How to use the internet

How to use the internet The internet is a wide ranging network that thousands of people use everyday. It is a useful tool in modern society that once one learns to access correctly reaps many benefits.

Opening and closing the internet. • To open and close the internet explorer, first one has to know where to locate the shortcut. This is usually either on the desktop or located in the start menu. The image (A) should look like an E. Closing the internet explorer is just as simple, using the X button located on the title bar (B)

Url and Address • An url is a way to locate a website via the internet, for example, Google's url is www.google.com. By entering in such url’s the computer knows how to locate the page you are after. To type in an url, you use the address bar (C) by clicking in the box, entering your url and pressing enter on your keyboard. This will take you to the site you wish to access.

Hyperlinks • A hyperlink is either text (D) or an image (E) that when double clicked with the left mouse button will take you to a web page in the same manner a url does. • When you wipe over a url with your mouse, generally the mouse pointer will become a small hand and below the hand, more often than not, a small box will tell you just what the hyperlink does and where it will take you.

Hyperlinks • Often a recently used link will appear purple, (E1) and a new unused hyperlink will appear blue. (E2) Also, text hyperlinks often are a different colour to the rest of the text, indicating that it is indeed a hyperlink. • some websites have been edited so that the normal things don't occur, such as a hand appearing when one wipes over a hyperlink. This is rare but something to keep in mind. Often however, there is a mouse change of some description to indicate a hyperlink.

Navigational icons • Navigational icons are located near the address bar discussed earlier and are simplified ways to get around the internet, making short of things that you would have to do manually via the address bar. • The backwards and forwards buttons (F) are used to view either the previous page or the next page that is in your history of viewing this time you have opened the internet explorer. • The refresh button (G) is used to refresh a page, and re-load the information you already see. • The stop button (H) stops information from being loaded on the page you are viewing, and is generally used when you have visited a wrong site and it is still loading using your bandwidth.

Changing your homepage • A homepage is the first place you are taken to when you open the internet explorer. To change this, simply view the site you wish to change your homepage to, left click the arrow next to the small image of the house located on your menu bar. • Click “Add or Change Home Page”. A small box will appear (J) and simply click the boxes that apply to you and press the yes button.

Using bookmark (Favourites) • Using Favourites (H) is a great way to save url’s that may be long and hard to remember in the computer so that you can access them the next time you open your explorer without having to type them in. Simply add a site you would like to keep using regularly to favourites, and any time you need it, it will be located there.

Using bookmark (Favourites) To access favourites, click the small star (L) located on your menu bar. To add a website to your favourites bar, simply access the website you would like to add, and click the small star (K) with a green plus sign on top of it also located on the menu bar. this will open a small menu. Click “Add To Favourites”. This will bring up a small box. Press ok, and the site will be then saved to your favourites.

Tabbed Browsing • Tabbed browsing is a successful way of managing and viewing several websites at a time. By wiping over the small empty space next to your original webpage, you will see a small piece of paper with an orange star (n). • This represents a new tab. By clicking this, you will be taken to a new, unused browser, and the site you are viewing should disappear from view. Don't panic though, you haven't lost your original webpage.

Tabbed Browsing • Looking at (O) we can see that there are two tabs now on the taskbar. Circled in red (o) is your original page. The tab not circled is the new page. Simply click on your old page, and it will be brought to the front and viewed. The new tab is used like any other browser, and is based on url’s as well. You may open more tabs and use them in succession, flicking back to each page as required.

Modifying the toolbar • Modifying the toolbar can be useful to help make you web browser more user friendly and more customised to your needs. To modify the toolbar simply right click anywhere along the toolbar. A box (p) should appear with several listed changes you can make to your toolbar. • As an example of such modifications and their uses, Lets say that you have trouble seeing the icons. Wipe your mouse down to the option “Use Large Icons” and click it. Your icons on your toolbar should appear chunkier.

Changing the text size • Changing the text size on a webpage can be crucial for people with sight problems, as the small text that appears can be harmful or harsh to look at. To change this, simply click on the page editor (Q) and a box should appear below it with several options. • The one we wish to use is “Change Text Size”. By wiping over this, a number of options should appear. Go through each by clicking on it. You can tell which text size you are on indicated by a black dot next to the accessed size. By fiddling, you should be able to work out a size suitable to your viewing needs.

History • History is a way of keeping track of the WebPages you have viewed over the past week. It keeps logs of all the pages you have viewed, and by accessing it and clicking the url, you can view these pages once again. • By simply clicking on the favourites star discussed earlier, and then click on the small image of a clock with a small green arrow upon it when it appears, you enter the history section (S).

History • Each day is represented by a small image of a graph and the days name next to it. To access today’s files, click “Today”. A list of everything viewed today should appear in small folders, grouped by main websites. • To access these click on the folder. Some folders may contain more than 1 hyperlink, as they are beneath one main homepage. Each hyperlink is active and when clicked can take you to that particular website. This saves typing and makes remembering pages you haven't favourited easier.

Other relevant features • Just quickly, here is a short list of other pieces of information that may come in handy. • To save an image that you like, right click on the image and choose “Save Picture As” and then choose where you would like to save the image on your computer. You will now be able to access the image of your hard drive rather than off the net • To use your scrollbar, click on the small up and down arrows on the right hand side of the screen and along the base of the browser. These allow you to view larger pages that may require “scrolling” to see the whole image or site. • The same can be done using some mouses that have a small scroll button between the left and right mouse button. This will scroll through a page in the way that you roll the scroll button. • By clicking the print button located on your toolbar, you can easily print out a whole page of information. However be warned, this cam use a lot of ink and may turn out how you want it to.

Thanks, • I hope your future browsing is successful and fruitful !

How to use the internet