IE dehanced?

[davegb]

I'm using IE for a while, trying it out. I haven't used it in a long
time, and I'm finding that other than tabbed browsing, it's far less
user friendly than it used to be. I've searched for options to fix
these things, but haven't found most of what I need. Maybe some of you
more experienced users know fixes?

When I open web pages from my launcher, they come up in a new window
instead of a new tab. I've set IE to open new web pages from other
programs in a new tab, but this doesn't seem to work. Is it my
launcher (Executor) or is it IE?

No refresh button anymore? I have to F5 or use the menu? Can't find
one if it's there. Looked under "Customize" and everywhere else I can
think of.

Most frustrating of all, the toolbar itself. The button to add a tab
is a blank button. The icon only shows up if I hover over it! What
good is that? And the status bar toolbar is way over to the right,
with no apparent way to drag the toolbar over to the left, into the
huge gap of wasted space in the center of the toolbar area!! What are
they thinking?

Even if this is correctable, it's unthinkable! You used to be able to
drag toolbars to where you wanted them, either in the toolbar area or
even undock them, if you liked. I never liked floating toolbars
myself, but right now, they're looking better than ever. At least we
had some control of where they were!

If anyone has any ideas to get IE usable again, I'd appreciate it very
much.

 

[Augustus]

I'm using IE for a while, trying it out. I haven't used it in a long
time, and I'm finding that other than tabbed browsing, it's far less
user friendly than it used to be. I've searched for options to fix
these things, but haven't found most of what I need. Maybe some of you
more experienced users know fixes?

When I open web pages from my launcher, they come up in a new window
instead of a new tab. I've set IE to open new web pages from other
programs in a new tab, but this doesn't seem to work. Is it my
launcher (Executor) or is it IE?

No refresh button anymore? I have to F5 or use the menu? Can't find
one if it's there. Looked under "Customize" and everywhere else I can
think of.

Which IE version is this? Sounds like you have IE configured with almost all
buttons not showing. In IE7 the refresh is right next to the address bar,
two green arrows going around each other

 

[Vern Linard]

the interface was made by idiots, the same idiots that designed vista
and windows media player

 

[Mick Murphy]

Open IE7> go to Tools in the upper right-hand side> then click on Menu Bar>
the old "file, edit, etc" is there!

 

[Shenan Stanley]

<comments and responses inline>

I'm using IE for a while, trying it out. I haven't used it in a long
time, and I'm finding that other than tabbed browsing, it's far less
user friendly than it used to be. I've searched for options to fix
these things, but haven't found most of what I need. Maybe some of
you more experienced users know fixes?

When I open web pages from my launcher, they come up in a new window
instead of a new tab. I've set IE to open new web pages from other
programs in a new tab, but this doesn't seem to work. Is it my
launcher (Executor) or is it IE?

What is your 'launcher'?

No refresh button anymore? I have to F5 or use the menu? Can't find
one if it's there. Looked under "Customize" and everywhere else I
can think of.

Look to the right of where you type the URL in at. See the two green
arrows?

Most frustrating of all, the toolbar itself. The button to add a tab
is a blank button. The icon only shows up if I hover over it! What
good is that?

I'm not sure what you mean.

Are you complaining because there is no icon there that says "Click here to
open a new tab"? You know where to click - do you need a pretty icon there
as well? After all - you have to 'hover' over it to click it...

And the status bar toolbar is way over to the right,
with no apparent way to drag the toolbar over to the left, into the
huge gap of wasted space in the center of the toolbar area!! What
are they thinking?

"Status toolbar"? What are you referring to as the status toolbar?

Just about everything at the top of the Internet Explorer window can be
moved around if unlocked.

Are you speaking of the bottom?

Even if this is correctable, it's unthinkable! You used to be able
to drag toolbars to where you wanted them, either in the toolbar
area or even undock them, if you liked. I never liked floating
toolbars myself, but right now, they're looking better than ever.
At least we had some control of where they were!

If you are talking about the top - you still can. Right-click and unlock
it. That was also a feature in IE6 - to lock and unlock the toolbar areas.

If anyone has any ideas to get IE usable again, I'd appreciate it
very much.

Did you try the built in help or a Google search?

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Those with IE7-specific questions or comments are asked to post to and seek
support in this newsgroup: microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general

On the web:
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...?dg=microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general

In your newsreader:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general

 

[davegb]

Open IE7> go to Tools in the upper right-hand side> then click on Menu Bar>
the old "file, edit, etc" is there!

Already did that, Mick, and no, the old "Refresh" is not there and not
an option.

 

[davegb]

<comments and responses inline>



What is your 'launcher'?

Thanks for your reply. My launcher is "Executor".

Look to the right of where you type the URL in at.  See the two green
arrows?

