Web Browsers - Frequently Asked Questions

The most frequently asked questions concerning Web browsers are listed below. For additional information or to submit a question, please contact Ask a Librarian.

• What is a Web browser?
• How do I change the font size in my browser?
• I used to be able to access my favorite journal using a bookmark, and now I can't. What happened?
• How do I delete a bookmark/favorite?
• What are cookies?
• Can I still use Internet Explorer once Firefox has been installed?
• I noticed that there isn't a new version of Internet Explorer for my Macintosh. What should I use instead?

A web browser is a software application that enables a user to display html/xhtml documents hosted by web servers or htm/xhtml files. Examples of browsers include: Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

To change the size of your font in Firefox:

1. Click on View
2. Click on Text Size
3. Click on Increase/Decrease

To change the size of your font in Internet Explorer:

1. Click on View
2. Click on Text Size
3. Select a size

Sometimes when you open an online journal a cookie is created which can expire. Once that cookie expires, the link becomes invalid. If this happens to you clear the cookies and the cache then delete the bookmark.

To clear the cookies and the cache in Firefox:

1. Click on Tools
2. Click on Options
3. Click on the Cookies tab
4. Click on the Clear Cookies Now button
5. Click on the Cache tab
6. Click on the Clear Cache Now button
7. Click OK to close

To clear the cookies and the cache in Internet Explorer:

1. Click Tools
2. Click Internet Options
3. Click on the Delete Cookies button, then click OK in the new dialogue box that opens
4. Click on the Delete Files button, then click OK in the new dialogue box that opens
5. Click OK to close

How Do I Delete a Bookmark/Favorite?

To delete a bookmark in Firefox:

1. Click on Bookmarks
2. Scroll down to and click on Manage Bookmarks
3. Single click on the bookmark you need to delete and highlight it
4. Click on the delete button
5. Close the window

To delete a favorite in Internet Explorer:

1. Click on Favorites
2. Click on Organize Favorites
3. Single click on the favorite to highlight it
4. Click the Delete button
5. When prompted, click Yes
6. Click the Close button

Cookies are messages given to a Web browser by a Web server. The browser stores the messages in tiny text files. These messages are sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server. Thus, your application session integrity is maintained. We DO NOT collect or store any information about you or your computer.

Yes you can still use Internet Explorer if Mozilla Firefox has been installed on the same machine.

To get Internet Explorer back:

1. Click on Start, scroll up to settings, then click on control panel
2. Switch to Classic View
3. Double-click on Add/Remove Programs
4. Click on Set Program Access and Defaults
5. Select Custom, and click on the down arrow
6. Under Choose a Default Web Browser, click on the circle next to Internet Explorer.
7. Click OK to close

Once you have completed these steps you should be able to use either Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.

Microsoft is no longer maintaining Internet Explorer for Macintosh computers. There are numerous Web browsers available. Our site works best with Mozilla Firefox for Macintosh.