How can I find an individual's e-mail address?

If you have the latest version of Netscape Messenger or Navigator you can use the Find People option to locate someone's e-mail address.  Or if you have Internet Explorer you can choose Start/Find/Find People.  You can also use a variety of web-based search engines, some of which are listed here:

Four11, at http://www.four11.com

WhoWhere, at http://www.whowhere.com

Internet Address Finder, at http://www.iaf.net

Switchboard, at http://www.switchboard.com (SwitchBoard allows you to search not only for e-mail addresses but also for phone numbers)

Yahoo's People Finder, at http://www.people.yahoo.com

BigFoot, located at http://www.bigfoot.com

How do I convert existing Netscape Navigator bookmarks to Internet Explorer's Favourite sites?  

From the File menu in Internet Explorer, click Open, and then click Open File.  Locate the bookmark.htm file in your Netscape folder and click Open.  Use the right mouse button to click a bookmark in the Internet Explorer window, and then click Add To Favourites on the menu that appears.  Repeat for all bookmarks you want to convert.  You can also use the Bookmarks Converter tool to automatically convert Netscape Navigator bookmarks to shortcuts on the Favourites menu in Internet Explorer for Windows 95.  The Bookmarks Converter tool is a file named WINBM2FV.EXE.  You'll find WINBM2FV.EXE by searching Shareware.com's index, located at http://www.shareware.com

Why can't I save my password in Windows 95 Dial-Up Networking 

Password caching only happens if you install a Windows 95 network client or enable User Profiles on a stand-alone computer.  By default, the Internet Setup Wizard only install the TCP/IP protocol and the dial-up networking components, which are all you really need.  To save your password, first make sure you have Client for Microsoft Networks listed when you double-click the Network icon in the Control Panel.  If it's not listed, select Add/Client, then select Client for Microsoft Networks.  Or, in Control Panels/Passwords, simply set a password for the Windows logon.  If you type in a password when Windows starts up, the password will be saved on the Dial-Up Networking screen as well.

How do I send an e-mail message to a group of people without having their names listed on the message?  

Most e-mail software programs offer a cc: option, which stands for "carbon copy".  This feature lets you send a single message to multiple people.  However, the Blind cc: option, which stands for "blind carbon copy", is not always displayed in the standard "compose e-mail" window.

In Netscape, click the To:Mail button, then select Mail Bcc from the View menu to display the bcc:option.  With Microsoft's Internet Explorer, click the Bcc: field and include the e-mail address of the recipient you want to sent the message to.  America Online requires that you place parentheses around any addresses that you want to hide.

Is a 56Kbps modem really twice as fast as a 28.8Kbps modem?

No.  Because 56Kbps modems use digital-to-analog technology, the 56kbps speed only works in one direction - from your ISP to you.  Going the other way, from you to your provider, the speed is about 33.6Kbps.  Overall, you should get a combined speed of between 40 and 50Kbps.

What do all those blinking lights on an external modem mean?    

Those lights are giving you indications of what is happening behind the scenes between the phone and the telephone line.  Here is a quick rundown of what they mean:

What should I look for when I buy a modem?

You should look for a brand name, such as U.S. Robotics, Zoom, or Supra, to name a few.  The modem manufacturer should have a web site where you can download updated modem drivers.  The modem should also be flash-ROM upgradable, meaning you can boost the speed and capabilities of the modem with software instead of a hardware fix.  You should also buy at least a 33.6Kbps modem.

How do I find out how fast the connection is between my modem and my ISP?

Simply move your mouse pointer over the connection icon in your System tray (located in the lower right-hand corner of your task bar), then double-click.  The number of bytes sent and received along with the current connection speed will be listed, as shown here:

Is there a place on the web that gives me info on modems?

One of the best places that has links to virtually every modem manufacturer, along with technical notes, reviews, and tips is Modems, Modems, Modems, located at http://www.rosenet.net/~costmo/.

I've tried to install my modem, but am having all sorts of problems getting it to work, including getting Windows to recognize it.  Have any suggestions?

If you have problems with your modem installation, the best thing to do is to simply start the installation process from scratch.  But before you do that, check the Control Panel/Modems/General option and make sure you remove all previous modem installations.  Next, in the Control Panel/System/Device Manager window.

Make sure you remove the COM port installations.  Then, in the Control Panel/Add New Hardware option, have Windows 95 detect new hardware.  If Windows still can't find your modem or picks the wrong modem, select the modem manually from the list of modems presented.  Once installed, restart your machine and try again.

How do I s the Dial-Up Networking window from appearing and making me click the Connect button every time I want to log on? 

Open the Dial-Up Networking folder, then click to select the connection you want to configure.  Select Connections/Settings and check Redial.  This will automatically prompt the software to redial if the connection is lost.  Next select "Don't prompt to use Dial-Up Networking", and click OK to save the changes.

Now each time you go to use your Dial-up Network connection it will automatically dial without asking you to connect.

Why does it take so long for my Windows 95 system to connect to my service provider?

Most likely your system is set up to allow too many network protocols, thus slowing down the login process.  If you are only using the dial-up networking and your computer is not connected to another network, select Dial-Up Networking, then click the icon for your ISP's connection.  Select File/Properties, then click the Server Types tab, and uncheck the boxes next to NetBEUI and IPX/SPX compatible.  Since you are only using one protocol, TPC/IP, you don't need to have the others checked.

Why does it say "No Dialtone" when I try to connect to the Internet?

