Setting General Browser Preferences

 

Many browsers have quite a few preference options to choose from to better allow you to use the program. This document will explain several common preferences that you may find useful.

(Screenshots below were taken from Netscape Navigator 3.0)

 

Show Toolbar As

The show toolbar as section of the preferences defines what the toolbar will look like. Selecting "Pictures" will show the toolbar with pictures. Selecting "Text" will only show the toolbar as text buttons. Pictures and text will show both pictures and buttons for the Toolbar. The ToolTips option will display a brief popup of what each button does when you bring your mouse over a button.

See the example below for more information.

Examples of Toolbars

 

Pictures and Text

Text

Pictures

Tool Tips

Links Preference

The Followed Links Preference section determines when links that have been clicked on will return to their standard color. Usually, when links are clicked on, they will turn a different color than standard links showing that you have visited the site that is linked.

Choosing links expire never will make it so that your links will never return to their normal color. Choosing links expire after and then entering a number of days will make all links turn back to normal after how many days after they are clicked. Clicking on the Expire Now button will make all links change back to their normal color instantly. Having the underline option on will underline all links.

On Startup

The On Startup Preference section allows you to set which type of program to use when you start your browser.

Selecting "Netscape Browser" will start you in the standard web browser mode of Netscape when you start up. Choosing "Netscape Mail" will launch Netscape's E-Mail programs when you start up. Choosing "Netscape News" will bring up the Newsgroup version of Netscape when you start up.

Scrolling

The Scrolling Preference section allows you to set what type of scrolling Netscape uses when navigating a web page. Turning the option on will make the scroller scroll as you move it up and down. Turning this option off will maintain standard scrolling that most other programs use.

Browser starts with

The browser starts with preference defines what page to go to when Netscape starts up. Selecting "Home Page Location" will allow you to set a page to go to when the browser starts. Selecting "Blank Page" will start Netscape up with a blank page.

Many of these options will be different for different browsers, but this should give a general idea of how to set browser preferences.