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Exploring the Internet - Part 2

The following "exploring the internet" segment is directed to new users, especially users of Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser and Microsoft's Outlook Express email program. However there is information here that will be of use to all users.

The Internet can help you work, learn, shop, communicate, or just have fun. It can broaden your horizons. This document will help get you up and "surfing."

• Go Back To Part 1
• Contents Part 2

Taking Control

Having the Internet Delivered to You

Bringing Your Desktop to Life

Personalizing Your Internet Experience

• Microsoft Outlook Express 27

Setting Up Outlook Express

Working with E-mail

Working with Newsgroups

Managing Mail and News 35

 

• More Troubleshooting Information 38

• Understanding Internet terms 41

Taking Control

Perhaps you’ve noticed your Temporary Internet Files folder or heard about the cache and wondered why it’s there, or encountered some security warnings and wondered what they mean. You may have considered downloading a program or purchasing an item and wondered if it’s safe.

Internet Explorer provides you with tools to help manage and get the most out of your Internet experience. You can manage your temporary Internet files, protect your privacy, control which types of files are downloaded, and more.

Managing your temporary Internet files

Internet Explorer automatically saves a copy of each Web page you view, including its pictures, text, and multimedia elements, in a folder on your computer named Temporary Internet Files. This folder is sometimes referred to as the cache. Internet Explorer uses this folder so you can:

• View Web pages faster.
• View Web pages you’ve previously visited, or which have been downloaded as a subscription, without connecting to the Internet.

When you ask to see a particular Web page, Internet Explorer first looks for a copy of the page in the Temporary Internet Files folder. If the page has changed since the last time you viewed it, and it’s time to check for an updated version, Internet Explorer refreshes the page; otherwise, Internet Explorer displays the page from the temporary Internet files.

Because these items are stored on your hard disk, it’s to your advantage to manage the folder’s size. You can increase the size to save even more pages, or reduce it to free up space on your hard disk for other programs.

„ To change settings for temporary Internet files

1. On the View menu in the browser, click Internet Options.
2. On the General tab, click Settings.
3. Move the slider to increase or decrease the percentage of disk space to use for Internet files.

1. To prevent Internet Explorer from updating pages in the Temporary Internet Files folder, click Never.

Tip Automatically saving Web pages is different from downloading a document or program, though they also use space on your hard disk. For more information, see "Downloading Internet Files" later in this document. Automatically saving Web pages is different from downloading a document or program, though they also use space on your hard disk. For more information, see "Downloading Internet Files" later in this document.

Internet Explorer also uses your Temporary Internet Files folder when you download pages for offline reading. If you’ve recently visited a page, or if you’ve obtained updated content through subscriptions and channels, you can view information without being connected to the Internet. For more information about subscriptions and channels, see "Having the Internet Delivered to You" later in this document.

„ To view previously viewed Web pages without connecting to the Internet

• On the File menu, click Work Offline.

Note When reading offline, you will see a message if you click a link to a page that hasn’t been downloaded to your hard disk. You can click Connect to connect to the Internet in order to view the page, or click Stay Offline to continue working without an Internet connection.

See Also For more information, look up "temporary Internet files" in the Internet Explorer Help Index. For more information, look up "temporary Internet files" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.

Protecting your privacy

Using Internet Explorer is one of the safest ways to browse the Web. With its built-in set of Internet security technologies, you can communicate privately, download software you can trust, and verify your identity to others on the Web. With secure communications, you can buy consumer goods or even conduct personal banking on the Internet.

Internet Explorer supports the following security technologies:

• Microsoft Authenticode™ technology enables developers to digitally sign their software code. This means you can verify the publisher of software before you download it from the Internet, and ensure that the software has not been tampered with before or during the download process.
• Secure communications channels enable you to safely transfer information, such as e-mail, or conduct financial transactions without being overheard. enable you to safely transfer information, such as e-mail, or conduct financial transactions without being overheard.
• Personal certificates let you digitally identify yourself to Web sites and gain access to information on the Web. let you digitally identify yourself to Web sites and gain access to information on the Web.

1. For more information, see "Purchasing Items over the Web" later in this document, and look up "security" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.

• Site certificates are like your personal certificate, but for Web sites. They enable you to verify a Web site’s identity before you send any information, such as your credit-card number.
• Security warnings enable you to choose which security warnings you receive while browsing the Web. For example, some Web sites might download information (called a cookie) to your computer so that you can be identified the next time you go to that site. You can choose whether to be warned before a cookie is stored on your computer. enable you to choose which security warnings you receive while browsing the Web. For example, some Web sites might download information (called a cookie) to your computer so that you can be identified the next time you go to that site. You can choose whether to be warned before a cookie is stored on your computer.

1. When you visit a secure Web site, or move from one to an unsecure site, Internet Explorer displays a dialog box to notify you, and displays a lock icon in a locked or unlocked position on the status bar.

