IE7 has been tested and is ready for installing on your computer. Several club members have installed it and like the performance. We will look at the main features today. Vista is using IE7, so by starting now, you will find Vista easier to master.

If you have your automatic updates turned off you can download Internet Explorer 7 at this address... http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/default.mspx
It is a large file about 14MB. When you install IE7 your Favorites will be transferred.

IE7 Highlights:

General:
• Slimmer design: More screen for viewing.
• More Secure: Several new security features.
• More Features: We will look at some.

  Note: You will see many changes. You can have your IE6 Menu Bar back by pressing the “Alt” key on your keyboard. Pressing it again removes it.

Tabbed browsing
• You may have several webpages active at the same time.
• You will see two stars and a green plus sign, then your homepage, followed by a small tab. Put your pointer on it and it should indicate ”New Tab (Ctrl+T)”
• Click on it.
• This is where your second webpage will be. You can click on the yellow star (Favorites) and choose another website.
• Now you have two webpages running at the same time and can go back and forth on them.
• Place you pointer on the four small boxes to the right of the yellow star and click. Now you see the two webpages and can click on one of them.

Webpage printing improvement:
• Move your pointer to the right of the screen and click on the down pointer to the right of the printer and click on “Print Preview”.
• You will see “Shrink To Fit”. The webpage will be reduced to fit on your printer’s paper. No more missing edges.

Search Box
• Move your pointer to the box to the right of the red X. Move it further to the right and click on the downward pointer.
• Click on “Find More Providers”. This will add more search providers to IE7. You can add Google. Click on Google and make it your Default. Add others if you wish.
• This is your search Box. If Google is your default you will see Google in the box. You can type in your search request and then click on the magnifying glass to Google.

Favorites
• Much the same as before. Click on the yellow star for your Favorites.
• If you are at a website that you want to go back to, click on the green plus sign and small yellow star, then click on “Add to Favorites”.
• Then click on “Add”. Click on the green plus sign and small yellow star again, and click on “Organize Favorites” to see where it went and to change if required.

Tools button:
• Move your pointer to the right and place on “Tools” button, the cogged wheel, and click. Put pointer on “Internet Options” and click.
• Click on the “General” tab look at “Browsing history” and click “Delete…” Delete what you want but please “Delete passwords…”. You should not store passwords, hackers can get them. Click “Close”.
• Now click on the “Security” tab. Place pointer on the bar, click and hold, pulling the bar down to “Medium” and releasing. Click “Apply”.
• You need to do this to get to the club’s members only section of our website.
• Click on the “Content” tab. Beside “AutoComplete” click on “Settings”. Ensure there is no check in “Usernames and passwords on forms”. You should not use this feature, hackers can get this information. Click “OK” Then click “Apply” and “OK”.

Page button:
• Near the Tool button find the Page button. Click on it.
• There you can see “Zoom”. Click on it and try 125% to see if your screen looks better.
• Click on “Text Size” and try another font size.

Other buttons:
• Put your pointer on the enveloper. It indicates “Read Mail”. You can click on it and go right to Outlook Express from IE7.
• Click on the “Home” and you go to your Home Page.

Security Status Bar:
• Look at the bar on up from the bottom of your screen. This is the Security Status Bar.
• Notice the green and blue ball. Double click it. You should see that you Security level for this zone to be at “Medium”. If it is not please place pointer on the bar, click and hold, pulling the bar down to Medium and releasing. Click “Apply” and “OK”
• When you are surfing watch for the green page and yellow exclamation point. It is the Phishing Filter checking to see if the website you are going to is the one you expect, not one that will try to compromise your security. The Wikipedia online encyclopedia calls phishing a criminal activity using social engineering techniques. Phishers attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as passwords and credit cards details, by masquerading as a trustworthy person or business in an electronic communication. Phishing is typically carried out using email or an Vinstant message.
• If the yellow exclamation point goes away you are not at a known phishing site. If there is a yellow shield on the left side change websites, you could be in for trouble.
• If in your surfing if you see an eye with a red circle in the Security Status Bar, double click on it. You may see some blocked cookies. These are cookies that MS finds unnecessary.

At future meeting we can discuss IE7. You may also submit a question in the Forum, or send a Meeting Question from the club’s website, members only section.