It could be that you don't have the telephone line connected to the proper plug in the back of the modem.  Many modems have two plugs, one that goes directly to the telephone wall jack and another that you can connect a handset to so you can take voice calls when you're not on the Internet.  Another problem might be that an extension in your house is off the hook.

What is an e-mail alias?

An e-mail alias is basically a fake e-mail address that diverts mail sent to the alias address directly to your real e-mail address.  E-mail aliasing is also called "e-mail forwarding".  E-mail aliasing/forwarding lets you change service providers without having to change e-mail addresses.  Services such as BigFoot http://www.bigfoot.com , Iname http://www.iname.com , RocketMail http://www.rocketmail.com , PoBox.com http://www.pobox.com , and MailCity http://www.mailcity.com offer free and fee-based e-mail forwarding services.  In some mail programs, "aliases" also refers to nicknames you give people in your Address Book.

Why is there such a difference in the amount of time it takes to send and receive messages? 

Some mail sites only connect to the Internet periodically, while others connect every few seconds.  The traffic one site may be experiencing can slow down the transfer of e-mail, especially if the site has only limited bandwidth capacity.  Also the site you are trying to send to may be down for maintenance or it may be improperly configured.

What is the cc: field for?  Why not just use the To: field instead?

When you are sending a message that you want the recipient to act on, you type his or her name in the To: field.  When you want to send a carbon or courtesy copy to other people, you include their e-mail addresses in the cc: field.

Can I set my mail program to check for messages automatically? 

Most e-mail programs allow you to check for messages every so many minutes and alert you of new messages by either playing a sound file or displaying an icon depicting new messages. You can find the settings for checking email every X minutes either under you Mail and News Preferences or Configuration  in the Edit or Options menu.

How do I send an e-mail message to a fax machine?

If your company or service provider does not offer e-mail to fax gateways, you should check out the many free and commercial services for sending emails to fax machines listed in the E-mail to FAX FAQ, found on the web at http://www.northcoast.com/savetz/fax-faq.html

What is Mailer-Daemon?

Mailer-Daemon is the program most e-mail systems use to interpret error messages.  It also supplies a more English-like "translation" of the error message to the sender.  The Mailer-Daemon program can help you isolate specific problems you may encounter when sending e-mail, including "Host Unknown" and "User Unknown" alerts.

What does MAPI stand for?

MAPI stands for Microsoft's messaging application interface.  This programming interface lets Windows applications interact with other mail systems.  Applications such as Word, Excel, or Office 97, which allow you to send e-mail messages, interface with MAPI-compliant servers, allowing you to send files as attachments to other users across networks.

What does MIME stand for?

MIME stands for multipurpose Internet mail extensions.  E-mail was originally intended only for sending text messages; MIME extends the capabilities of text-based e-mail by allowing you to attach pictures, sounds, and binary or compressed files to your mail messages.  MIME encodes, then decodes all the nontext-related information and identifies the content type to the computer.

What does POP stand for?

POP stands for post office protocol.  POP servers are the incoming mail servers.  POP is a protocol designed for handling requests to get mail from client mail programs.  Therefore, you really receive your messages from a POP server and send your messages using an SMTP server.

Are the messages I send private?

No.  Never ever assume that any e-mail message you send is private, even it it's within your own company's network.  Not only could someone forward your e-mail without your knowledge, but since your messages are stored and then forwarded from one computer system to the next, it would be possible for anyone along the way to read them.

Also, remember that computer system tape backups can also store e-mail messages.  In addition, any messages you post to a newsgroup or mailing list are open to the public, and oftentimes are stored on publicly accessible archives such as DejaNews.

How do I send secure, private e-mail that no one but the intended recipient can read?

The best way to ensure your email is read only by the intended recipient is to use some form of encryption.  The best encryption program is one called Pretty Good Privacy.  You can find PGP at http://www.pgpi.com  PGP is a computer program that scrambles then unscrambles the information you send using what are called encryption keys.

Is there an easy way to create a fancy type of signature file?

The best place to go is a service called Figlet, located at http://www.inf.utfsm.cl/cgi-bin/figlet  You type in the text you want turned into an ASCII masterpiece, and Figlet does just that.

What does SMTP stand for?

SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.  SMTP is a set of rules for transferring e-mail messages from the source to the destination.  Each host wants to receive e-mail set up an SMTP server.  When a host receives an e-mail message from a user and wants to send it to another server, it contacts the SMTP server.  The SMTP server then responds with either a confirmation, an error message or specific requested information.  You send your e-mail messages using SMTP and receive your messages using the POP3 protocol.

Can I get a virus through an e-mail message?

Because viruses require you to "run" or "execute" them, yes you certainly can receive viruses through e-mail attachments!  However, unless you execute the attachment the actual process of retrieving the e-mail message will not cause your system to become infected.  To ensure that you do not infect your system, follow the guidelines:

• Never open attachments from people you do not know

• Always run virus-checking programs against all attachments you receive

• Never place attachments in system-related or program-related directories.  Instead, store them separately in a folder all their own.  This will prevent you from accidentally overwriting important files.

Tips for Effective Business E-Mail Communications

• Make sure your subject grabs 'em.

• In the subject line, make sure you clearly state the need or urgency of your message.  For example, sending out an e-mail with the subject line listed as "Monthly Billing" is not as effective as "Account To Be Terminated Tomorrow", if your intent is to collect for money owed.

• With the volume of e-mail increasing daily, you have to write subject lines that immediately stand out.  Many people take one glance at the subject line, and if it doesn't quite pique their interest, they immediately delete the message without reading it.

