IE7Pro to boost Internet Explorer 7

So, Internet Explorer 7 isn’t enough for you? You say you want more functionality, more features, faster browsing?

So get IE7Pro and see if that’ll do ya. Freeware.

“IE7Pro includes Tabbed Browsing Management, Spell Check, Inline Search, Super Drag Drop, Crash Recovery, Proxy Switcher, Mouse Gesture, Tab History Browser, Web Accelerator, User Agent Switcher, Webpage Capturer, AD Blocker, Flash Block, Greasemonkey like User Scripts platform, User Plug-ins, MiniDM, Google sponsored search,IE Faster and many more power packed features. You can customize not just Internet Explorer, but even your favorite website according to your need and taste using IE7Pro.”

Faster Internet access with an Address toolbar

Internet Fixes has instructions on creating an Address toolbar so you can quickly enter a web address.

This avoids having to keep your browser open all the time.  Just type in the address, and your default browser loads and goes to the address.  This is a neat trick!

Firefox add-ons continually updated

The add-ons (also called extensions) to the Firefox browser greatly increase it’s usability and let you customize it to suit your needs.

This list will continue to be updated:

• Are you on several IM lists? Using MEEBO to talk with them? Then an add-on to run Meebo in Firefox would help! From Distant Librarian.
• ComputerWorld suggests 20 must-have Firefox extensions.
• For a change of pace, ComputerWorld suggests 10 Firefox extensions to avoid. One of these is Greasemonkey, which enables a number of other extensions, so you may want to consider pros and cons on that one.
• Lifehacker has their Gmail 2 add-on updated for the latest Gmail version.
• Saving Advice has 20 Firefox extensions that will save you money.
• Another money-saver is the Pronto service extension for easy price comparisons.

TheWorld browser has anti-freeze and stays quiet about it

TheWorld is an alternative browser that is multi-threaded — like IE7, it claims it won’t freeze on you, even if one web page does.

TheWorld is the first browser that can disable a web page’s sound with one click.

TheWorld can download, which consists of multi-thread download, resumable download, with intuitive download management.

TheWorld Browser has built-in safe guards that will protect you while surfing.

And it’s guaranteed to be 100% malware free.

How to record streaming media

Gizmo Richards’ TechSupport Alert newsletter has an article on how to record streaming media.

Note that while this may be possible under fair use for students in a one-time use for a paper or presentation, it is not appropriate for more than one use if the material is copyrighted.  A better way is to embed a link in your presentation that will download and play the media at the right time.

Bcheck to Be sure!

MakeUseOf has a review of Bcheck, a free browser security checker.

Features

• Supports Firefox, Internet Explorer and Opera browsers.
• Test options: Test only for bugs specific to your type of browser, Run all available tests or Manually select individual tests.
• Check out site statistics on ‘browser distribution’ and ‘percentage of vulnerable browsers’.

Be aware — this site will deliberately try to crash your browser, so the test requires persistent cookies to be enabled. The cookie is used to restore your session after browser crash.

It’s a good idea to close all other programs before trying this.  Use at your own risk.

Less than perfect web pages?

Let’s face it — not every web page programmer graduated at the top of the class….

Sometimes, you get those annoying messages from Internet Explorer, such as “A Runtime Error has occurred. Do you wish to Debug?” or “Internet Explorer Script Error. An error has occurred in the script on line 1. Do you wish to continue running scripts on this page?”

Internet Fixes has advice on why that might happen, and how to disable the warning in Internet Explorer if you still must see as much as possible on that page.

You may also be able to get past the problem by using another browser to view the page, such as Firefox.

Drawn a blank with Internet Explorer 6?

Microsoft provides monthly updates for Windows and other Microsoft programs.  Sometimes these can “break” something else in the process of fixing an existing problem or security leak.

Internet Explorer is a prime candidate for problems, and we see it happen often in the library.  While we can’t fix the library computers ourselves, you can fix your computer at home if you’re prepared to hack your Registry.

WARNING: back up your Registry first.  This is not for beginners.  Beginners should just switch to using Firefox (and of course, anyone else is invited to switch to Firefox also!).

Instructions for changing the Registry for Internet Explorer 6 are at Internet Fixes.