1. Another message lets you know if you’re about to send information—such as lines of text in a search—across an unsecure Internet connection.

1. See Also For more information, look up "security" in the Internet Explorer Help Index. For more information, look up "security" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.

• Security zones enable you to establish different levels of security based on your level of confidence. For more information, see the next section, "Setting Security Levels." enable you to establish different levels of security based on your level of confidence. For more information, see the next section, "Setting Security Levels."

Setting security levels

Are you tired of seeing security warnings each time you visit a favorite Internet site—but don’t want to set a lower security level for fear of downloading harmful content from other sites?

Internet Explorer lets you set more than one security level by dividing your Internet world into zones. Security zones help you get the right warnings at the right time.

The Internet Explorer status bar displays the zone of the current Web page. Whenever you attempt to open files, download content, and perform other tasks on the Web, Internet Explorer checks the security settings for that Web site’s zone.

Tip If you are a corporate administrator, you can manage many settings throughout your company, such as security and the Active Desktop™ interface, by using the Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK). For more information, see the Web sites for Internet Explorer or the Internet Explorer Administration Kit. These sites may not be available in all countries.

In addition to a zone for the files on your computer, Internet Explorer provides four security zones that you can configure:

• Local Intranet. This zone typically includes the trusted content inside your company’s "firewall," such as sites on your company’s network.

1. This zone can also include a list of specific sites your administrator trusts. By default, this site uses a Medium security level. If you want, you can change it to Low, based on setup and how much you trust the content.

• Trusted Sites. This zone consists of sites you trust more than the rest of the Internet. You can assign sites to this zone. The default security level for this zone is Low. This zone consists of sites you trust more than the rest of the Internet. You can assign sites to this zone. The default security level for this zone is Low.
• Restricted Sites. This zone includes sites you specifically don’t trust or that you trust less than the rest of the Internet. You can assign sites to this zone. The default security level for the this zone is High.
• Internet. By default, this zone includes anything that is not on your computer, an intranet, or assigned to any other zone. The default security level for this zone is Medium. By default, this zone includes anything that is not on your computer, an intranet, or assigned to any other zone. The default security level for this zone is Medium.

Files already on your computer are generally assumed to be safe. This enables you to open and run files and programs on your computer with few or no prompts. You cannot assign a folder or drive on your computer to a security zone.

To set up security zones, you need to assign specific Web sites to a zone and then set an appropriate security level for each zone. How you assign security levels and Web sites is completely up to you.

„ To assign a Web site to a zone

1. On the View menu in the browser, click Internet Options.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. In the Zone list, click the Trusted Sites or Restricted Sites zone.
4. Click Add Sites.
5. In the Add this Web site to the zone box, type the address (URL) for the Web site, and then click Add.

„ To set security levels

1. On the View menu in the browser, click Internet Options.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. In the Zone list, click the zone you want to set the security level for.
4. Click the security level you want.

Downloading Internet files

Sooner or later, you’ll be tempted to take advantage of some of the hundreds of offers of free or nearly free software available on the Internet. Or you might come across a link to another file, such as a Microsoft Word document, that you can download instead of opening. When that time comes, you’ll need to know how to handle the downloads.

If Internet Explorer fails to recognize a particular file type, or if the file is an actual program, you’ll see a warning before the file is downloaded to your computer.

„ To download a file or program

1. Click the link for the file or program you want to download.
2. In the dialog box that appears:

• To view a document or run a program, click Run this program from the Internet.
• To save the file or program without opening it, click Save this program to disk. By saving a file to your computer, you can work with it later. Running the program from your hard disk is also faster than from the Internet.

Computer viruses are fairly rare on the Internet, but they can damage your computer or files. If you are concerned about a particular download, you should click Save this program to disk and then run the file through a virus scanning program before opening it.

You may see a warning when you click a link that runs a program. A High security level prevents you from running programs from an intranet or the Internet.

If you are using the Internet or intranet at work, check your company’s policy on downloading programs, or see your network administrator.

Using ratings to limit Internet access

The Internet is valuable primarily because it provides unprecedented access to a wide variety of information. Some information, however, may not be well suited for every viewer. Content Advisor in Internet Explorer helps you control the content your computer can gain access to on the Internet. After you turn on Content Advisor, only Web content that is rated and meets or exceeds your criteria can be displayed. You can adjust the settings to reflect what you think is appropriate content in each of four areas: language, nudity, sex, and violence.

Content Advisor uses very cautious rating standards when you first turn it on. You can adjust these settings to match your own preferences. Not all Internet content is rated. If you choose to allow viewing of unrated sites, be aware that some of those sites could contain inappropriate material. However, if you specify to not allow viewing unrated sites, be aware that you will be unable to view many inoffensive sites.

It is important to remember (or write down in a secure place) your Content Advisor supervisor password. With the supervisor password, you can turn Content Advisor on or off, change content rating settings, or override content settings on a case-by-case basis.