• Don't be too casual or too sloppy.

• E-mail is just another form of communication.  Make sure you say exactly what you mean, and that you don't ramble on and on.  Often times long messages never get read, so you're better off being short and to the point.  Use your e-mail program's spell-checker, and don't be sloppy with grammar or capitalization.  Don't type messages in all CAPS.

• The best way to construct an e-mail is to do it the same way you would a good one page letter.  Make sure you summarize the reason for the e-mail in a single sentence as an opener.  Then, outline what action needs to be taken, including any necessary details.  Close by briefly summarizing the contents of any electronic files you've attached.

• Ask for a response, if one is required, in the first or second sentence.

• If you need something from someone, ask for it up front, in the first of second sentence of your e-mail.  Many times people skim through e-mail messages looking for names, addresses, phone numbers and action items.  Make it easier for them to find those things by including the most important information near the beginning in a concise fashion.

Check out A Beginner's Guide to Effective E-mail on the Internet if you need more help on e-mail etiquette.  The Guide is located on the Web at http://www.webfoot.com/advice/email..html

What does this mean: "Undelivered Message - Message not delivered in four hours.  Will continue to try"?

This error message simply means the system has tried to deliver the e-mail but hasn't successfully delivered it within the time set up in the e-mail program.  The system isn't giving up, just letting you know there may be a delay.  The delay maybe caused by a power outage, a downed e-mail system, or problems with the network link.  As with any e-mail message, you should look past the subject header for more detailed information in the body of the message.  The mailer-daemon or the automated e-mail administration program usually will specify exactly how many hours or days the system will continue trying to deliver the message.  You should not resend the message.

Can I copy a hyperlink directly to a floppy drive? 

You can send a hyperlink to any type of device or location available from the Send To shortcut menu.  Simply choose File/Send To. From there you can elect to use this feature to send URLs to your e-mail account, a floppy disk, your briefcase or a fax.

Can I copy a Web page without having to go directly to that page?

You can copy any page by just clicking a link that points to that page.  First right-click on the link, then choose Save Target As from the shortcut menu.  This will copy the page along with all the links.

Can I take an image I see on a web page and use it as desk wallpaper?

If you come upon a graphic image you'd like to turn into desk wallpaper, simply right-click the image and select Set as wallpaper from the shortcut menu.

Is there some way to display a web page more quickly without turning off the graphics entirely?

You can have Internet Explorer load a web page quicker if you press a key, such as the SPACEBAR.  This makes Internet Explorer jump to Fast Text mode, display the text immediately, and work on loading the graphics later.

Do I have to wait for a file to download before continuing to surf other pages?

No, you can continue to surf while a page is downloading.  That's the beauty of the later versions of Internet Explorer (versions 3.01 or above) and the capabilities of the TCP/IP protocol.  Together, they allow you to do more than one thing at a time, such as download a file and surf a web page.  Simply open another window or minimize the download dialog window to continue your surfing.

How do I keep my Favourites on my desk in synch with my lap?  I want to make sure when I travel I have my Favourites handy?

You can use the Briefcase option to keep your favourites in synch.  First make sure your two machines are connected through the network, or insert a floppy disk into your desk computer to save your files to disk so they can be quickly be transferred to your lap.  From Internet Explorer, choose Favourites!  Organize Favourites on your desk computer.  Right-click the background on the file list and choose New/Briefcase.  Drag the briefcase icon to the Favourites Folder of your lap.  When you select Add to Favourites and click the Create In option, make sure you select the briefcase and click OK.  Now as you add Favourites, you will synchronize them with your desk.

What are all these files in this History folder?    

Internet Explorer saves files and graphics of the web sites you've visited in the c:/windows/history folder.  Specify the number of days you want kept in the History folder by selecting View/Options/Navigation.  For the number of days you choose, a history of the sites you have visited will be kept in the History folder.

Can I use the History folder to return to sites I've visited previously?

Yes.  Select Go/Open History Folder and find the site you want to view again, then double click the title to open it up.

Can I mail a web page to someone else?

Of course.  If you select File/Send, then supply an e-mail address, the current page will be sent.

Can I use Explorer to view my Microsoft Office documents?

You can drag and drop any Office document into an open Internet Explorer window to view the document without having to launch Office to view it.  If the Office software has been installed on your system, all the editing options such as Zoom, Font and Font sizes, along with the Edit menu features, will work within Explorer.

Can I use Explorer to view my Microsoft Office documents?

You can choose which frame to print.  To print all the frames on a page select File/Print then click the "Print documents in all frames" checkbox.  If you want to print a single frame, click your mouse anywhere in the frame you want to print, then select File/Print, then select "Print document in selected frame", then click OK.

Is there a way to print a web page from a link without going directly to that page?

Yes, Right-click on the link you want to print, then choose Print Target from the shortcut pop-up menu.  By selecting this option, Explorer will print the page without you having to go to the page first.

How do I print a web page without printing the URL or date?

Choose File/Page Setup.  In the Header and Footer sections, click to deselect those items you don't want printed, such as the Date Printed or Document Location (URL), then click OK to save the changes.  Finally, select File/Print to print the page.

How do I create a shortcut and place it on my desk to a web page?

Simply drag the URL to your desk and a shortcut will be created.  Double-clicking on the shortcut opens the page.  You can also drag and drop any link to Microsoft Office to include that link in your Office documents.  They become clickable links in your document.

Can I delete the Temporary Internet Files, to reclaim some disk space.