My browser’s been Hijacked!

Suddenly, your browser’s home page has been changed, and maybe other changes made in the way it works.   What happened?

You’ve been hijacked.

Maybe it’s some site you (or somebody else who uses the computer) went to, maybe it’s some piece of software you thought was safe that had a sneaky little change hidden in it, or maybe you didn’t notice that little check box that offered to make the changes when you got the update to something you normally use.  Any number of things might be the cause.

Internet Fixes has a list of possible causes and fixes.

Find the broken links in your Favorites

Internet Fixes has a recommendation for AM-Deadlink, which works with Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla and Firefox.

“I was so happy to find this little nifty program that I had to share this with you all. It is a freeware program called AM-DeadLink, and what it does is it detects dead links and duplicates in your Browser Bookmarks. If a Bookmark has become unavailable you can verify it in the internal preview and delete it from your Browser. Additionally you can download FavIcons for all your Favorites and Bookmarks.”

Browsershots for testing your web site

[Rant mode = ON]  One of the biggest pains in creating and maintaining things on the World Wide Web is a certain company, because they refuse to stick to the standards laid out by the World Wide Web Consortium for code on the web.  They still hope that by using special software and non-standard methods, they can force everyone to use only their own Internet Explorer to view sites (oops - now I’ve given away which company, haven’t I?).  [Rant mode = OFF]

This means that a lot of sites don’t behave the same in much more standard browsers like Firefox or Safari, as they do in IE.  In fact, even IE version 6 and version 7 don’t behave consistently with some sites.  And every monthly release of “fixes” that Microsoft sends out can break something so suddenly you can’t view, or print, or use a form, or something else.

This explains why so many professionals use Firefox or something standard to create a web site, and then afterwards try to figure out how to get IE to show it correctly.  Really!

One way to test your web site, blog, etc., is to use something like Browsershots.org to see  how it looks in IE and in Firefox and anything else they test with.

“Browsershots makes screenshots of your web design in different browsers.  It is a free open-source online service created by Johann C. Rocholl.  When you submit your web address, it will be added to the job queue.  A number of distributed computers will open your website in their browser.  Then they will make screenshots and upload them to the central server here.”

Tweaking Firefox

Firefox Tweak Guide is available from Tweakguides.

Firefox keyboard shortcuts

Here are some Firefox keyboard shortcuts:
Firefox Keyboard shortcuts

70+ Keyboard shortcuts to move faster in Mozilla Firefox from TechRepublic. Free registration is required for this PDF file.

Firefox tips and links

Here are some tips and links for Firefox users: Firefox Tips & Tricks

Make Firefox faster

How to Make Firefox Load Faster is a step-by-step adjustment from Gizmo’s Tech Support Alert Newsletter.

Tame Acrobat Reader to avoid browser lockup

To avoid Acrobat Reader taking over your browser window (which sometimes locks up the browser):

• open Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Start > Programs menu
• then Edit
• Preferences
• choose Options (or Internet in 6.x)
• uncheck the box for “Display PDF in Browser” (make it blank).

After that, you’ll get a file download box when you access a PDF file, and Acrobat Reader starts automatically when you choose Open.

Google Pack up your troubles in your online software

Google Pack is a group of software helps with some very useful items.  Pick your own pack and download just the items you want.  All freeware, no malware included.

• Google Earth
• Google Desktop
• Norton Security Scan
•  Firefox with Google Toolbar
• Google Toolbar for IE
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Skype
• StarOffice (a complete office suite of software)
• Spyware Doctor
• Picasa
• Google Photos screensaver
• Google Talk
• RealPlayer

Shortcuts for IE 7

60 keyboard shortcuts to move faster in Microsoft Internet Explorer 7
from TechRepublic. Free registration is required for this PDF file.

Why can’t IE 7 be like IE 6?

IE 7 Support includes the User Agent String Utility under the FAQ question “My favorite websites don’t load correctly, or don’t seem to work at all in Internet Explorer 7. What should I do?”. The Utility lets 7 emulate the way 6 worked, so you might be able to use sites with that, until they update their sites.

IE7 security settings

Windows Secrets has a list of settings you should make in IE7 to keep it as secure as possible.