Navigating the Internet and RTC on Line too.

There are many things that will make your enjoyment of the Internet better. Here are a few suggestion that will make it easier.

Advice

Notice what happens. Then come back here to learn more.

Try this delete the name currently in the bar. Now start typing, "http://www.rtcol.com/Kids/kids08.htm", while you are typing watch the bar. Did you see it fill up automatically? If you have visited a site recently and you begin typing in its name, your browser may fill in the rest for you.

Back/Forward - there are two or three arrows in the upper left corner of your browser. Left means back - right forward. If there are no pages in either direction the arrows are grayed out.
If you have a down arrow, pressing it will give you a short list of the pages you have been.

Bookmarks - allow you to retain the address of a favorite page. In fact in some browsers Bookmarks are known as Favorites. You can get at them in a number of ways. From the menu, from the tool bar, and through quick keys ("ctrl D" instantly adds a page and "ctrl B" allows you to edit them). Try the different ways to access your bookmarks and notice the differences.
One not of caution, some web pages "disappear", either because the owners of the page closed it down or the pages change every time you visit the site (and so does their address making your bookmark useless).

Full Screen - some browsers have a full screen view. If you can find the command either on the View menu item or on the tool bar or press F11, give it a try right now. See how much more of the page you can see but you lose some of your navigation tools. To return to Normal View, click on the Full Screen icon or press F11.

Menu Bar - The menu is a standard Windows menu, across the top of your browser. If you want to do something this is the most likely spot to find the command, although not all commands can be accessed through the menu bar. (See Right Mouse Button below). If you find yourself using a menu command often, look to the right of the menu entry there maybe a Short Cut key combination that will give you direct access to the command.

Mouse Buttons - there are two mouse buttons. (Some mice have more and may be programmed using the software that comes with them, if you have a multi-button mouse check the documentation to see how it can be programmed).
Left Mouse Button - works pretty much as you would expect with single and double click and click and drag. The mouse cursor is an indicator of what you can expect if you use the left mouse button. (See Mouse Cursor below for further information).
Right Mouse Button - has a menu attached to it. Just as the mouse cursor changes the right button menu changes depending on where you are. Click you right mouse button over different places on the screen. Notice the commands and how the list changes. Check it out over a Link and over an image.

Mouse Cursor - the mouse cursor is constantly changing, giving you clues as to what will happen if you click the left mouse button. Move it around the screen and notice what happens to it.
If its the normal pointer not much will happen if you click, but if it is a hand with a pointing finger when you click you will move to the target location. If  it is an " I " you can click and drag to highlight some text. See how many different icons the mouse pointer can become.

Search - On the Tool Bar beneath the Menu Bar, you will see a Search Button, if you click on it you will have direct access to many of the web sites that will help you if you need to find something on the Internet.

Short Cuts - are keyboard entries. They can be function keys or key combinations such as the "Ctrl" key or the "Alt" key or the "Shift" key. You use one of these keys and press another key while you are holding one of the other keys down. There are a lot of them. Many you can see on the right side of the Menu commands. Many of the more familiar ones such as "Ctrl A" for "Select All" still work and so does "Ctrl C" for "Copy to the clipboard". If you try those two key combinations and then open a word processing program and press "Ctrl V", you may not get the results you might expect. Other common combination do not work.
If you are doing something often, you may find it easier to remember the Short Cut rather than keep going to the menu.

Status Bar - at the bottom left of you browser window is a small information bar. If you watch it as you move around the Internet you will notice that the information is constantly changing. It is telling you what is happening. If you watch it you will know what is happening to you as you move around.
One warning, some sites because the Status Bar is watched constantly by power surfers, have taken to filling it with advertising for their web site rather than information. I'll let you decide whether this is a good idea.

Text Labels - not all browsers support Text Labels. Text Labels are the little lines that pop out when you put your mouse cursor over a Tool Bar item, giving you a short explanation of the what the button would do if you pressed it. On the Internet, if your browser supports it, a Text Label will pop out when you put your mouse cursor over an image. Give it a try, find and image and put your cursor over it. sometimes the message is useful.

Title Bar - this is the colored bar at the very top of browser's window. It contains the name of the page you are on. If you look up there now you should see "Kid' Navigating the Internet". Watch the Title Bar for useful information as you move from web page to web page.

Toolbar - has a few buttons that make it easier to get around if you can see them go ahead and click one, just to see what happens. Oh go ahead and click them all.

If you do not see a little house with the word "Home" under it, just below the menu then your Toolbar is not working. To start your Toolbar, look under "View" or "Options" menu item and you will see the word "Toolbar" (sometimes there are options). Make sure there is a check mark beside   "Show Toolbar" or "Standard Buttons".

2. Ask for help, if you need it.

3. Explore.

4. Enjoy yourself.

The colored balls on the NavButton, are the same color as the balls behind the title at the top of each page. If you click on one it will take you directly to the first page of that area. The color for "Kid's" is light blue. No matter where you are on the RTCol site you can come here just by clicking on the light blue button.

Image Maps - are the drawings you see at the top and bottom of each page. The "email pen nib" is a drawing (they can be pictures too). Each of these drawings have links in them. To see where the link will lead, before you click on it, put your mouse cursor over the image until the little pointing hand appears. Then look at the Status bar at the bottom of the window.

Go ahead, give it a try. Find a NavButton, move your mouse cursor over it, look at the Status Bar and slowly move you mouse around. What happens?

Red Words - red words with a line under them, if you click on them,  will take you to their meaning.