„ To set up your computer to screen out inappropriate content

1. On the View menu in the browser, click Internet Options.
2. Click the Content tab.
3. In the Ratings area, click Enable.
4. If a supervisor password has not already been set up for your computer, you are prompted to create one. If one has been set up, you are prompted to type it.
5. If this is the first time you have enabled ratings, click a category in the list, and then adjust the slider to set the limits you want to use. Repeat this process for each category you want to limit.

See Also For more information, look up "ratings" in the Internet Explorer Help Index. For more information, look up "ratings" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.

Having the Internet Delivered to You

You no longer have to visit Web sites to see if content has changed. You can have the Web content delivered to you through channels, which are a special kind of Web site, and subscriptions to regular Web sites. The content can be downloaded while you’re working with other programs or even while you sleep. These subscriptions are generally free of charge.

A channel provider updates the channel content and delivers it to you on schedule in an organized way. You can tailor channels to meet your needs and interests. You can choose which channels to subscribe to and what kind of information you want from them. A channel can be displayed in your browser, on your desktop, or even as a screen saver.

„ To display a channel in the browser

1. On the toolbar, click the Channels button.
2. In the Explorer bar that appears on the left of your browser window, click the channel or category (such as Sports) that you want to view.

„ To subscribe to a channel in the browser

1. On the toolbar, click the Channels button.
2. In the Explorer bar, click the Channel Guide button, and then follow the instructions on your screen.

Note You can hide the Explorer bar by clicking the Channels button again. For more information about other ways to use the Explorer bar, see "Finding Information on the Internet" earlier in this document. You can hide the Explorer bar by clicking the Channels button again. For more information about other ways to use the Explorer bar, see "Finding Information on the Internet" earlier in this document.

„ To display or hide the channel bar on the desktop

1. Right-click the desktop, and then click Properties.
2. On the Web tab, select or clear the Internet Explorer Channel Bar check box.

Tips The Windows Desktop Update must be installed to display channels on the desktop. If you did not originally install it, look up "installing" in the Internet Explorer Help Index. The Windows Desktop Update must be installed to display channels on the desktop. If you did not originally install it, look up "installing" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.

If the information you want to receive regularly isn’t available in a channel, you can subscribe to a regular Web site. This enables you to automatically get updated information from the site on a schedule you specify, without having to visit the site and refresh the content manually.

When new content is available, a "gleam," or a red star-shaped symbol, appears next to the shortcut to the Web site in your Favorites list.

You can choose to either be notified that there is new content available or have the new content automatically updated and downloaded to your hard disk (for example, at night or when your computer is idle) so you can view the pages at your convenience. The Web Site Subscription wizard helps you make these choices.

1. Open the Web page you want to subscribe to.
2. On the Favorites menu, click Add to Favorites.
3. Click Yes, but only tell me when this page is updated or Yes, notify me of updates and download the page for offline viewing.
4. If you want to specify your schedule, delivery, and notification options, click Customize to use the Web Site Subscription wizard.

Taking the Internet with you

You may want to view Web content when you aren’t connected to the Internet. With channels and subscriptions, you can have large amounts of content delivered to your computer and then view it offline. If you have a portable computer, you can "take the Internet with you" by downloading pages for offline viewing on the road, at work, or at home.

„ To browse Web pages without being connected to the Internet

• On the File menu, click Work Offline.

Tips If you pay long-distance telephone rates for browsing the Internet, consider downloading Web pages during off-peak hours so you can browse them later. If you pay long-distance telephone rates for browsing the Internet, consider downloading Web pages during off-peak hours so you can browse them later.

When you work offline, Internet Explorer will always start in Offline mode until you click Work Online on the File menu.

In addition to viewing subscribed Web sites offline, you can also view any Web pages stored in your History folder or your Temporary Internet Files folder.

Bringing Your Desktop to Life

With Internet Explorer, you can make your desktop more lively and useful. In addition to downloading channels to your desktop, you can use Web pages as your desktop wallpaper. You can even add a special item that updates regularly, such as a weather map or stock ticker, to your desktop. With the Active Desktop interface, you can view Web content without opening your browser.

When you install Internet Explorer, you can choose whether or not to install the Windows Desktop Update features (such as the Active Desktop) that make the rest of your computer look and work like a Web browser. If these features are installed, you can choose whether or not to use the Active Desktop interface.

Tip If you did not originally install the Windows Desktop Update, look up "installing" in the Internet Explorer Help Index. If you did not originally install the Windows Desktop Update, look up "installing" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.

„ To turn the Active Desktop interface on or off

1. Right-click the desktop, and then click Active Desktop.
2. Click View as Web Page.

„ To use an HTML page as your desktop wallpaper

1. Right-click your desktop, and then click Properties.
2. On the Background tab, click Browse.
3. Select the HTML document you want to use, and then click Open.
4. Click Apply.

