What is Netscape?
Netscape is a
graphical World Wide Web (WWW) "browser" or
"client". WWW browsers are software that allow you to see the
contents of World Wide Web. Graphical browsers, like Netscape, allow you
to see the images and film available on World Wide Web. You can also
hear sound files using Netscape, but you need additional equipment on
your computer. Netscape lets you control the way some information is
displayed, and you can use the mouse to choose highlighted
"links" on the screen. Netscape is available in the Library at
each of the Library Information System PCs.
The following
instructions will show you how to use Netscape to explore the World Wide
Web. Note that not all of Netscape's features are available on the
Library Information PCs, and that some of the less crucial features of
Netscape are not explained here. Therefore, you may notice menu options
or buttons on Netscape that are not mentioned in this guide.
The Screen
The
Netscape screen contains 7 different sections:
- The menu bar (top row).
- The toolbar buttons (usually second row).
- The location field, a white box which displays
the URL of the current document.
- The directory buttons below the location box.
- The document itself occupies the large window
in the center.
- The Scroll bars for moving through the document
at right and bottom (appear whenever a document is too tall or wide
for the screen).
- The progress bar, at bottom, where information
about the progress of a document you've chosen appears, and where
the URL of a link displays.
To Navigate the Web
If you are
exploring Web resources:
Select links or buttons on the document itself Links are the highlighted
areas of text in the document itself. They will lead you to other
documents. To select a link, move the mouse over the highlighted area
and click once. Use the Back toolbar button or the Go menu
to return to a previous document. Use the Forward toolbar button
only after you've already backed up to a previous document. It will
return you to the document you were viewing before you chose to go back.
Use the Toolbar button labeled Home to return to the UCB Library
Web Home Page.
To learn to search for documents or use subject directories, please
consult our Online
If you have the
URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of a specific document you want to see,
do one of the following:
Type a URL into the Document Location Box. (You will need to highlight
and delete the text in that box before you can type in a new URL.) Use
the File Menu, then Open Page to enter a URL.
A URL is the
Internet address of a specific document. If you have the URL in advance,
you can go directly to that document. Sample URL: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html
To Move Through A Document
Click the mouse in
the arrows at the ends of the scrollbars on the right (or bottom) side
of the document to move through the document. You may hold the right
mouse button down on the pad in the scroll bars and drag it to move the
document as well. The space bar key will also take you down through the
document, and the backspace key will bring you back up. Page Up and Page Down
keys or the arrow keys also let you move.
To Save a Document to a Disk
From
the File menu, select Save As A dialog box will appear.
Locate your drive (usually a:) by clicking on the arrow to the right of
the top box. Click on the arrow next to the box labeled Save as file
type Select SAVE FILE AS Plain text if you wish to view the
document in a word processor. (If you save file as HTML, you will be
able to view it only in Netscape or another Web browser.) Click the
cursor in the File Name box and type a name for your file. Click
on OK Images are not saved by these procedures.
Note: You
can only save files to diskette on the Library's Information PCs. Any
files saved to the hard drive of the computer will be deleted!
To View a File Stored on a Disk
If you have a
plain text file or an HTML file on a disk, you can view it via Netscape.
This is useful for verifying if you have successfully saved a file from
a CD-ROM, MELVYL or WWW search. To view a file, follow the instructions
for going directly to a URL. Instead of typing a URL, type, A:. Netscape
will display the file names on your disk as links. Choose the file you
want to view. Netscape can only display plain text files; it cannot
display files from a word processor.
To Change the Font
To create a larger
font size or to change to a different style of type in the display,
click on Edit in the top Menu bar, select Preferences, and
then Fonts. At the right frame, select the font face and size you
want for proportional or fixed fonts. After selecting, click OK.
Features Not Fully Available From
the Library
- Print (only available in Moffitt Information Gateway
and some other libraries)
- Bookmarks (may be created and saved to diskette, but
will not remain on a computer after you exit the session.)
- Sound files (available in the Moffitt Information
Gateway and the Music Library)
Tips
- If a document is taking a long time to arrive, press
the stop button, then press reload. Documents often
arrive more quickly on the second try. To change your mind about a
selection you just made, press the stop button.
- You will often get error messages when using Netscape,
sometimes because a resource has been moved or removed, and
sometimes because the machine where that document is stored is
temporarily down. If a link does not work, try it again later.
- The URL of a link appears in the progress bar (see
illustration) when you move the mouse over it without clicking. If
you have selected a link that did not work, you can return to it by
writing down the URL that shows at the bottom of the screen, then
going directly to that document later.
- Click only once on a Netscape button or link.
Sometimes documents are slow to arrive, and if you click on another
selection while a document is in progress, you may inadvertently
choose another document.
