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Subject: Internet Surfing Speed Tricks

Date: 25/June/2001

Ray Stankewitz

The scenario: sitting at your computer, looking for the best Apple Turnover recipe and you are pointing and clicking all over the place. One thing about it-your wrist is getting sore from chasing that darn mouse all over the place! Want to learn how to wean away from it? Read On!

OK, so this may seem like a lame subject to cover, but I think that by the time that you are finished reading and trying out some of these, you will be reaching less for the mouse and getting more done. Those of you that use DOS or LINUX without a desktop know what I mean. There are just times when it makes sense to use a shortcut instead of reaching for the mouse. I know that there are some instances when the mouse is the only way to get an action to happen but the keyboard is king!

Here are my favorite keyboard shortcuts:

You are on a website that has a series of links on it. You click on the first link to go somewhere and you need to return to the first page. Use the "Backspace" key to go back to the last page. You want to go to the next link? Hit the "Tab" key to move through the links. Want to go backwards through the links? Hold down the"Shift" key while you use the "Tab" key to go in the reverse direction. When you are at the link that you want, hit the "Enter" key to go there. You just got the infamous "Page not found" error? Instead of clicking the "Refresh" button on your browser, hit the "F5" key to refresh the browser. Want to stop a page from loading? Forget about the "Stop" button on your browser, use the "Escape" button instead. OK, you found the page you wanted, but it's a long one. Don't reach for that mouse! Use the "Down Arrow" to scroll down the page, and the "Up Arrow" to go back to the top. Better yet, use the "Page Up" button to go back to the top quicker! How about that?

I guess that I should point out that some links live on what is called an "image map". sometimes you can get through the links, but sometimes not. Another instance of problems occurs when the links are on a "javascript fly-out menu" that opens to show other choices when you put your mouse over it. Once again, sometimes you can navigate these scripts, sometimes "No Way".

Well, there they are-the most often used shortcuts for surfing. These work with Windows 3x, 9x, 2000, NT, all using Internet Explorer 4.0+. Most work with Netscape 3+, not sure about Apple O/S, though. Any help from you Mac© addicts? I hope that you can put this information to good use, just don't use it to line the bird cage!

Until next time, Safe surfing, Good backups and send in your suggestions, please!

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