Tips You can also use a Web page as a background in a folder. For more information, see "Changing the Way Folders Look" earlier in this document. You can also use a Web page as a background in a folder. For more information, see "Changing the Way Folders Look" earlier in this document.

You can also right-click any graphic on a Web page and then click Set as Wallpaper.

„ To add an Active Desktop item to your desktop

1. Right-click the desktop, and then click Properties.
2. On the Web tab, click New.
3. If you want to browse the Active Desktop Gallery page on the Web for an item to add, click Yes.
4. If you want to select some other Web site to choose an item from, click No, and then type the address of the site you want, or click Browse to locate it.

Note Typically these items will be updated on a schedule you set, providing new content is available. To update the item at an unscheduled time, right-click it, and then click Update. Typically these items will be updated on a schedule you set, providing new content is available. To update the item at an unscheduled time, right-click it, and then click Update.

Personalizing Your Internet Experience

Tired of using a Web browser that seems to have been made for someone else? You can use Internet Explorer features to make the Web your own.

For example, with a few simple mouse clicks, you can change the size and position of your toolbar, and organize a listing of your favorite pages into folders.

If you want to see more of the toolbar, or you find that you need more space on your screen, you can resize or reposition the toolbars, or change their appearance.

„ To change the size and position of the toolbars

• To move and resize the Address and Links bars, drag the Address and Links labels in any direction.
• To minimize and maximize the bars, click the Address and Links labels. The bars will move from left to right.
• You can hide the Address bar or Links bar by right-clicking the toolbar and then clearing the check mark for each item you want to hide.

You can also choose what appears on the Internet Explorer toolbar.

See Also For information about changing the way the toolbar looks, look up "toolbars" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.

Changing the appearance of Web page text

Web pages often have had particular font colors and sizes, typefaces, and background colors specified. These settings are specified for each item, or in a style sheet or template. If you know how to use HTML, you can also use your own style sheet, which is useful if you have limited or low vision.

„ To change the appearance of text

1. On the View menu in the browser, click Internet Options.
2. On the General tab, click Colors.
3. Change the settings as needed, and then click OK.
4. To override font and color settings and apply a default style sheet, click Accessibility on the General tab.

See Also For information about changing the page and text colors, look up "colors" in the Internet Explorer Help Index. For information about changing the page and text colors, look up "colors" in the Internet Explorer Help Index.

Microsoft Outlook Express

Do you have business contacts in another part of the world? You can communicate with them in seconds by using electronic mail, known as e-mail. Do you have a hobby, such as cooking? You can share information and swap recipes with people around the world by using newsgroups.

With Outlook Express, you can both read your e-mail messages and participate in newsgroups from the same program. If you have more than one e-mail account, such as a work account and a home account, you can read both sets of messages. Outlook Express helps you keep multiple accounts organized.

You can add folders to organize and sort messages, and even have Outlook Express sort messages for you automatically, based on rules you set. You can use HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) ¾ the kind of format used in Web pages¾ to format the text in all your mail or news messages or use it on selected messages only. This enables you to use various fonts, colors, and graphics in your messages. You can also personalize your messages in seconds by using electronic stationery.

Setting Up Outlook Express

Depending on how your Internet service provider (ISP) set up your programs, you may have installed Outlook Express when you installed Internet Explorer. If not, consult the instructions from your ISP. If Outlook Express isn’t installed, then most likely you’ll need to run Setup again to install it. Your ISP may have customized Setup, so make sure to consult any documentation you received.

You will need the following information from your ISP or local area network (LAN) administrator:

• An account with an ISP that includes an e-mail account and a newsgroup account (if you plan to participate in newsgroups).
• The account name and password for your incoming mail server, and your e-mail address.
• The names of your ISP’s incoming mail server (POP3 or IMAP) and outgoing mail (SMTP) server.
• For newsreading, you need the name of the news server you want to connect to and, if required, your account name and password.

Adding or changing a mail or news server

You can work with multiple mail and news accounts. For example, you might want to subscribe to newsgroups that belong to different news servers.

„ To add or change a mail or news server

1. On the Tools menu in Outlook Express, click Accounts.
2. To add a server, click Add, click either Mail or News, and then follow the instructions on the screen.

1. To display or change the properties for an existing server, click the Tools menu, click Accounts, click the server in the list, and then click Properties.

Using Outlook Express from your Web browser

You can set Outlook Express to be your default e-mail or newsreading program. Then, whenever you click an e-mail or newsgroup link on a Web page, or click the Mail or News command on the Go menu in Internet Explorer, Outlook Express opens.

For more information about newsgroups, see "Working with Newsgroups" later in this document.

1. In Outlook Express, click the Tools menu, and then click Options.
2. On the General tab, select the following check box(es): Make Outlook Express my default e-mail program and/or Make Outlook Express my default news reader.

Working with E-mail

Faster and more fun than postal mail ("snail mail"), Outlook Express can put you in touch with friends, relatives, and new acquaintances in seconds!

