You can save some space at the top of your Internet Explorer 4 screen if you move the Links up next to the Address box. Just move the mouse pointer around the bottom edge of the toolbar until it changes to the double-vertical arrow, and then hold down the mouse button and drag the Links bar upward. It will anchor next to the Address bar. If you can't see all your links, grab the Links bar at the left edge and drag to the left. This will increase the size of the Links bar and decrease the size of the Address bar.
Here's a trick for travelers: If you find yourself working with a computer that doesn't have any kind of picture file viewer installed, see if it has Internet Explorer. If so, you can use Explorer to view .JPG, .GIF, .AVI, MPEG, and .MOV files. Just choose File, Open and locate the file you want to view. You can also listen to .WAV, .AU, and AIFF sound files with Internet Explorer.
If you installed Internet Explorer 4 from CD and you want to install some (or all) of the add-ons, insert the CD, open My Computer, and right-click on the CD-ROM icon. Choose AutoPlay and the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 installation window will open. Click on Install Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 Add-On Components. IE 4 opens the Add-Ons download Web page. You use this page whether you download from the Internet or from the CD. Let IE 4 determine what you already have loaded and then decide what you want loaded. After you make your selections, click on Next and IE 4 will install your add-ons.
If you don't have the Internet Explorer 4 CD, but want to install the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 add-ons, log on to the Internet and go to
http://www.microsoft.com/ie/ie40/download/addon.htm
Let IE 4 determine what is and what isn't installed and then make your selection.
If you'd like to leave as much space for Web page display as possible, click on the Fullscreen button in the Internet Explorer 4 toolbar. This results in a single toolbar across the top of your screen. The remaining toolbar displays the buttons (icons only--no text) and the Links. If you're familiar with the button icons, this isn't a bad way to run IE 4. You have maximum screen size for Web pages and still retain all the control you need for most Internet sessions. Even if you're not all that familiar with the button icons, you can hold the mouse pointer over a button for a second or so, and IE 4 will tell you what that button does. If you need to return to the full-size toolbars, click on the Fullscreen button again.
In a previous tip, we said you could maximize your display space by clicking on the Fullscreen icon. This results in a single toolbar across the top of the screen. By default, this toolbar contains the standard buttons and the Links. If you'd like to add the Address bar, right-click on the toolbar and select Address Bar. This works OK, even if you want to retain the Links bar. Just adjust the Address size using the mouse. Even if all the links aren't visible, you can use the scroll arrow at the right side of the Links bar to get access to the remaining links. If you like using the menus, you can right-click on the toolbar and select Menu Bar. You'll probably have to give up something else here--with everything selected, the toolbar gets a bit crowded. Here's another step toward maximizing your Web page display: Right-click on the toolbar and select Auto Hide. Now the toolbar will disappear completely and then reappear when you move the mouse to the top of the screen.
If you want to go back to a previous page in Microsoft Internet Explorer 4, click on the small down arrow at the right side of the Back arrow. This expands a list of your previous pages and you can select from any page on the list. No more multiple back arrow clicks and the attendant delays--just select the page you want and IE 4 will go there.