Holy cow! Never thought to look up there. Thanks.

I'm not sure what you mean.

Are you complaining because there is no icon there that says "Click here to
open a new tab"?  You know where to click - do you need a pretty icon there
as well?  After all - you have to 'hover' over it to click it...

I understand that, and as long as that's the only icon in that area,
that's ok. But if I ever figure out how to use all that waste space
between the New Tab icon and the Status bar, then there would be more
icons and I'd like to know which is which. What does hiding the icon
accomplish anyway?

"Status toolbar"?  What are you referring to as the status toolbar?

The one MS calls the "Status Bar".

Just about everything at the top of the Internet Explorer window can be
moved around if unlocked.

Are you speaking of the bottom?

Bottom? No, I'm talking up above the main window, to the right of the
New Tabs icon. A lot of blank real estate where I'd like to put more
icons for the things I do freqently, like I did in Mozilla Firefox.

If you are talking about the top - you still can.  Right-click and unlock
it.  That was also a feature in IE6 - to lock and unlock the toolbar areas.

Already did that. They're unlocked, but can only be dragged a short
way over to the left, leaving that big "hole" in that bar, where I'd
like to put other stuff.

Did you try the built in help or a Google search?

I appreciate the help. I'm just very frustrated with all M$ products
lately, Seems to me that they're just playing a shell game with their
users. They move things for no apparent reason. Are the recycle and
stop buttons easier to use in the middle of the bar than over on the
left, where they've always been, where all experienced users expect to
see them? Seems to me that Bill and Steve are just making changes to
justify making us all go out and plunk down ever increasing amounts of
cash to get "upgraded" software that's harder to use than the old one.
I call these "dehancements" or "deprovements". Well, I guess Bill's
trying to get back up to that $100B mark he fell below in 2000. Poor
guy.

 

[davegb]

Thanks for your reply. My launcher is "Executor".

I also posted this question in the Executor forum (didn't know if it
was an IE7 problem or an Exec problem), got this fixed.

Holy cow! Never thought to look up there. Thanks.






I understand that, and as long as that's the only icon in that area,
that's ok. But if I ever figure out how to use all that waste space
between the New Tab icon and the Status bar, then there would be more
icons and I'd like to know which is which. What does hiding the icon
accomplish anyway?





The one MS calls the "Status Bar".





Bottom? No, I'm talking up above the main window, to the right of the
New Tabs icon. A lot of blank real estate where I'd like to put more
icons for the things I do freqently, like I did in Mozilla Firefox.



Already did that. They're unlocked, but can only be dragged a short
way over to the left, leaving that big "hole" in that bar, where I'd
like to put other stuff.

I did search other places before I posted here, but didn't know what
to search for, got nothing useful. As for the built-in help, I stopped
looking in M$ built-in help years ago. All I've ever found there is
either advice that didn't apply or nothing.

I appreciate the help. I'm just very frustrated with all M$ products
lately, Seems to me that they're just playing a shell game with their
users. They move things for no apparent reason. Are the recycle and
stop buttons easier to use in the middle of the bar than over on the
left, where they've always been, where all experienced users expect to
see them? Seems to me that Bill and Steve are just making changes to
justify making us all go out and plunk down ever increasing amounts of
cash to get "upgraded" software that's harder to use than the old one.
I call these "dehancements" or "deprovements". Well, I guess Bill's
trying to get back up to that $100B mark he fell below in 2000. Poor
guy.

Thanks again!

 

[Shenan Stanley]

davegb wrote:

I did search other places before I posted here, but didn't know what
to search for, got nothing useful. As for the built-in help, I
stopped
looking in M$ built-in help years ago. All I've ever found there is
either advice that didn't apply or nothing.

Try again. Things do change - if you don't change with them, you may never
know what you are missing or why you cannot figure out what others seemed to
have no trouble with. ;-)

The built-in help, I used to be the same way. With the consumer products,
Microsoft has improved a great deal. For the server side, it could not get
more esoteric.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

davegb wrote:

I understand that, and as long as that's the only icon in that area,
that's ok. But if I ever figure out how to use all that waste space
between the New Tab icon and the Status bar, then there would be
more icons and I'd like to know which is which. What does hiding the
icon accomplish anyway?

That space is FOR the tabs and command bar... If you don't want to use the
tabs - disable them and then you can use that space just for the command
bar. You can add several things to the default command bar to take up all
that space if you desire. If you turn off tabs, however, I doubt you'll
ever fill up that space.

Also - you know that with my 24" widescreen, what you call huge, I would
call humongous. I don't consider it wasted space, however - I consider it
unused and less cluttered. ;-)

The one MS calls the "Status Bar".

The status bar is the bottom bar.