When you start Outlook Express, you’ll notice a Welcome screen with the following choices: Read Mail, Read News, Compose a Message, Address Book, Update, and Find People. You can click any of these links to explore Outlook Express.

Sending e-mail

To send e-mail to someone the first time, you’ll need to know the person’s e-mail address. But once you add this name to the Address Book, you’ll never need to remember the whole e-mail name again. Outlook Express remembers it for you! (If you’re using e-mail on a corporate account, names may already be in a corporate directory service.)

All you have to do is type as much of the person’s name or e-mail address as you know in the To box in the mail message—for example, the recipient’s first name. Then click the Check Names button on the toolbar. Outlook Express will search the Address Book to find an entry that matches the name or address.

„ To send e-mail

1. On the toolbar, click the Compose Message button.
2. In the To box, type the e-mail name of each recipient, separating each name by a semicolon ( ; ) or comma ( , ).
3. To send copies, type the e-mail name of each recipient in the Cc box, separating each name by a semicolon or comma.

1. To send copies to someone without the name appearing to other recipients, which is sometimes called sending a "blind carbon copy," type the e-mail name in the Bcc box.

1. In the Subject box, type the subject of the message.
2. In the message area, type your message.
3. On the toolbar, click the Send button.

1. The message is placed in your Outbox.

Tip To look up a name in the Address Book, click the Tools menu, and then click Select Recipients or double-click the icon beside To. To look up a name in the Address Book, click the Tools menu, and then click Select Recipients or double-click the icon beside To.

If you are connected to the Internet, by default your outgoing e-mail is sent to your mail server immediately. If you don’t want your messages to be sent immediately , click the Tools menu, click Options, click the Send tab, and then clear the Send messages immediately check box. This will place messages you create in your Outbox until you click Send on the Tools menu.

Receiving e-mail

When you start Outlook Express, it connects to your mail server and logs on to your e-mail account.

Depending on your what type of incoming mail server your ISP has, (IMAP or POP3), your e-mail will either be stored on a server or stored on your computer. Either way, you can easily read your messages.

„ To view your e-mail

1. In the Outlook bar or folder list, click the Inbox icon.
2. In the message list, do one of the following:

• To read a message in the preview pane, click it.
• To read a message in its own window, double-click it.

Tip You can have Outlook Express automatically check for new mail and send mail every few minutes while you’re online. Just click the Tools menu, and then click Options. On the General tab, click Check for new messages every xx minutes, and specify a number.

Replying to e-mail

Outlook Express makes it easy to reply to e-mail you receive, without having to type a name or e-mail address. You can also add the sender’s name to the Address Book.

„ To reply to e-mail

1. View the message.
2. On the toolbar, click the Reply to Author or Reply to All button.
3. Type a message in the message area, and then click the Send button.
4. To add the sender to the Address Book, open the message in its own window, right-click the sender’s name, and then click Add to Address Book.

Tip To forward a message to one or more people, click the Forward button, and then type the e-mail names of the people you want to send it to. To forward a message to one or more people, click the Forward button, and then type the e-mail names of the people you want to send it to.

Formatting your messages

You can use HTML format to provide emphasis and structure to your e-mail messages. You can change the appearance of text, change the way paragraphs are aligned, add automatic bullets or numbering, and apply background images and colors. You can even apply a background image or use stationery to personalize all or some of your messages.

When you use HTML formatting, and the recipient’s mail or newsreading program does not read HTML, the message appears as plain text, and is often accompanied by an HTML file consisting of the formatted version of the message. The recipient can view the attached file by opening it using any Web browser.

You can also create messages in plain text format.

„ To use HTML formatting in all outgoing messages

1. On the Tools menu in the main window, click Options.
2. Click the Send tab.
3. In the Mail sending format and/or News sending format areas, click HTML.

Tips To use HTML formatting on an individual message, click the Format menu in the new message window, and then click Rich Text (HTML). This affects only the current outgoing message. A black dot appears by the command when it is selected. To use HTML formatting on an individual message, click the Format menu in the new message window, and then click Rich Text (HTML). This affects only the current outgoing message. A black dot appears by the command when it is selected.

To remove HTML formatting and use plain text, click the Format menu, and then click Plain Text.

HTML formatting isn’t interpreted by many newsreaders. When posting messages to newsgroups, you may not want to use HTML formatting.

See Also For more information about formatting your messages, look up "formatting messages" in the Outlook Express Help Index. For more information about formatting your messages, look up "formatting messages" in the Outlook Express Help Index.

Outlook Express comes with a selection of stationery patterns you can use for announcements, holiday greetings, and your everyday messages, and you can also choose a default stationery to use with all new mail or news messages you compose.

„ To use stationery to create e-mail messages

1. On the Compose menu, click New Message Using.
2. Click one of the stationery choices, or click More Stationery to see more choices.

„ To choose a default stationery

1. On the Tools menu, click Stationery.
2. On the Mail tab, select the stationery elements you want to include in mail messages. To add stationery to newsgroup messages, click the News tab.

