Chapter Summary

• Internet Explorer is the Web browser that is provided with Windows XP. Internet Explorer provides access to local and Internet resources using many protocols, such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and File Transfer Protocol (FTP).

• Internet Explorer automatically stores (or caches) copies of Web pages that you access to a folder on the local hard disk. The next time you access the same page, Internet Explorer can load the page from the local cache rather than having to connect to the Web server and download it again.You can control how much disk space this feature uses, as well as when Internet Explorer looks for updated pages.

• Content Advisor controls the display of sites based on rating levels defined by the Recreational Software Advisory Council on the Internet (RSACi.) The most common use for Content Advisor is on a home computer in which parents want to control what sites their children can view.

• You can use the various tabs in the Internet Options dialog box to control general Internet Explorer settings, security and privacy settings, the way Internet Explorer connects to the Internet, which programs are associated with specific resources, and a number of advanced settings.

• Many of the interface requests that you receive can be resolved by customizing the Standard toolbar, changing what is selected in the View menu, or personalizing the Advanced settings in the Internet Options dialog box.

• Many problems can cause problems viewing Web pages, including connectivity issues, security zone configuration, privacy settings, Internet Explorer configuration, and even the graphics settings in Windows XP.