Using Netscape to Browse the World Wide Web
by Lorrie Faith Cranor
A variety of programs are available for browsing the Web.
Some of the more popular browsers include: Mosaic, Netscape, and Lynx.
Mosaic was the first browser with an easy-to-use graphical interface.
Netscape is currently the most popular Web browser.
Several versions of Netscape are available for free for use with Windows,
Macintosh, and X Windows computer
systems. Netscape must be run on a computer connected directly to
the Internet or over a SLIP or PPP phone connection. Lynx is a good
text-only browser that can be used over a standard modem line, even
at low speeds.
The rest of this page will describe how to access the Web through
Netscape. The procedures for accessing the Web with other browsers
are similar.
Concepts
URL - Uniform Resource Locator - You can think of this as the address
of a Web document. It actually includes information on where
the document is stored as well as the type of computer program that
must be used to get the document. For example, some Web documents are
accessible using programs like gopher and ftp. Netscape knows how to
run all the common file transfer programs. Therefore, if you use Netscape, you
don't have to worry about which program to run. Just give Netscape the
URL and let it do the rest.
Home Page - Web documents are often referred to as pages. The
primary page for a person or organization is usually called the home page.
Link - One of the central ideas behind the Web is that the documents
it contains can be interconnected through links. Links can be used to
connect points within a single document (skipping over sections of text)
or points contained in different documents. The linked documents
need not be stored on the same computer. In Netscape, links are represented
on the screen as words or pictures. You can tell that a word is a link
if it is underlined or appears in a different color than the surrounding
text. Picture links are sometimes (but not always) denoted by a colored
outline around the picture. However, sometimes it is difficult to tell
whether a picture is a link or not (if you're not sure, hold your mouse
over the picture and see if a URL pops up at the bottom of your Netscape
browser window).
To follow a link, simply click on it with your mouse (use the left
mouse button if your mouse has more than one button).
HTML - Hypertext Markup Language -- the language used to create
Web pages. There are several versions of HTML currently in use.
Netscape uses an "enhanced" version of HTML which is not fully
compatible with the HTML versions used by other browsers.
Frames - Netscape introduced the concept of frames in version
2.0 of their browser. If you are using a browser that
supports frames, the viewing area of your browser may sometimes get
subdivided into areas which scroll independently -- these are frames.
Unless you are using a browser that supports
frames, you will never see a frame.
Java - Java is a language that is now supported by some Web browsers.
It allows Web designers to write programs that your browser can download
and run with only a click of the mouse from you. If your browser does
not support Java you will not be able to view Java files. Even
if your browser does support Java, it may take a while to load Java
files. While it is not too
difficult for a computer novice to learn how to create a home page
using HTML, learning Java is quite difficult unless you already know
how to write computer programs.
Basics
The following is an overview of Netscape basics. For more information
see the Netscape handbook.
Opening a URL - If you have the URL of a page you want to look at
(probably because somebody gave you that URL), you can go directly
there using the Open button or the Open URL command in the File menu.
Going back to a page you just visited - After visiting a page,
you can go back to it by clicking on the Back button until you return
to that page. You can also open the Go menu and select
the page you wish to return to. After you have gone back
with the Back button, use the Forward button to return to your starting point.
Saving a URL to return to later - As you surf you will find
pages that you will want to return to later. Every time you find
a page that you might want to return to, select Add Bookmark from the
Bookmarks menu to add it to your Bookmarks file. When you select View
Bookmarks from the Bookmarks menu, you will see a list of all the bookmarks
you have saved.
Saving a copy of a page for your personal use - To save a copy
of a page for your personal use, click the Save button or select
Save As from the File menu. Netscape will prompt you to specify a file
name and the save format. You can save the file as text, Postscript,
or source. Text produces a regular text file.
Postscript will produce a file that is formatted
to look pretty much like what you see on your screen. It prints very
well, but can't be easily edited or viewed on your screen. Finally, source is
the HTML code behind
the page you are saving. Only save as HTML if you want to edit the
HTML code.
Printing a copy of a page - To print a copy of a page, click the
Print button or select
Print from the File menu. You have the same format choices as when
you save a page.
Mailing a page - To mail a page to someone, select Mail Document from
the File menu. You will be asked to fill in the recipient's email
address and select from various formatting options. You may also
add your own note to the message. Note: Netscape will not let you
send mail unless you have specified an email address for yourself.
If Netsape complains when you try to send mail, go to the Options
menu and select Preferences. Then go to the Mail and News file
card and type in your email address.
Getting help - Netscape provides extensive help facilities built
right into your browser. Open the Help menu in the top right corner
of your browser. Detailed information on using your browser is in
the Netscape Handbook.
Tips
Graphics often take a long time to load.
To speed things up, you
can ask Netscape not to bother loading graphics. To do this,
turn off the Auto Load Images option in the options menu.
Sometimes you will click on a link accidentally or click on a link and
get tired of waiting for the document to load. You can cancel your
document request by clicking on the stop button.
Now, all you need to do is get a few tips
for finding information on the WWW, and you'll be on your way.
Last modified 24 February 1996
http://www.ccrc.wustl.edu/spj/surf/netscape.html
Prepared by Lorrie Faith Cranor (lorracks@cs.wustl.edu) and
Staci D. Kramer (sdk@cris.com)
Mailing a page - To mail a page to someone, select Mail Document from
the File menu. You will be asked to fill in the recipient's email
address and select from various formatting options. You may also
add your own note to the message. Note: Netscape will not let you
send mail unless you have specified an email address for yourself.
If Netsape complains when you try to send mail, go to the Options
menu and select Preferences. Then go to the Mail and News file
card and type in your email address.