Working with Newsgroups

A newsgroup is a collection of messages, like an electronic bulletin board, posted by individuals to a computer called a news server. You can find newsgroups on practically any subject. Although some newsgroups are moderated, most are not, and messages can be posted and read by anyone who has access to that group. You should beware that some newsgroups may contain messages that are meant for an adult audience, so you may want to limit access to inappropriate sites. There are no newsgroup membership lists or joining fees.

Your Internet service provider (ISP) must have a connection to a news server in order for you to set up an account with that server in Outlook Express. After you set up a news server account, you can read and post messages to any of the newsgroups stored on that server. If you haven’t set up a news server, see "Adding or Changing a Mail or News Server" earlier in this document.

You can interact with newsgroups as much or as little as you want. You can go to a newsgroup just to read what other people have to say, or you can post your own questions, tips, opinions, or answers.

You can browse any of the newsgroup servers your ISP offers, reading as many messages in as many newsgroups as you like. When you find newsgroups that interest you, you can subscribe to them for easy access.

Note The first time you view a newsgroup, it may take several minutes to download the messages. The next time you go to that newsgroup, it downloads faster, because Outlook Express downloads only new messages. The first time you view a newsgroup, it may take several minutes to download the messages. The next time you go to that newsgroup, it downloads faster, because Outlook Express downloads only new messages.

See Also For more information about subscribing to newsgroups, look up "subscribing to newsgroups" in the Outlook Express Help Index

„ To read newsgroup messages

1. On the Go menu, click News.
2. On the toolbar, click the News groups button.
3. If you have more than one news account, a News Servers list appears. Click a server.
4. On the All tab, click a newsgroup, and then click Go To.

Tip You can search for newsgroups containing specific words in their titles by typing those words in the Display newsgroups which contain box. You can search for newsgroups containing specific words in their titles by typing those words in the Display newsgroups which contain box.

If you cannot find a specific newsgroup in the list, your news server might not carry that newsgroup.

When you find a newsgroup that you want to visit regularly, add it to your Subscribed list. If your interests change, or if you find you don’t visit a newsgroup often, you can easily remove it from the list.

„ To subscribe to or unsubscribe from a newsgroup

1. On the toolbar, click the News groups button.
2. If a News Servers list appears, click a server.
3. Click the newsgroup that you want to subscribe to, and then click the Subscribe button.

1. To cancel your subscription to a newsgroup, click the newsgroup, and then click Unsubscribe.

Tip To subscribe to the newsgroup you are viewing, click the Tools menu, and then click Subscribe to This Group. To subscribe to the newsgroup you are viewing, click the Tools menu, and then click Subscribe to This Group.

You might want to see a list of the newsgroups you subscribe to. You can see the list of newsgroups in the folder list, or you can view your subscription list.

„ To view your subscription list

1. On the toolbar, click the News groups button.
2. Click the Subscribed tab near the bottom of the window.

It’s easy to post new messages to a newsgroup or individual, or reply to messages you read.

„ To post a new message to a newsgroup

1. In the folder list, select the newsgroup you want to post a message to.
2. On the toolbar, click the Compose Message button.

1. To send your message to additional newsgroups, click the Tools menu, and then click Select Newsgroups. Click a newsgroup in the list, and then click Add. You can choose from all newsgroups or only newsgroups you subscribe to.

1. Type the subject of your message. Outlook Express cannot post a message that does not contain a subject.
2. Compose your message, and then click the Post Message button on the toolbar.

Your message is delivered to your news server the next time Outlook Express checks for updated news.

„ To post a reply to a newsgroup or author

1. In the message list, click the message you want to reply to.
2. To reply to the whole newsgroup, click the Reply to Group button on the toolbar.

1. To reply to the author of the message by e-mail, click Reply to Author.

1. In the message area, type your message.
2. On the toolbar, click the Post or Send button.

Managing Mail and News

Mail and newsgroup message files can accumulate quickly on your computer. You can organize your messages and reclaim disk space in several ways. You can:

• Create, compact, or delete message folders.
• Automatically or manually file mail messages in folders.
• Automatically remove newsgroup messages you’ve read, compact them when their space exceeds a specified limit, or delete them when they are older than a specified number of days.
• Determine whether you see all newsgroup messages or just the ones you haven’t read yet.

Tip You can hide or display parts of your screen, such as the message list or folder list. For more information, look up "customizing Outlook Express" in the Outlook Express Help Index. You can hide or display parts of your screen, such as the message list or folder list. For more information, look up "customizing Outlook Express" in the Outlook Express Help Index.

For information about these and other tips and tricks, look up "folders," "downloading mail automatically," and "downloading newsgroup messages" in the Outlook Express Help Index.

Sometimes, it’s hard to keep up with your e-mail messages. And downloading lots of e-mail and responding to it can require lengthy connection times. Maybe you have both a work account and a home account. Would you like to use both accounts from the same program? Or perhaps you share an e-mail account with someone else, such as a member of your family. Outlook Express offers solutions to all these situations.