I appreciate the help. I'm just very frustrated with all M$ products
lately, Seems to me that they're just playing a shell game with
their users. They move things for no apparent reason. Are the
recycle and stop buttons easier to use in the middle of the bar
than over on the left, where they've always been, where all
experienced users expect to see them?

I understand the frustration - but when you say 'experienced users' - it's
not really that to me. If you didn't want to change - don't use IE7
(there's no requirement to do so in XP.) Heck - you really do not have to
use IE at all (I mainly use FireFox myself.)

Everyone is different. People who mainly use keystrokes for things are in
the advantage right now. Sure - the Office 2007 interface and IE interface
is different - but if you hardly ever used the mouse - it makes no
difference. The same key shortcuts still function.

Also - what you see as different, many people didn't know really there was
any changes as they just started. ;-)

Going from Commodore VIC20s to Windows Vista with Macintoshes, *nix and many
other miniature GUI OSes (BeOS for example) in between, you learn *not* to
get used to much. ;-)

 

[Vern Linard]

things change.. some for better some for worse

IE and Vista are horrid, made by people that should be hanged for destroying
all logic and usablitity in UI.
Case closed

 

[Shenan Stanley]

things change.. some for better some for worse

IE and Vista are horrid, made by people that should be hanged for
destroying all logic and usablitity in UI.
Case closed

IYHO
;-)

There are still people who prefer things from Windows 3.11 for Workgroups.
Some still prefer OS 9 over OS X. Some even long for the DOS and
WordPerfect 5 days...

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I miss Edlin.

IYHO
;-)

There are still people who prefer things from Windows 3.11 for Workgroups.
Some still prefer OS 9 over OS X. Some even long for the DOS and
WordPerfect 5 days...

 

[Bill in Co.]

EDLIN sucked, LOL.
PC-Write was a heck of a lot better. Heck, even EDIT was a lot better.

I miss Edlin.

 

[throwitout]

I miss Edlin.

Edlin is still there. In fact Edlin is still in vista while
winhlp32.exe isn't.

 

[Bill in Co.]

Edlin is still there. In fact Edlin is still in vista while
winhlp32.exe isn't.

Really? Guess that speaks (even a few more) volumes .... about Vista.
ROFL!!

 

[davegb]

IYHO
;-)

There are still people who prefer things from Windows 3.11 for Workgroups.
Some still prefer OS 9 over OS X.  Some even long for the DOS and
WordPerfect 5 days...

Sometimes, we long for things the way they were for emotional,
nostalgic reasons. I don't have such feelings about software.
Wordperfect was a vastly superior word processor to Word, for at least
2 reasons. First, it had simple, straightforward ways of setting tabs
and margins and indents, something I still long for. After many years
of playing with Word's mysterious margin/tab/indent tool, I still have
no idea how it works or what I'll get when I manipulate it, and I
still, most of the time, can't get it to do what I want. If I were the
only person with this experience, I'd take the blame. But I'm not.
Second, Wordperfect's "Reveal Codes" view, in which you could see
every formatting code in the document and correct them as needed.
Figuring out what exactly is causing one paragraph to behave one way
and another to behave another way is still often impossible in Word.
This is NOT a nostalgic thing at all. Simple usability features that
Word has never approached.
Longing for DOS - that's pure masochism!

 

[Bill in Co.]

Sometimes, we long for things the way they were for emotional,
nostalgic reasons. I don't have such feelings about software.
Wordperfect was a vastly superior word processor to Word, for at least
2 reasons. First, it had simple, straightforward ways of setting tabs
and margins and indents, something I still long for. After many years
of playing with Word's mysterious margin/tab/indent tool, I still have
no idea how it works or what I'll get when I manipulate it, and I
still, most of the time, can't get it to do what I want. If I were the
only person with this experience, I'd take the blame. But I'm not.
Second, Wordperfect's "Reveal Codes" view, in which you could see
every formatting code in the document and correct them as needed.
Figuring out what exactly is causing one paragraph to behave one way
and another to behave another way is still often impossible in Word.
This is NOT a nostalgic thing at all. Simple usability features that
Word has never approached.
Longing for DOS - that's pure masochism!

The right tool for the right occasion. But some (granted, only a few)
things work better or simpler in DOS (such as renaming a bunch of files with
wildcards, deleting an index.dat file (which can't be done in windows), and
a few other goodies)

 

[davegb]

The right tool for the right occasion.    But some (granted, only a few)
things work better or simpler in DOS (such as renaming a bunch of files with
wildcards, deleting an index.dat file (which can't be done in windows), and
a few other goodies)- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

No doubt. But missing a few features is not the same as "longing for".
Given all the advantages of a GUI, I've never misssed DOS. And for
most those things you miss, you can find those little, small developer
apps that work so well.