have other similar problems. Try later.

Who's That Site?

Here's a cool one. Have you ever needed to find out either a name or an IP address for a particular site?

OK, before you stop reading this tip and head back, just hear me out. This can actually come in handy. For example, if you have a firewall on your computer and are getting info that 209.15.178.71 is trying to get into your computer, you can use this tip to turn those numbers into an actual address.

Or, if you have the name of the site (like www.worldstart.com) and need an IP address for some reason (pay attention if you own your own web domain), you can uncover that information too.

Alright, so how do you pull off this digital trick? Easy:

1. Hit the Start Button, Run. Type "Command" in the Run line and hit Enter

2. You should be looking at a DOS screen. Type the following:

nslookup 209.15.178.61

Then hit Enter.

It should tell you that 209.15.178.61 is the IP for worldstart.com (note that it may spit our your ISP's info first).

Now let's do it backwards! (And you didn't think this could get any more exciting!))

Type in:

nslookup www.worldstart.com

Then hit Enter

It should give you the 209.15.178.61 number (again, it may spit out your current ISP's info first). This is really handy for those who own web sites and have forgotten what their IP address is.

Tracing Your Route

OK, this probably isn't the most useful tip ever, but it is kind of interesting.

Using the tip below, we can "trace" an internet connection. You'd be surprised how many hops it takes just to get to a web site. Your request may be handed off to dozens of different places before you actually reach your virtual destination. Usually this trick is used for trouble shooting by network administrator types, but it's also a good way to get a "behind the scenes" look at the way the internet works.

For instance, let's say you want to see how many "hops" it takes to get to our site, WorldStart.com. You'd do as follows:

1. First you'll need to get to command line. So, hit the Start button, Run. Then type in the word "Command" (no quotes) and click OK.

2. OK, you should be looking at a black & white DOS window. Type in:

tracert http://www.worldstart.com

And hit Enter (no mousing around in DOS).

Now just sit back and watch all the little hops it takes just to get to a web site! (all those numbers followed by the "ms" are milliseconds). Each numbered line represents a hop from one server / router to another.

In the picture below, you can see that it took 8 hops to get from my ISP to the WorldStart web site.

Try it with a couple of your favorite sites. This tip is especially fun to do when there's someone else around who knows nothing about computers. Just look at the numbers as they pop up and say things like, "Hmm, I see" or "Ahh, that's the problem". Anyhow...

When you're done, just type Exit and hit Enter.

Who knew it took so much to get from one place to another huh? Well, at least we didn't have to pack up the kids for this little trip...

Search Engine Tricks

Having a hard time finding something online? Does it seem like you type in your search term but don't get anywhere near what you're looking for?

Well, here's a couple tricks that seem (almost) universal between search engines.

Let's say you're looking for "sports cars" and all you're getting is information on baseball and football (sports). What can you do? Try some of the following:

1. Try entering:

+sports +cars

Most search engines will interpret this as meaning you only want results that have both the word "sports" and "cars" in them. Some search engines let you us the word "and" to do this as well (i.e. sports and cars).

2. You can also try to exclude terms. Let's say you still aren't getting what you want with sports cars (you still keep getting baseball info). Try something like:

+sports +cars -baseball

The "-" sign tells most search engines to exclude results that have whatever word it is that has the "-" in front of it.

3. If the above seems too confusing, most search engines have an "advanced search" option that gives you a web-style way to help you accomplish the same thing. Instead of using "+ / -" they use drop down boxes and option buttons. It is usually easier to search this way, although it's probably faster to use steps 1 & 2.

4. The next thing you might try is being more specific. Instead of just sports cars, maybe use exotic sports cars. Try different combinations of search terms until you get what you're after. (Careful with that word "exotic" though :-)

5. Also, you may want to try using quotes. If you type in:

"sports cars"

You should only get results that match that exact phrase in that exact order. Sometimes that can narrow things down considerably.

6. If all else fails, try a different search engine. We have a selection of what we feel are the best search engines on our homepage:

http://www.worldstart.com

My favorite? Google.com

There are thousands of search engines out there and not all of them support the tips I have shown you today. If you're having trouble, look for a link for search tips, search help, advanced search, or how to search. Most search engines have lots of information on how to use them successfully.

Refreshing Sites

OK, do you visit web pages with dynamic, frequently updated content? You know, stuff like news, stocks, and weather type sites.

Anyhow, have you ever noticed that sometimes you just can't get the stupid page to refresh? Sure, you hit the refresh button but it's the same page (and you just know it's been updated). Explorer is stubbornly refusing to re-load the thing properly.

Is there any hope? Are you going to be stuck looking at outdated information forever?

You'll be glad to learn there is a little trick you can use. Just put a question mark after the URL. Your browser, not being all that bright, will think it's a new page and re-load it for you. The question mark won't affect the page or the way it's displayed, so don't sweat that part.

Anyhow, here's an example. Let's say you went to:

www.worldstart.com

To make the page completely re-load, type this instead:

www.worldstart.com?

Oh, if you need to keep re-loading, you can keep adding junk after the question mark:

www.worldstart.com?1kjsdk

Cool huh?

Why does this work?

When your browser sees the question mark, it only loads the page in front of it. However, since the whole URL changes, you get a complete re-load of the page.

Full Screen Fun

If you would like to see more web page and less MS Internet Explorer toolbars, here's a little trick you'll like. Hit the F11 key. It will put you into "full screen" mode. Hit F11 again to go back to normal mode.

OK, many of you are sitting there thinking, yeah, I know all about that one. Well, here's a bonus!

One complaint people tend to have with full screen mode is that you don't have stuff like your address or menu bar. Well, in this case, you can actually have your digital cake and eat it too!

Just right-click a blank area of the toolbar. A menu will pop up that lets you add your address bar, menu bar, and any other Explorer bars you feel the need to have.

Since it's in full screen mode, you won't be able to squeeze too many of these extra little bars in, but at least you can get the essentials.

The above is all well and good, but what if you want even less Explorer toolbar at the top of your page?

Easy - right-click the toolbar and select Autohide from the resulting menu (same one as mentioned above). Now, when you move your mouse away, the toolbar disappears. Move your mouse back to the top and the toolbar re-appears. Kind of like magic - only since it's from Microsoft, there's a few more bugs...

IE Default Fonts

Did you know that many of the web pages you visit use your default font to display their text? For example, Internet Explorer's default font is Times New Roman. So, if you land on a web page that has no default font specified, you'll automatically see it in Times New Roman.

That's all well and good, but what if you're sick of living in a world filled with Times New Roman fonts? What can you do about it?

Simple - change it to a font you like better! Here's how:

1. Open Internet Explorer, then hit the Tools menu, Internet Options.

2. You should land on the General tab. Look towards the bottom and find the Fonts button. Click that.

3. You should now be looking at a screen that will let you pick and choose your font. Don't worry too much about the "Plain text font", you want to play with the "Web Page Font" section. Just click on any font to see a little preview. When you see the perfect font, click OK and you're all set.

Most of the pages at WorldStart specify the font, so regardless of what you preset, you see what we want you too :-) However, I've set up a page you can play with that uses your default font. Here's the address:

http://www.worldstart.com/tips/webfont.htm

You'll be able to see your new font in action at that page. You may want to navigate there first, then try this tip so you can see immediate results.

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