To use your online time efficiently, you can download messages or entire newsgroups, so you don’t have to be connected to your ISP or the Internet to read messages. You can also download only message headers to view offline, and then mark just those you want to read the next time you’re connected.

You can also compose messages offline and then send them the next time you reconnect.

„ To set up newsgroups for offline newsreading

1. In the folder list, select a newsgroup.
2. On the File menu, click Properties.
3. On the Download tab, select the check box named When downloading this newsgroup, retrieve, and then click the option you want.
4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for as many newsgroups as you want.
5. Whenever you want to download the messages, click the Tools menu, and then click Download All.

If you have mail accounts for home and work, you can set up Outlook Express to sort them into separate folders for each account. If several people share one mail account, you can have each person’s mail delivered to his or her folder.

If you have several mail accounts with different ISPs, you can use them all from one window. And if your newsgroup service (Usenet) provider uses more than one news server, you can set up separate accounts for each one and then easily switch between them without reconfiguring your newsreader.

„ To add, delete, or switch folders

You can manage your mail folders in a variety of ways to make it easy to locate the messages you want.

• To add a folder, click the File menu, point to Folder, and then click New Folder. Then, in the Folder name box, type the name.
• To switch to another folder, click the folder in the folder list.
• To delete a folder, right-click the folder in the folder list, and then click Delete.

By using the Inbox Assistant, you can have incoming messages that meet certain criteria sent to the folders you want. For example, individuals using the same e-mail account can have their messages delivered to their personal folders. Or all mail from a certain person can be automatically routed to a specific folder.

You can also specify that certain messages are automatically forwarded to a contact in the Address Book, or that message recipients are automatically sent a file.

„ To filter incoming e-mail messages

1. On the Tools menu, click Inbox Assistant.
2. Click Add.
3. Type the criteria you want the incoming messages to match.
4. In the Perform the following action area, select a check box, and then click the folder, person, or file you want to send the matching incoming messages to.

Tips You can specify multiple filters or rules for incoming messages. If an incoming message matches more than one of your criteria, then it is filtered according to the first one it matches. You can specify multiple filters or rules for incoming messages. If an incoming message matches more than one of your criteria, then it is filtered according to the first one it matches.

You can also sort newsgroup and mail messages by columns, so you can determine which newsgroup messages you see. For more information, look up "sorting messages" in the Outlook Express Help Index.

Finding people on the Internet

You can find search for people by using popular Internet white pages. Address Book in Internet Explorer supports Lightweight Directory Service Access Protocol (LDAP) for accessing Internet directory services.

Directory services are companies that maintain lists of names, e-mail addresses, and other data. With Address Book, you can add these servers to the list of address books you use when addressing e-mail messages. If your company has set up a directory service, you can use it when addressing messages to other people in your company, without needing to add them to your address book.

Tip You can look up people by clicking Find on the Start menu and then clicking People, or you can click Find People on the Edit menu in Outlook Express. You can look up people by clicking Find on the Start menu and then clicking People, or you can click Find People on the Edit menu in Outlook Express.

More Troubleshooting Information

When you’re browsing the Web, whether by clicking hyperlinks, typing addresses in the Internet Explorer Address bar, or clicking a shortcut icon in your Favorites list, you might not be able to get to the site you want. Instead, you’ll see a page with a message and usually a number. Here’s an explanation of the most common numbers and messages.

The Web site you requested requires special access permission, such as a password.

The browser found the host computer, but did not find the specific document you requested.

To resolve this, make sure you typed the correct address. The page may have been removed from the Web site, renamed, or moved to a new location.

You might also try typing the address again but leaving off the file name. For example, if you were unable to find //www.microsoft.com/ie/sample.htm, try typing just //www.microsoft.com/ie/ to go one level up on the Web site.

The server for this Web site is too busy. To resolve this, try viewing the page again after 30 seconds or so.

An online form or the HTML code for an online form has an error.

This is a version of the 403 Forbidden error. The Web site you requested requires special access permission, such as a password.

The Web site’s URL couldn’t be translated into a valid IP address. This error is common on commercial sites because the computers responsible for translating the IP addresses are overloaded. This can also be caused by typing the wrong address.

To resolve this, type the address again, or try viewing the site later when Internet traffic might not be as busy.

You have attempted to download a file that needs a helper application, and Internet Explorer can’t find it.

To resolve this, click the View menu in Windows Explorer, and then click Folder Options. Click the File Types tab, and make sure the correct directory and file name are entered for the helper application. If you do not have a helper application, you can save the file to disk and then obtain the helper application.

The page that the hyperlink points to no longer exists.

Either too many people are trying to gain access to the site, the site is down for maintenance, there is "noise" on the line, or the site no longer exists. This can also be caused by typing the wrong address.