Internet Explorer automatically caches the graphics and Web pages you have visited in a temporary folder so the next time you view a page, it will load quicker.  Unfortunately, this folder can fill up and take up a great deal of space on your hard drive.  To empty this folder, open the C:/Windows/Temporary Internet Files

Folder, then press CTRL-A.  Once all the files are selected, simply hit the DEL key on your keyboard, and the files will be placed in the Recycle Bin. 

Can I find text within a web page?

Use the Find option in the Edit menu or the CTRL-F keystroke combination.  Type in the keyword or phrase you are looking for in the text field available in the standard Search dialog box.  Click the Search button and if found, Explorer will highlight the word or phrase you are looking for.

Can I use Explorer like the Windows Explorer? 

You sure can.  If you want to take a quick look at the contents of your hard drive, simply type C:/ in the URL address field of Explorer and you'll see the contents of your hard drive within an Internet Explorer page.

Can I find people on the Internet without having to start Explorer?

Yes, you can.  Internet Explorer installs a Find option within the Start menu.  Simply choose Start/Find/People, then click to select the database you want to search. Either the name or email of the person you are trying to find.

Can a Mac virus infect a PC, or vice versa?

Because the way in which files are constructed on the Mac is different than on the PC, it's relatively certain you cannot infect a PC with a Mac virus or vice versa.  However, macro viruses that infect Microsoft Word and Excel files can be run on either platform.  Be careful when downloading spreadsheets and Word documents.  Make sure you have turned on Macro Virus checking in the Tools/Options/General tab settings of Word and Excel.

What is a Trojan Horse?

A Trojan Horse is not a virus.  It is a program masquerading as something else, but intended to do some sort of harm or mischief.  The most recent Trojan Horse to hit the electronic airwaves was a file called AOL4Free, a program intended not to give the user free time on America Online but rather to delete files from hard drives.  Trojan Horses may or may not be identifiable through virus-checking software since they do not alter any boot sectors or programs or attach themselves to other program files.

What does full-duplex mean?

Full-duplex means you can listen and speak at the same time.  Full-duplex sound cards allow you to have a conversation as you would on a telephone - you don't have to wait for the other person to s talking before you talk, as you do on a speaker phone.

How do I tell if my sound card is full-duplex?

Your sound card may be, but the software drivers that make the sound card work many not be.  First, check with the manufacturer of the sound card to make sure you have the most up-to-date sound card drivers.  Next, follow these steps to see if you can record and play sound at the same time.

1. Click Start/Programs/Accessories/Multimedia, and choose Sound Recorder.

2. Repeat step 1 to start a second Sound Recorder session.

3. In the first Sound Recorder session, try playing a sound or .wav file that lasts at least 30 seconds.  There are plenty of sound file examples in the multimedia directory.

4. While the first session of Sound Recorder plays, switch to the second session of Sound Recorder and try recording a .wav file with your microphone.

If you successfully recorded and played two files at the same time, your sound card is full-duplex compatible.  If not, you may not have the proper hardware or software.

Is a full-duplex sound card required to use Internet phones?

No.  All you need is a half-duplex sound card, speakers, microphone, and a computer capable of running the software.  The only advantage of a full-duplex sound card is that you don't have to wait for the other person to s speaking before you start speaking.

How do I know what the IP address of my computer is? 

To determine whether an IP address is assigned, type winipcfg in the Start/Run dialog box, then click OK. 

What are Boolean expressions?

Boolean expressions are those expressions or search queries where you use the words "and" or "not", a combination of two, or all three.  These expressions can be combined to allow the construction of very complex queries.  AND would narrow a search.  For example, typing movies and Woody Allen would return only pages that contain both the term "movies" and the name "Woody Allen".

The Boolean expression "or" collects both terms specified, so you receive a larger number of results instead of more refined results.  The word "not" operator lets you search for records that contain the query word or phrase that precedes it but not the term or word that follows it.  For example, if you wanted to search for boxers but not boxer shorts you would type boxers not shorts.  Pages about fighters, not underwear would be displayed. 

What's the difference between a Web directory like Yahoo and a Web search engine like Lycos?

There is less difference now than there used to be, because many search engines are building subject indexes or catalogs based on standard categories like Arts, Entertainment, News, Sports or Weather.  Search engines provide access to information stored on Web pages; you just tell the search engine what you're looking for and it points you in that direction, much like a librarian might in a big library.  The more general the search the more pages you'll have to look through.

Directories (such as Yahoo) attempt to organize the Web by dividing it into categories and subcategories.  Some examples might include, say the general category "art" and the subcategory "art museums"; "science" and "astronomy"; "health" and "strokes".  Get the idea?  If you're looking for information that fits neatly into an obvious category, it might be wise to first search a Web directory.

The advantage of a search engine is that it lets you look for things that just may not be categorized into neat little ics and subics.  For example, say you are looking for your friend Wendy Robertson's home page. Web directories would not have a category called "Your Friends", so searching for your friend in one of them would probably give you few or no results.  But if you used a search engine you probably could find Wendy's home page with ease, because it indexes so many sites.

How do search engines gather their information?

Search engines use software programs called robots, spiders, or crawlers to sort through all the information found on the Internet.  In addition, sometimes human beings intervene to catalog some of the data into categories.  A robot is actually just a software program that automatically looks for, then follows hyperlinks from one document to the next.  When a robot discovers a new site, it sends information to the next.  When a robot discovers a new site, it sends information back to the search engine and creates an indexed entry for it.  If this link had previously been indexed, the robot updates the information about the location of this site.  How quickly and comprehensively robots carry out these tasks varies from search engine to search engine.

