As there has been a bit of a discussion about the new forum and problems some members have been experiencing (especially concerning Internet Explorer) I thought it might be worthwhile sharing some tips about an alternative browser - Firefox.
It can be downloaded for free here
http://www.firefoxdownload.com/
If you are not very computer literate and used to using IE then there are some good tips under "Help" "For Internet Explorer Users" - including how to painlessly move your IE favourites pages directly over to Firefox.
In order to get the maximum out of FF it is necessary to do a bit of 'tweaking' to the standard version you will get. These you will find under "Tools" "Options". This screen will then open..

The "Main" tab is where you can set your "Home Page" that opens when you start FF.
It also allows you to say where you want any downloaded files to be saved.

The "Tabs" tab allows you to decide how you want a new web page to open, and allows you to be warned before certain actions are completed.

Under the "Advanced" tab there are 4 sub tabs.

The "Content" tab allows you to block popups, select language etc.

The "Privacy" tab allows you to automatically delete history & cookies when exiting FF. Very useful if you are browsing in an internet shop!!

"General" tabs allows you to stop web sites automatically taking you to a new page so that you can decide if it is sensible to go. You can also select how you navigate around a web page here.

The "Update" tab allows automatic search for updates..

You can also add many "add ons" and extensions to FF. (Can be seen at the site to download FF from)
These are designed to make browsing of specific sites (e-bay for example) easier, change how the browser looks or other types of help. There are 100s of these & if you download too many then you are certainly going to slow you browsing down considerably. They are worth looking at though for anything that might be useful to you.
The English dictionary is a must for me - my spelling/typing is bad without it!!
Google Preview shows a pictures websites after you have Google searched on a topic, as well as the link to it.
I also use WOT (Web of Trust) which is a user updated system of 'rating' web sites - showing sites that are to be treated with caution or trust & blocking what it believe are untrustworthy sites unless you specify that you still want to go it.

Well that is my bit, I am sure others will add extra!!!!

Content......is it wiser to tick 'always clear my private data' when i close FF..?

and 'keep 3rd party cookies until i close FF'....i have it set keep until they expire...whats best..?

Depends BM...
If you are on your own dedicated pc then it probably doesn't matter if you don't delete private data when you close. If you are on a shared PC then it is probably better if you do. If you are on an internet pc then I would think it important that you do. I am on a private pc but still clear the private data after every session as at least it is 'tidy' then and keeps what FF is remembering to a minimum.
Same with 3rd. party cookies - I delete when I close, and I guess that means I will waste milliseconds when I go onto that site again as new cookies will have to load. If you are happy to keep until they expire then that is OK as well - but I think they will be deleted anyway if you run something like CC cleaner.
My understanding is that some sites are not very clever with the way they handle their cookies, so you just get cookie ontop of cookie from them anyway, so I delete just to keep that tidy as well.

If you are using a computer at work, then clear your private data. Else, "No". Caching it means that site loads faster next time.

(As an aside, I could add another tip to Bob's:
Go to add/remove programs
Remove Firefox
Install IE8
Just kidding, Bob).

Following on from Bob's post above, in reply to BM's post, I don't clear my cookies each time I close FF either, but I do run C Cleaner a couple of times a week which clears them for me. It depends really on how many other sites I visit, as to how often I clear them.

As it's my own home PC/laptop, I don't clear personal data daily either.

ok, i do run cc too, so its taken care of then, will leave as is.

I downloaded firefox because I was having trouble on IE. But when I go to Udon Map I cannot stay logged in on the forum. Any ideas as to what I am doing wrong?? And I like firefox, much faster from here.

Snowman.
scroll down to the bottom for the forum page...

Then select 'Delete all board cookies'...then log back on and see if that helps.

Nope. Soon as I log on it goes back to board index and I am gone.

This only happens when I am on firefox. Still works on yahoo but I have been having problems while on yahoo.

I use both I.E. and Firefox. Only problem I have is that I am using VISTA home premium as operating system and FIREFOX will lock up my P.C. a lot more often then when using I.E. So if user has VISTA recommend using I.E. even though it is slower to load then Firefox

I had a problem Where Every time I logged in, the log in page returned.Tried everything!
I had a update from Java,linked to windows update.This was the problem!
I uninstalled Java,reinstalled, all OK after that.

snowman, sounds familiar, LEE sent me this and it worked, all solved. hint: do make note of you ID/PSWDS, as you will have to resign into most of the sites you visit. that's why i always use my name (unique enough, and same pswd). i also did the 'delete board cookies' about 100 times, and nothing.

laphanphon wrote:on laptop only, all works fine on desktop (xp/ff, ie)

laptop using vista home premium and FF & IE, updated regularly, FF, login comes up, login, then went transfered to index, logs off. same from sign in from any page. IE, works fine and remembers when initially restarts, no need to sign in, auto sign in working fine, so not priority, just if you get bored and have a sec, would be nice to use FF on laptop.

besides that, all good and kudos......

hmm, familiar, this worked

Hi LA, have you tried deleting cookies and cache in FF, close the browser, reopen click ctrl + F5 and then try logging in again?. There's probably a corrupt cookie or you have an old cached webpage. If it's working via desktop then it's a setting on your laptop.

good luck

Stantheman wrote:I use both I.E. and Firefox. Only problem I have is that I am using VISTA home premium as operating system and FIREFOX will lock up my P.C. a lot more often then when using I.E. So if user has VISTA recommend using I.E. even though it is slower to load then Firefox

Vista and XP will always recommend using I.E. as they're both programmed by the same company, MS.

As for your system freezing up, I don't suppose you are getting any errors messages prior to the crash actually happening?

Also is your Firefox installation up to date?
You should be running version 3.07 now, click on Help followed by About Mozilla Firefox, in the Firefox menu to see what you are running.
If you see an older version then 3.07, then click Help followed by Check for Updates, and let FF update itself.

Failing that, take your pc to a shop and get them to install XP, which is far less prone to errors at this stage.

Unless you have old software that Vista has a problem with (most run fine) do not believe uninstall of Vista to be advisable. I have had much less trouble with Vista than I had with XP. Almost never have a crash anymore. You need more memory true - but we all knew that going in. Once you turn off that idiot UAC (user account control) and the sidebar the only issue I have is slow start up/loading - but you can leave it running forever and avoid that if you want. I have had mixed results with Firefox - some of the time works great - other times/versions have frequent crash. Have moved to Chrome and after a few months use find I use it for just about everything. Although you almost have to use IE for Hotmail. Am using IE8 for that. Where FF shines is customization as it has a huge number of options. But my old brain kind of prefers something that works out of the box these days.