Where to find other troubleshooting information

This section provides general Internet troubleshooting information. You can find out more detailed information in the following places.

For more detailed troubleshooting information about running Internet Explorer, see the Readme.txt online document.

The Help in Windows 95/98/ME and Windows NT/XP contains topics that can help you troubleshoot connection and Internet browsing problems.

In Window 95/98/ME, see the following Windows Help topics:

• If You Have Trouble Using Dial-Up Networking
• If You Have Trouble Using Your Modem
• If You Have Trouble Using the Internet (this topic is only available in recently purchased copies of Windows 95)

In Window NT/XP, see the following Windows Help topics:

• Modem Troubleshooter
• Connecting to the Internet
• Connect to a remote computer or network

You can find helpful articles and other information online by connecting to the Microsoft Knowledge Base on the Web.

„ To connect to Microsoft Knowledge Base

• Type the following in the Address bar in Internet Explorer, and then press ENTER:

1. http:// support/microsoft.com

After you’re connected, you can easily look up your error messages and perform searches for solutions to other common problems.

Understanding Internet terms  also see USC glossary

From ASP to XML, Internet terms can be overwhelming. Perhaps a friend or family member bombards you with jargon like: "I’m really into using DHTML and ASP files now. I used to use CGI and IDC, but they were cumbersome unless you are using an ISDN connection. And oh, I’ll FTP that document to you right now." Whew!

The best advice is to not worry too much about the terms at first. Exploring the Internet can be fun, and as you visit more sites and become more comfortable, the terms will start to seem natural. To get you started, though, here are some of the most common terms you’ll encounter.

See also URL. An Internet address is the name of a site you want to connect to, such as www.microsoft.com. Also, an Internet address can be the address of someone you want to send e-mail to, such as name@company.com. A typical address starts with a protocol (need an entry for protocol)name (such as ftp:// or http://) followed by the organization that maintains the site; the suffix identifies the kind of organization. For example, commercial site addresses often end with .com.

An area on your hard disk that is reserved for storing images, text, and other files that you have viewed on the Internet. The Temporary Internet Files folder is the cache for Internet Explorer.

The program you use to view Web pages. Microsoft Internet Explorer is a Web browser.

A computer maintained by your Internet service provider that matches IP addresses to host names. Some providers will send you a specific DNS address. This address typically contains four sets of numbers separated by periods and is different from your IP address. See also IP address.

1. The main page of a Web site. The home page usually contains a main menu or table of contents containing links to other pages within the site. 2. The first page you see when you start Internet Explorer.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol. A protocol that makes hypertext information such as Web pages available over the Internet, when you use a computer that is connected to a server.

Hypertext Markup Language. The language used to create and design Web pages. HTML is a series of "tags" that create the page layout, format text, insert graphics and multimedia, and more.

Anything on a Web page that you can click to go to another page. A text or graphical link could go to another page at the same Web site or to page on a different part of the Web.

A way of presenting information in which text, sounds, images, and actions are linked together in a way that allows you to jump around between them in whatever order you choose.

The Internet is a constantly evolving group of international computer networks connected by telephone lines. When you're connected to the Internet, you can gain access to a wealth of information from the World Wide Web and Internet newsgroups (bulletin board services, or BBS). See also World Wide Web.

The IP address is the numeric address of a computer. Some Internet service providers will send you the IP address of their server. If you're not sure whether you need to enter an IP address, contact your provider. See also DNS.

An Internet service provider maintains a server that is directly connected to the Internet. You must connect through a service provider unless you are directly connected to the Internet. Connecting to a service provider entails calling the provider and setting up an account.

Integrated Services Digital Networking. ISDN is available from most telephone companies and is used for high-speed communication with the Internet, commercial online services, or corporate networks.

A proxy server acts as a security barrier (sometimes called a "firewall") between your internal network (intranet) and the Internet, keeping other people on the Internet from gaining access to confidential information on your intranet.

To click the secondary mouse button (in most cases, the one on the right side of the mouse). If you are left-handed, you can change primary and secondary mouse buttons in Control Panel.

The page you see when you click the Search button on the Internet Explorer toolbar. The search services that are available will vary depending on your Internet service provider. A search page provides an organized way to find and go to other Internet sites. Many search pages provide various searching capabilities, such as the ability to search by topic or by keyword. Others might provide a well-organized list of hyperlinks to selected Internet sites.

The act of navigating the Web by clicking hyperlinks.

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. A suite of communication protocols that allow computers to talk to each other, thus creating the Internet.

Uniform Resource Locator. The address of a Web page. Web URLs start with http://. The URL of the page you are on appears in the Address box of Internet Explorer. See also address.

Any document you can view on the Web. A Web site consists of one or many pages.

Sometimes known as WWW, the Web is a system that enables you to see documents in richly formatted text and graphics. Using a Web browser, such as Internet Explorer, you can navigate the Web by clicking hyperlinks. See also hyperlink.

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