How to  Search the Internet

Don't use just a single word in your search.  Instead, use phrases, or at least multiple words, to make your search specific enough to produce manageable results.

Use Boolean search strings, such as Music AND Reggae or Music+Reggae (depending upon how the search engine allows you to mix and match your search strings).

Specify those things you don't want to included in a search, usually by either using the word NOT or putting a minus sign in front of the word you want omitted.

Use the right search engine, directory, or index for the job.  Search engines are best used when you are looking for something out of the ordinary, like a bagel toaster, whereas directories or subject guides are best used to quickly find health, news or weather sites.

Click "More Like This" links if you want the search site to bring back more results closer to what you are looking for.

Let the search engine do the job of plowing through your search results.  Use your engine's "Search These Results" feature.

Read the help files for each search engine or directory to learn more about the available features and options.  Sometimes the simple addition or url: or domain: before your search will help you find exactly what you want.  Remember, not all search engines work the same way or use the same META search strings.

Capitalize the names of people, places and names of companies.

Use double quotes around phrases you want to find, as in "American Revolution".

Try using a site such as Search.com http://www.search.com, to search multiple databases at once or to help you find the right search database or engine for the job.

Can I find out how many Web pages are indexed within a particular search engine?

Yes.  You can search virtually all search engines using the exact search expression URL:http.  The search engine should respond with the total number of documents matching this criterion.  Since this expression specifies pages with the letters http in them, and since every Web page starts with "http", you get the total number stored in a directory.

I've found a link I want to explore, but I don't want to lose the search query list.  How can I open a link while keeping the results page open?

You can view more than one page at a time by opening up another browser window.  Simply right-click the link in your search results and choose "Open in New Window" from the pop up menu.  This opens a new browser window to link you've chosen and keeps the results window open as well.  Use the ALT-TAB keystroke combination or the Window menu to bounce back and forth between open windows. 

How do most search engines rank the results I get?

Normally, search engines rank results in one of the following ways:

Word Frequency in Document  The more times the word or phrase you've searched for appears in the document, the higher the page is ranked.  The uniqueness of the word is also a factor and will bring the document up in rank.

Search Words Used in the Title of the Web Page  Pages that contain your search word or phrase in the title of the page will be ranked higher than those those that don't.

Search Words in Keywords  Pages that have added a META tag containing the specific keyword you've searched for will be ranked higher than pages that don't have any META tags in them.  However, pages with the keyword in the title of the page usually rank higher than META-tagged pages.

Length of the Web Page Itself  Shorter documents containing the keyword or phrase will be ranked higher than longer documents.

Is there some way to search a particular domain for pages?

Some search engines allow you to tailor your query so it includes only one particular host by placing the word "host" or "domain" before the query.  For example, if you wanted to search the domain Alaska.net for the word "fishing" with Alta Vista, you would type host:Alaska.net fishing.  This would display only pages within the Alaska.net domain that contained the word "fishing".  If you wanted all the pages in this domain that are indexed in the search site's database you would simply type host:alsaka.net.  

Is there a way to search for particular newsgroups?

Yes.  Most search engines let you search for a specific newsgroup by specifying a META string qualifier.  For example, with Alta Vista, if you type newsgroups:rec.running you would only be searching in the recreational running newsgroup.

I keep coming up with pages that contain my search query in the links rather than in the text of the document. Can I tell the search engine to look only in the text and not in the title or hypertext links?

Yes.  For example, with Alta Vista, if you wanted to find the word "McDonald's" in text but not in the links which point to the McDonald's Web site you would type text:McDonald's.

Can I search for text within the links of a Web page itself?

Some search engines offer the ability to search links by specifying a META string before the text you are looking for.  For example, if you were using Alta Vista and looking for the word "cheeseburger" in the list of links in a Web page would type anchor:cheeseburger.  Then Alta Vista would search the Web for every page having "cheeseburger" in a hypertext link.

How do I search the titles of Web pages instead of the text within?

Most major engines let you search the titles of Web pages.  The titles appear in the title bar of the page and are used when you bookmark a page.  If you include title:loveline in your query, the search engine will return all pages with the word "loveline" in the title.  Check to see if the search engine offers this feature in a drop-down list or in advanced search option.

Is it better to search for a page using a single word or a phrase?

It's far better to be as specific as you can be, and that means using multiple words, not single words.  If you're looking for Web pages on Maltese, the word "dog" will bring up thousands upon thousands of Web pages.  The phrase "maltese for sale" will bring up only those pages that have to do with selling those loveable little fur-covered dogs.  Here's a quick example from Alta Vista's search engine:

"Dog"    -    500,000 pages

"Dogs fur"     -    200,000 pages

"Maltese"    -    10,000 pages

"Maltese for sale"    -    3 pages

Is there a way to speed up my searches?

The speed of your searches may be dictated by the traffic on the Internet, so you might try searching at a less busy time.  Remember too, that some search engines update their indexes late at night, so you may see some slow down then as well.  You can also try entering detailed search phrases so the listing of results will take less time to appear - and less time for you to plow through.  Try turning off images in your Web browser (if the search site allows it) so you don't have to wait for banner ads and graphics to display.

Can I create a Windows 95 shortcut to a search page and place it on my desk?

Yes, and it's incredibily simple to do.  All you have to do is click and hold down on the link to the search engine you want and drag that link to your desk.  Later, you can double-click on the shortcut to bring up the search page with your default browser.

