Netscape Navigator 3.X Tips #3



*1.  SORT OF A GOOD IDEA            
  
In Netscape Mail, it's a good idea to sort the mail you intend 
to keep in folders. To create a mail folder, go to the File 
menu and choose New Folder. When the Netscape User Prompt box 
appears, enter a name for the new folder. Think carefully 
about what you want to name this folder, since the folders you 
make will appear in alphabetical order. 

If a folder you use often appears too low on the list for 
efficiency, as a workaround you can use numbers, letters, or 
even an underscore to change the sort order. For example, 
instead of a folder named Work, use _Work--it will appear 
higher on the list than any folder whose name begins with 
a letter. 
            

*2.   INCOMMUNICADO            
  
After you delete mail messages, they don't really go away--they
just get filed in the Trash folder. That means you can easily 
retrieve a message you deleted by mistake, as long as you 
haven't emptied the Trash folder recently. Just open the Trash 
folder, locate the errant message, and drag it into a more 
nurturing folder. 
            

*3.   TAKE OUT THE PAPERS AND THE TRASH            
  
You should empty the Trash folder in Netscape Mail often to 
keep your hard drive slim and trim. To do so, go to the File 
menu and choose Empty Trash Folder. 

When you empty the Trash folder, you may notice that the 
process is also compressing your folders. This is the real 
space-saving part. You can also compress folders on the fly 
using the Compress Folder command, Ctrl-K. You should use this 
command even if you habitually keep your mail folders empty, 
since the files don't really go away until you compress. 
  

*4.   NETCENTER POST OFFICE            
  
Netscape offers free, Web-based e-mail through its Netcenter 
portal site. You can send and receive Netscape WebMail from any 
computer with Internet access, so it's a nice perk for 
travelers or businesspeople who want an e-mail address for 
private correspondence. The WebMail service, provided in 
partnership with Web e-mail leader USA.Net, integrates easily 
with your existing Netscape Mail client software. 

To find out more about Netscape WebMail, click the Sign Up 
button at 

http://webmail.netscape.com 
            

*5.   DUAL VIEW            
  
You probably know you can see a Web page's source code by 
choosing View, Document Source. Viewing source code is a good 
way to learn the rudiments of HTML, particularly if you choose 
a page with a relatively simple design. You can also learn a 
little more about a Web document, such as its security status 
and (sometimes) when it was last modified, by choosing View, 
Document Info. 
            

*5.     YOU'RE SO INSECURE            
  
So what do we mean by security status, anyway? Well, every Web 
site is secure, insecure, or mixed (that is, it contains both 
secure and insecure pages). See that little skeleton key down 
in Navigator's bottom left corner? That key tells you the 
security status of a given Web page. A broken key on a gray 
background, the one you'll see most, means the document is 
insecure. That's not usually a big deal unless the site wants 
something valuable from you, such as a credit card number. In 
that case, you'll want to look for an unbroken key on a royal 
blue background, which denotes a secure environment. Even the 
teeth on the key provide security information: one tooth 
indicates medium-grade encryption protects the site, two teeth 
means high-grade encryption. Go ahead and click the key itself 
to learn more about a page's relative security.


*6.   YOU'RE SO INSECURE            
  
So what do we mean by security status, anyway? Well, every Web 
site is secure, insecure, or mixed (that is, it contains both 
secure and insecure pages). See that little skeleton key down 
in Navigator's bottom left corner? That key tells you the 
security status of a given Web page. A broken key on a gray 
background, the one you'll see most, means the document is 
insecure. That's not usually a big deal unless the site wants 
something valuable from you, such as a credit card number. In 
that case, you'll want to look for an unbroken key on a royal 
blue background, which denotes a secure environment. Even the 
teeth on the key provide security information: one tooth 
indicates medium-grade encryption protects the site, two teeth 
means high-grade encryption. Go ahead and click the key itself 
to learn more about a page's relative security. 
            

*7.   SECURITY GUARDS            
  
Of course, you probably already know when you're heading into 
secure territory, because Navigator starts firing off urgent 
notifications. Don't be intimidated by these warnings, though. 
When a site is secured, it just means it has used some type of 
encryption to create an environment within which you can send 
private information with considerably less risk of the bad guys 
intercepting it. You'll often find secured areas on shopping 
sites, for example, where you might buy stuff with your credit 
card and let the site mail it to your home. 

Rest assured that you can explore the depths of a secure site 
without the risk of anyone starting an FBI file on you or 
taking your money without permission. Remember, it's difficult 
for strangers to get your credit card number or other personal 
information about you unless you give it out. If you're 
excessively concerned about being victimized, just don't turn 
over credit card information to anyone online. 
            

*8.   PRODUCTIVITY GAINS            
  
Think you need to wait for a download to finish before you can 
start another task? Actually, you don't. Go right ahead and 
minimize the Saving Location box, then surf on or tackle 
another job. You can even download more than one file at the 
same time. But--and this is a big BUT--keep your computer's 
constitution in mind. Downloading files is hard work, and the 
more tasks you throw at the computer, the longer they'll all 
take. If you overload your system to the point of making it 
crash in the midst of a long download--well, that's not just 
counterproductive, it's seriously aggravating. 
            

*9.   MEAT AND POTATOES            
  
You probably already know you can type the heart of a .com URL 
in the Location box to get to it. For example, you can type 

netscape 

instead of http://www.netscape.com. But you may not know the 
technique works whether you're heading for the site's home page 
or any other page, no matter how deeply buried in directories 
and subdirectories it might be. As long as you know the rest of 
the URL, you can type it in. For example, 

netscape/netcenter/marketplace/travel.html 

The downside to all this convenience is that it takes Navigator 
a while to sort things out. So if you're a fast typist in a 
hurry, you may find it quicker just to enter the complete URL. 
            

*10.   CACHE IN YOUR CHIPS            
  
Reader J.J. writes, "With my Windows 95 cache set to an 
(overgenerous) max of 7500KB, I should be storing less than 7 
1/2 megs of junk, right? But when I cleared my cache I 
recovered 45MB of disk space!" 

How can this happen? In your typical Windows 95 installation, 
cache files get stored in 32KB allotments. Basically, this 
means all those adorable little Web page buttons and bows--1KB 
image files--are renting big 32KB apartments on your hard 
drive, and you're left sweating the difference. 

The lesson here is to clear the cache on a regular basis. Go to 
Options, Network Preferences and click the Cache tab. Click the 
button that says Clear Disk Cache Now. If it makes you feel 
better, you can click the button that says Clear Memory Cache 
Now, too. 

(Note: Windows 95 users who have upgraded to 98 users can free 
up disk space with a FAT32 conversion. For more information, 
search your Windows 98's Help Topics list for "Drive Converter.")
