Contents

• General Tips
• Problems Browsing
• Links to Various Help Pages

General Tips

These tips are for members of the department new to the Web. Within the department we are currently using an old (in web terms) version of Mosaic. The Following refers to this browser.

NB. Netscape is available on the network.

In keeping with the department's policy of aiming to not repeat whats already out there, links are provided to various help documents, about Mosaic, Netscape and the Web. However, first a few tips to help beginners:

Mosaic and Netscape are browsers that offers a friendly interface to the Internet via the World Wide Web. Through using hypertext (the use of links from one page to another) you may float around Cyber-space freely with little worry of protocols etc. You may either travel by clicking on one link to the next, our by travelling direct by entering an address (the Uniform Resource Locator or URL).

If you are familiar with windows using these browsers will be a doddle as they works like any other windows application. If you're not, get to know windows a little first, it will help immensely. Windows has a small tutor to take you through the basics, and Computing Services in John Dalton have an excellent two volume tutor.

As a windows user you will already be familiar with the 'hypertext' concept of links as all windows help pages work in the same way.

Some key points for beginners:

The main method of moving between pages on the Web is by using the links(HyperText Links) embedded in various pages. A link will either be a highlighted piece of text or highlighted graphic.

eg. The People and Research would be links to other pages.

Links may be to other areas of the document, further documents within a series or documents at completely remote sites. As you pass the cursor over a highlighted link it should turn to a hand. As you do, the address (URL) of that link will appear at the bottom of the Mosaic window.

On the tool bar

The arrow keys will take you backwards and forwards through the pages you have loaded onto the browser. The home button will always take you to your Home Page (the page that Mosaic loads on opening).

On the department's pages there should always be at least a button to take you back to the department's main index.

You can use the File option to go to a specific URL. Clicking File reveals the usual windows type menu;

Click on OPEN URL, which will then give you a box to enter the URL, then click OK.

Your tool bar may also contain a list of various sites within a Hotlist. You can create your own hotlist using the menu editor.

If you want to 'down load' the contents of a page use the 'load to disk' option.

It is often best to go to a page first (unless it's software), if you then want to down load it, click on load to disk, then click the reload button. After down loading, turn off load to disk with another click.

Take note (or add to HotList) good URL's (Via Navigate option on Tool Bar).

Don't expect to get back if you drift to far from link to link.

Experiment, you'll learn quicker.

If you down load a page, take a note of its URL for future reference.

Problems Browsing

You may experience trouble getting through to various URL's, when clicking on 'links' or entering addresses. This may happen for a number of reasons:

Telnet is down.

Ask an IT type person if it's coming back soon.

Site is busy.

Try later, or try entering at a lower directory eg. http://www.mmu.ac.uk/graphics/ instead of http://www.mmu.ac.uk/graphics/latest/mongo.gif, then work your way up.

You have spelt address (URL) wrong

Check things like _ as opposed to -.

The author of the link has got it wrong.

This may be true of these pages, please let me know of any genuine faults. You can help yourself by entering the correct address by opening a file and typing it.

The Web server you are trying to get through to is off line.

Try later. - alternatively there may be a mirror site, which is a different address that gets you the same pages.

Can't get through or everything is mighty slow.

America has woke up, either get in early or bomb California (or both).

Some sites may simply be 'dead' or have moved.

They may be kind enough to tell you this.

For those of you viewing from within the department:

Please don't chase Terry too much, beside buying a few Cruise missiles he can't do much. You can help yourself by becoming more familiar with the WWW, you'll soon learn to spot what is causing your problems.

Links to Various Help Pages

I hope to discover a variety of tutors. If your using Netscape it has an on-line HandBook. I shall endevour to find Mosaic's.

A complete Web Course at Sheffield University.

An excellent Mosaic tutorial at Leeds

- this button will always take you back to the Department's Index.