I need to find a picture of a telephone.  Can I search for image files by object name.

Some site, like HotBot, allow you to specify exactly what you want to search for by using a drop-down list.  If the site you are searching doesn't offer a simple drop-down option, sometimes you can specify image files to search by typing a certain keyword before the filename and type.  For example, with Alta Vista you would type image:telephone.jpg.  This will display a list of pages that have image files with the name "telephone.jpg."    

 I'm looking for JavaScripts.  Is there one place I can go to search for what I want?

There are a ton of great sites for Web masters, but one quick place to search for Web page design products such as Javascript is the The WebMaster's reference Library, located at http://www.webreference.com/   There you can search for 3-D elements, JavaScripts, or design information and graphics.

Where can I search for someone's e-mail address?

Tons of directories are popping up all over.  The most common and largest at this point are listed here.

Name                                                  URL

555-1212                                           http://www.555-1212.com

BigFoot                                              http://www.bigfoot.com

Four11                                                http://www.four11.com

Internet Address Finder                    http://www.iaf.net

WhoWhere                                         http://www.whowhere.com

Note   If you don't want your name included in any of these phone/people databases, contact each individual company and let them know.  You'll find the contact information on their main page.  Usually they'll delete it within a week.                                

How can I find out who is linking to my site?  Can I use a search engine to do that?

Yes, you can.  Most search engines, such as Lycos and Alta Vista, allow you to search for sites that are linked to a particular URL.  For example, if you type link:http://www.Alaska.net/~ckirk in the Alta Vista search field, the search results page will list all sites that link back to that page.

What is a Web Page?

A Web page is simply an ASC11 text file comprised of special commands called tags which Web browsers can interpret and render as a page on your screen.  Web pages don't "contain" images rather they contain pointers to where graphic files are stored on a server.

Do all browsers support animated GIFs?

Not all browsers support animated GIFs-some only display the last frame, some only the first.  Netscape Navigator 2.0 and Internet Explorer 3.0, and higher versions support the animated GIF, or GIF89a, file specification and fully display all frames in their animated sequence.

What's the easiest way to incorporate animation on my web page?

By far the easiest way to animate your Web page is to use an animated GIF Animated GIFs are just like those little flip-books you used to make when you were a kid.  An animated GIF is a single file comprising a series of image layers (or frames) and embedded instructions that control how the image layers are presented (for example, for how long or how many times).  The end result is a short animation.  One of the best programs available for building animated GIFs is GifBuilder.  You can find it at Shareware.com, http://www.shareware.com

What is anti-aliasing and should I be using it in my images?

Have you ever run across a web page where the graphics look fuzzy with jagged edges?  Most likely the designer didn't use anti-aliasing, which is a process that programs like Photoshop use to smooth out the jagged edges in graphics.  The anti-aliasing process smooths graphics files by adding in more colours between the other colours.  Any graphic you have with lots of curves, angles or lines should be anti-aliased.

How do I set the background colour of a Web page?  Should I create a GIF and use it as a background, or is there an easier way?

You can use a GIF but there is an easier way.  It's called the Body Background Colour Tag, or BODY BGCOLOUR.  With it you specify the colour code you want to use within the page.  For example, if you wanted to use white as a background colour, you would include this in the header of your Web page:

<BODY BGCOLOUR="#FFFFFF">

Note        #FFFFFF is the RGB colour code for white

I can't seem to get my background colours to work.  Any suggestions?

Make sure the background colour tag is in the proper location on your Web page.  The following example shows where the BODY BGCOLOUR tag should be placed:

<HTML>

<HEAD>

<TITLE> Title</TITLE>

</HEAD>

<BODY BGCOLOUR=colour>

</BODY></HTML>  

How do you add a background picture to a Web page?

Use the body background tag and specify the filename of the GIF or JPEG you want as the background.  Here's an example:

<BODY BACKGROUND="background.gif">

This would place background.gif behind the text and graphics of the Web page.

I've just uploaded my Web page but the graphics aren't visible at all.  What did I do wrong?

More than likely, one of the following two things happened: you may have uploaded the graphics incorrectly (e.g., to the wrong directory or not at all), or you may have misspelled the graphics filenames or omitted the filename extensions referenced in your Web page.

Why do some Web pages end in .htm and others in .html?

It simply depends on the server and the server options used.  Windows/DOS-based servers can use only three letter file extensions while Unix and Windows NT systems offer longer filename extension.

How do you see the HTML code used to create a Web page?

Most browsers offer a View/View Document Source option, as shown in figure 11-2, that lets you see how a Web page is constructed.  This will display the HTML code used to create the Web page.

Why does my Web page look different on different computers?

There are several reasons why pages look different from computer to computer.  Some of the reasons include the following:

• Different monitor resolution capabilities

• Different monitor sizes

• Different monitor colour palettes

• Different browsers 

Can a mailto: link fill in the subject line as well?  I'd like to have people subscribe to my newsletter without having to type the word "subscribe" in the subject line.

Although this is possible, not all browsers support a mailto: link with a default subject line.  If you want to be adventurous and you feel the majority of your visitors will be using Netscape version 2.0 or above, the following is the HTML code you would use:

mailto:address?subject=subject

For example, if your address is webmaster@mysite.com and the subject line should be SUBSCRIBE LIST, the HTML code would look like this:

mailto:webmaster@mysite.com?subject=SUBSCRIBE LIST

What's the quickest way to reduce the size of a graphic file?

