Browsers

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Questions and answers relating to the tool we all perhaps use the most: our web browsers.

Do new browser features offering privacy really work?

Google Chrome offers Incognito mode, and IE8 offers InPrivate browsing. We'll look at how they work, and how private they really are.

Does a sandbox or virtual machine help protect your privacy?

Sandboxes and Virtual Machines can help isolate you from certain types of threats. We'll look at what they are and how they might, or might not, help.

Does leaving tabs open in my browser eat up bandwidth?

Having multiple websites open should have no impact on your internet bandwidth usage, unless those sites are actively uploading or downloading data.

Does private browsing or stealth mode count as anonymous surfing?

Private Browsing modes protect your privacy on your machine, while Anonymous surfing protects your identity on the internet. They're not related.

Does the Flash Player store things in my computer? Is that safe?

Flash Player can store information on your computer much like your browser stores cookies. We'll look at the risk, and how to manage the settings.

Does this email address that shows for auto-complete mean my computer or account has been hacked?

Autocomplete, or "suggestions" made when filling out a web form can be misleading, even frightening, until you realize where the suggestions come from.

How do I Java-enable my browser?

Several online chatrooms require you to have java enabled in your browser. Using the tutorial linked in this article will show you how to enable it.

How do I change my browser home page back to what I want?

Occasionally, when installing software it'll change your home page "for you". I'll walk you through why, and what to do to reset it.

How do I delete cookies?

Cookies can be used to save your password, or your logged in state, when you visit some web sites. I'll walk through clearing them.

How do I get PDF files to open inside my browser? Or not?

Configuring where PDF documents on the web should be displayed - within your browser or not - turns out to be somewhat tricky. I'll look at the options.

How do I get my login ID and password to stop showing on sites that I log into?

Web browsers include features that will remember your login ID and password for various sites for you. We'll look at how that works in Firefox.

How do I get rid of toolbars in my browser?

It's all too easy for browser toolbars to accumulate to an almost unusable collection. We'll look at how to prevent, and remove, browser toolbars.

How do I stop QuickTime from playing audio files in my browser?

QuickTime Player, a popular player for various formats, has a nasty habit of inserting itself into your browser, and being difficult to remove.

Is it safe to let my browser remember passwords?

Saving passwords for you is a convenient feature of most browsers. It's important to understand that with that convenience comes risk.

Recommendation: Popup Blockers

What's a "mht" file and how do I reliably share them with others?

Web browsers can save the web page that you're currently viewing to your computer in a handful of formats. I'll look at each and what I do instead.

What's a browser cache, how do I "clear" it, and why would I want to?

"Clear your browser's cache" is a frequent first response when encountering web page problems. We'll look at why, and how.

What's the difference between "Run" and "Save" when downloading?

You can Run a download or you can Save it, it's a difference many of us take for granted. We'll look at what it really means to Run or Save.

Why can't I set my internet home page to what I want?

If you can't change it, your browser home page could be protected by anti-spyware software or it could be spyware itself getting in the way.

Why do I need a default browser?

The default browser is the application Windows uses to handle web and .html pages. There are ways to specify that a different application be used.

Why do I suddenly have another toolbar in my browser?

Browser toolbars come from two places: the browser, and addons or toolbars you ask for. It's easy to ask for toolbars without realizing it.

Why do some web pages not update like they should?

Every so often we run into web pages that don't stay up to date, displaying old information. We'll look at causes and possible solutions.

Why don't more websites fit in an 800x600 screen resolution?

Websites often have problems displaying in smaller windows, and 800x600 is increasingly considered to be small. There are a couple of things to try.