Windows 9X Tips #5


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*1.   If you prefer the dual-pane Explorer view, make it the
 default. In Windows 95, click on My Computer and select
 Options from the View menu. Click on the File Types tab, then
 scroll down and find the Folder item in the Registered File
 Types box. Click on the Folder item, then the Edit button.
 Click on the Set Default button so Explore comes before Open on
 the list. For Win 95: click on OK, then on OK once again. For
 Win 98: click on Close, then on Close once again.


*2.   Windows comes with a few options designed to make it more
 accessible to handicapped or injured users. One of these options
 is MouseKeys, which lets you move your mouse pointer with the
 numeric keypad on your keyboard. This is useful if you're
 recovering from a repetitive strain injury caused by overly
 vigorous use of your mouse, or you have a notebook on which you
 don't want to install a mouse. Turn on MouseKeys by double-
 clicking on the Accessibility Options icon in the Control
 Panel; then click on the Mouse tab and select Use MouseKeys. 


*3.   When you hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete, you'll see a list of what's
 running on our system. Chances are, you'll discover drivers and
 programs running that you don't need or want. If you have
 Windows 98 you can find out by launching the Win98 System
 Configuration utility (type MSCONFIG in the Run command line and
 press Enter). Click on the StartUp tab and deselect the items
 you think you might be able to live without. Click on OK and
 reboot. If you later realize you need one of the items you
 deselected, go back and reselect it.


*4.   You can change the directory that Windows 9x taps for
 installation files. Copy the Setup files to a local directory on
 your C: drive (C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS, for example). Then launch the
 Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\
 Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup; locate (or create) the
 SourcePath entry. Modify it to show the new path Win9x should
 use to find your installation files. (Don't forget to end with
 a backslash.)


*5.   If you spend most of your time working in and moving among
 Office suite applications and a browser, create the ultimate
 Desktop by integrating the two. Click on IE 4.0's Favorites
 button to open the Explorer Bar, then open each Word, Excel or
 other document you often work with one at a time by typing its
 path and filename in IE 4.0's Address bar. You'll notice that
 OLE-compliant applications launch "in place" in the browser
 window, and that the Word and IE 4.0 menus and button bars
 merge. Each time you open a document, drag and drop it into the
 Favorites bar. Do the same for your commonly accessed folders
 (just type the path to the folder in the Address bar). After
 you've built up your Favorites bar, you can move from your
 Desktop work to the Internet without switching applications.


*6.   Save your IE Favorites or Netscape Navigator Bookmarks to
 a floppy disk for safekeeping. In IE 4.0, select
 Favorites/Organize Favorites, then press Ctrl+A to select all of
 them. Right-click on any selected file, select Send To from the
 Context menu that appears and choose your A: drive. In
 Navigator, just copy the BOOKMARK.HTM file from your
 C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETSCAPE\USERS\<username> folder. Or press
 Ctrl+B in Navigator to open your Bookmarks dialog box, then
 select File/Save As and save the HTM file to your A: drive.


*7.   IE's AutoComplete feature isn't just for finishing one
 frequently used URL; you can also view a list of associated
 URLs. Here's how: Enter a URL in the Address toolbar until the
 AutoComplete portion appears. Then hold down the Ctrl key and
 click on the drop-down arrow in the toolbar. You'll see a
 complete set of related URLs.


*8.   <META> tags let the search engines index the keywords and
 site (or page) descriptions that you write. To assist users in
 finding the correct information on your pages include <META>
 tags on all of your Web pages, which identify keywords, product
 names and other helpful index information. To effectively
 promote your site through search engines not only does your
 site need to contain the necessary HTML <META> tags, but the
 content needs to correctly target your potential visitor.  

To get help creating effective <META> tags, <TITLE> tags and
 search engine registration check out:

---->http://www.websitegarage.com/overhaul/?journal


*9.   Internet Explorer offers an easy way to follow a link
 that's inside a frame and break completely from the framed
 interface. Instead of just clicking on the link you want to
 follow, drag the link up to the address bar and drop it there.

In Netscape Communicator you can break out of a frame by
 right-clicking on the framed page and selecting "Open Frame
 in New Window."


*10.   Make sure IE is using a minimum amount of disk space when
 caching Internet files. First, select View/Internet Options and
 click on the Delete Files button under the Temporary Internet
 Files section to clear your current cache. Then, click on the
 Settings button and make sure the "Amount of disk space to use"
 option is set to 1%. (Netscape users stay tuned.  Tomorrow's tip
 will show you how to do this in Communicator.)