The quickest way to reduce a graphic file's size is to reduce the number of colours used in it's palette.  Reducing the picture down to a small number of colours (let's say less than 20), reduces the file size greatly.  Reducing the height and width of the file also affects it storage size.

Or check out GIF Wizard, an online utility that first shows you how much your graphics can be reduced, and then actually reduces them for you.  You can find GIF Wizard at http://www.gifwizard.com  Click on your country's flag to enter the site.  GIF Wizard also offers a search utility for finding graphics on the NET.

What are transparent GIF files?

Transparent GIFs are graphic files that have a transparent background instead of a particular colour.  That means the colour of the Web page will show through any spots on the GIF that does not include colour.

How can I include a watermark to mark my graphics?

Internet Explorer versions 2.0 and 3.0 support watermarks, the ability to mark your graphics.  You can watermark images with the following HTML tag:

<BODY BACKGROUND="myimage.gif"

BGOROPERTIES=FIXED>

I'd like to show how I made my Web page using examples of actual HTML code.  How do I do that without having the code interpreted?

If you want to include examples of HTML code, you have to use special characters to replace the < and > so the text between the brackets is not interpreted as HTML codes.  Type &lt to replace the < and &lm to replace the >.

What is an imagemap?

A imagemap is a graphic image, either GIF or JPG, that has links to other pages or sites referenced in it.  When a user clicks a region of the image, if the image has been identified as an imagemap, the server looks up the coordinates supplied in the Web page that were clicked-on and finds the URL referenced for those particular coordinates.

An excellent example of an imagemap would be a map of the United States.  You click on a state, and the coordinates defined for that state take you to the Web page for the state.

In order to assign links to different areas of an image, you'll need to use an imagemap tool.  Some HTML editors include this option.  An excellent imagemap creation tool for Windows is MapEdit.  You can find it by searching Shareware.com's index at http://www.shareware.com

What are Interlaced GIF files?

Interlaced GIFs, unlike normal GIF files, don't load from  to bottom but rather load in layers, improving in quality as they are loaded.

Is there a list of all the currently supported HTML tags available on the Web?

You can find an entire list of currently supported tags at http;//www.w3.org/pub/WWW/MarkUp/Wilbur/.  If you prefer a downloadable reference try the Web Design Group's Windows help file at http://www.htmlhelp.com/reference/

Can I replace the Submit button in a form with an image?

Yes you can, if you use the following tag,

<INPUT NAME=ButtonName TYPE=image       

SRC=http://location/image.gif>

Where ButtonName is the name you want to give the button, and http://location/image.gif is the location and name of the image you want to use.

Sometimes I see little blue dots trailing a graphic.  What's causing this?

A trailing blue dot may appear after an image due to the way the image tags have been used.  A dot appears after an image when there is white space after the image tag.  Here is an example:

<A HREF="mypage.htm"><IMG SOURCE="me.gif"></A>  

This code will display a blue dot after the image because of the space preceding the </A> tag.

What main elements should my Web page have?

Like any good story, your Web page should have a beginning, middle and end.  The following shows the essentials that every Web page should have:

<HTML>              This tells the browser what markup language is going to be

                               used in this case it's HTML

<HEAD>               This sets up the area where the header information such as

                              comments, META tags, and titles will be placed

<TITLE>                This will title the page, making it easier for people to bookmark

                               the site, or search for keywords within the title that match

                               their interests

</TITLE>                This closes out the title tag, telling the browser where the title

                                ends and where other elements can begin

</HEAD>                  This closes out the header section

<BODY>                    This tells the browser where the body information starts

What are some common errors I should look out for when checking my Web page?

Problems with Web pages can range from simple misspellings to problems with frames or forms.  Here is a list of the most common problems:

• Misspellings of tags

• Open tags (i.e. the closing is missing)

• Tag elements that have been placed in the wrong section; e.g., <FRAMES> tags in the body text

• Misspelled filenames and filenames that are referenced incorrectly   

 Design Tips

• Make sure your site has a clearly stated goal.  When people visit it, they should know what you're offering them.

• Always sketch out the page and site designs before creating the site.  Never try to design directly in an HTML editor.

• Be consistent with your design and design elements.  Use the same navigational bars or references throughout the site.

• Content is King.  Make sure you have interesting and valuable content that pertains to the audience browsing your site.

• Use attractive colour schemes, with complementary colours for text, links and backgrounds.  Aim for readability, not for the greatest variety of colours

I've seen links that display an explanation of the link in the status bar when you move your mouse pointer over them.  How can I get my links to do that?

Those links are using JavaScript.  Remember, however, that not all browsers are capable of displaying JavaScript.  Here's an example of such a script:

<A HREF="main.html"TARGET="main"

onMouseOver="window.status="Back to the first page";return true"><IMGSRC="home.gif" ALT="home" BORDER=0HSPACE=0 V SPACE=0></A><BR>

I've made the text smaller than the default font size with the <FONT> tag, but there appears to be a gap between the last lines of the text.  What can I do to fix this?

This phenomenon is a quirk in HTML.  The easiest way to fix this is to add the <BR> tag immediately after the closing </FONT> tag.

I've added a file to my Web page for downloading but when the link is clicked, instead of downloading the file, a page full of gibberish is displayed.  What  did I do wrong?

You didn't do anything wrong.  A couple of things could be the problem.  Your Web server may not have its MIME types configured properly, or the browser may not have the correct plug-in installed.  The best thing to do is to compress the file with a program such as WinZip and place the zipfile on your site.  With the exception of GIF, JPG or sound files when a file is not zipped it will usually display as text.

How do I redirect a link without modifying my server?

You can use the META tag, specifying the refresh rate and content for the META tag to display after the refresh time has elapsed.  If a browser linked to this example the page would display for three seconds before taking the browsing visitor to the link newpage.html.

<HTML>

<HEAD>

<TITLE>The Old Link</TITLE>

</HEAD>

<BODY>

<META HTTP-EQUIV="REFRESH"CONTENT="3;

URL=newpage.html">

This page has moved.  Please wait and I will take you to the new page.

</BODY>

</HTML>

How can I embed a sound into the background of a page and have it play automatically?

Use the EMBED tag.  But before you do, consider placing the tag close to the bottom of the body section since it may take some time for the sound file to load.  The EMBED tag looks something like this:

<EMBED SRC="sound.wav"height=4width=4autostart=truehidden=true>

You can also use the <META> refresh tag and place the URL of the audio file in the CONTENT field of the <META> tag.

If you are designing sites specifically for Internet Explorer you can use <BGSOUNDSRC=URL> which automatically plays the sound specified in the SRC attribute.  Add the LOOP attribute followed by a value to loop the sound file, or use LOOP=INFINITE if you want the sound to play continuously.

Is it possible to have a different submit buttons that do two different things on a single form?

Yes.  First you need to give each button a name and value in order to determine which button was clicked.  Browsers display the value attribute you use and will send the value to the server as well.  A form could have the following tags:

<INPUT TYPE=SUBMIT=member VALUE="I want to become a member">

How do I get the text on my page to have that typewriter look?   

To get that typewriter look, use the <TT> tag.  <TT> stands for teletype text.  Place the text you want affected between the opening <TT> tag and the closing </TT> tag.

What is Web hosting?

Web hosting is like renting space on someone else's server, leaving all the day-to-day, server-related maintenance issues to someone else.  When you rent space on a hosting service, you don't have to buy your own server, configure the software, or keep the statistics.  Most hosting services will offer the following:

• Domain Name Registration

• A certain amount of disk space to store your site

• Access to CGI scripts for such things as counters

• Monthly statistics on the number of accesses to your site

• Backup of your site

• E-mail addresses for your site 

Can I get my e-mail, voicemail and fax all in one mailbox?

A company called Jfax offers an all-in-one mailbox that can store voicemail, e-mail and fax mail then route the information to you wherever you might be.  You can find Jfax at http://www.jfax.com or http:// www.yac.com.

Invalid Page Fault Error in Internet Explorer

The History folder or the Cache folders, or the Index files used to track the contents of the History folders  are damaged.

1. Empty the History and Cache folders: In Internet Explorer, click View from the menu and then click Options. Click the Navigation tab, and then click Clear History. Answer Yes in the dialog box. Click the Advanced tab, click Settings in the Temporary Internet Files area, click Empty Folder, and then click Yes.

If the problem persists:

2. In the Control Panel, double click Add/Remove Programs.

3. Click Internet Explorer in the list of installed programs, and then click Add/Remove.

4. After Internet Explorer has been removed, restart the computer. When you see the Starting Windows message, press the F8 key, and then choose Command Prompt Only from the start up menu.

5. Type the following commands , and press ENTER after each command.            ( When you press ENTER, you should be prompted to confirm that you want to delete the folder.)

cd \windows

smartdrv

deltree tempor~1

deltree history

cd system

ren mshtml.dll mshtml.old

ren shdosvw.dll inetcfg.old

ren inetcfg.dll inetcfg.old

ren actxprxy.dll actxprxy.old

ren wininet.dll wininet.old

ren cahevu.dll cachevu.old

ren inetcpl.dll inetcpl.old

ren shlwapi.dll shlwapi.old

ren url.dll url.old

ren urlmon.dll urlmon.old

ren wsock32n.dll wsock32n.old

Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart the computer.

Reinstall Internet Explorer

How do I get rid of ISP branding of Internet Explorer and Outlook Express

To change the Default ISP connection used by Internet Explorer:

Open Internet Explorer

Click Tools

Then Internet Options

Click the Connections tab

Scroll down the Dial-Up Settings list

Click the ISPs name ( e.g Freeserve )

Click the Remove button

The connections settings of Outlook Express are the same as IE, so this change will affect Outlook as well.

To delete the ISPs icon ( e.g. Freeserve.ico )remove it from the C:Windows folder.

To remove the ISPs entries from the Start Menu, delete from the C:Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Freeserve

To remove the ISPs branding from Internet Explorer: Delete the file called Signup. Which is in C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Signup

To delete the toolbar background motif: Delete the file named toolbar.bmp. Which is in C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\toolbar.bmp

 To remove the customization that the ISP makes to IE and Outlook Express

This requires that you run the RegEdit and edit the Registry.

To modify the title of Internet Explorer:

Click START | RUN

Type in regedit

Click OK to launch Regedit

Click all the way down this structure:

HKEY_CURRENT_MACHINE\

SOFTWARE\

MICROSOFT\

INTERNET EXPLORER\

MAIN

Right-click on Window Title to edit

To modify the title of Outlook Express:

Click all the way down this structure:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\

SOFTWARE\

MICROSOFT\

OUTLOOK EXPRESS

Right-click on Window Title to edit

To remove the “Infopane” ( Freeserve )  at the bottom of Outlook Express:

Remove the BodyBarPath key in the above folder.