The sixth TAB (window) on the Internet Options window is the Programs TAB. It is to do with the Default (Normal) Programs used with Internet Explorer and its services. Do not worry too much about this TAB as most of the Programs in question are better set using the Default Programs control panel, which is linked on this TAB through the SET PROGRAMS button.

Fig 6.0  Your Programs TAB should look similar to this one

The HTML EDITOR setting is purely for HTML (Website) programmers and the like, so do not worry too much about it. If you do not have Microsoft Office installed the HTML EDITOR setting might be set to NotePad instead of Microsoft Word 2007 for example.

The TELL ME IF INTERNET EXPLORER IS NOT THE DEFAULT WEB BROWSER setting means that when you have more than one web browser installed (such as Internet Explorer and Firefox) you want Internet Explorer to remain as your default (normally used) web (internet) browser. In other words; If you or a piece of software set Firefox as the default web browser and you then use Internet Explorer, internet explorer will display a message requester (Fig 6.1) asking you if you want to make it the default web browser. If you answer NO Firefox will remain the default web browser, but if you answer YES Internet Explorer will become the default web browser. The faded out MAKE DEFAULT button means Internet Explorer is currently the default web browser - hence why you cannot click on it, because internet explorer is already the default web browser.

Fig 6.1  Internet Explorer is not your Default Web (Internet) Browser - Click on YES to make it the Default Web (Internet) Browser.

If Internet Explorer is currently the default web browser and you launch Firefox the following Firefox message requester will appear.

Fig 6.2  Firefox is not your Default Web (Internet) Browser - Click on YES to make it the Default Web (Internet) Browser.

Clicking on the MANAGE ADD-ONS button allows you to manage ADD-ONs. An ADD-ON is a piece of software that you usually download with another piece of software to enhance Internet Explorer's capabilities/Interactions. For example. If you download Adobe's Flash Player it downloads an ADD-ON for Internet Explorer that allows Flash files (i.e. Video, Advertisement and Animation files) to be viewed from within a webpage.

You might need to click on the MANAGE ADD-ONS button (Fig 6.0 above) if a webpage complains that it needs a certain ADD-ON enabled in order to work properly. For example. If you visit certain webpages with the Shockwave Flash Object disabled (i.e. www.youtube.com) Internet Explorer will complain with an on-screen message requester. In the case of the Java Plugin (ADD-ON) being disabled you will see the following message requester (pop-up notification).

Fig 6.3  Click on the ENABLE button to enable the Java Plug-In SSV Helper add-on

If the message requester (pop-up notification) had not specified which ADD-ON needed to be enabled, in order to make the webpage function properly, it would of been anyone's guess as to what the unknown/unnamed add-on was used for and more importantly what it would do - It might have security risks, especially if it was downloaded/installed by malware. So always be cautious about enabling unknown/unnamed add-ons.

Fortunately, in this example, I know of the Java ADD-ON, which I purposely disabled for this example. However, if I did not know what the add-on was I would never just enable it or attempt to enable all disabled ADD-ONs simply because this would be too risky; especially if I enabled one or more ADD-ONs that really should be disabled and/or that have been disabled on purpose by Protection Software.

Extreme Caution: MANAGE ADD-ONS is an extremely advanced part of Internet Options. The examples below are examples only - Enabling and/or Disabling ADD-ONs without fully understanding what each ADD-ON does can be harmful to Internet Explorer 9, Windows 7, Your Security Software and so on. You have been warned.

When you click on the MANAGE ADD-ONS button (Fig 6.0 above) the Manage Add-Ons window will appear (below) whereby you can then select an add-on to enable or disable. In this example I have selected the Java Plug-In add-on and am just about to enable it by clicking on the ENABLE button. At this point the add-on will be enabled. All that remains is to click on the CLOSE button or red X (eXit) button to close the Manage Add-Ons window. You may need to close and reopen internet explorer or click on its REFRESH button in order to reload the webpage and activate/execute the function(s) associated with the add-on.

Fig 6.4  Click on the ENABLE button to enable the selected add-on

If you look to the left of the Manage Add-Ons window you will see the ADD-ON TYPES window pane and underneath that the SHOW drop-down menu. The buttons and menus listing in these window panes allow you to select what add-ons are viewable and what add-ons can be changed (managed). The default action for Manage Add-Ons is to display only the Currently Loaded Add-Ons (Fig 6.4 above) but if you select the ALL ADD-ONS menu-item from the SHOW drop-down menu you can then view and manage all of the add-ons.

Fig 6.5  ALL, TOOLBARS AND EXTENSIONS, ADD-ONS are currently being displayed

In this next example the Shockwave Flash Object add-on has been disabled and is therefore preventing this News Video (Flash Video file) from being played on the Sky News website. At the moment the website thinks Adobe Flash Player is not installed when in fact Flash Player 10 is installed. It is confused because of the add-on being disabled. Enabling the add-on as described above remedies the problem (Fig 6.7 below).

Fig 6.6  Flash Player 10 is installed but this webpage thinks not, due to the Shockwave Flash Object add-on being disabled.




Fig 6.7  The Shockwave Flash Object add-on has been enabled to allow the News Video to play

Besides ADD-ONs, disabled COOKIES (Cookie files) are another common problem when using the internet and more precisely when using Internet Explorer 9. Below I am logging into Windows Live Hotmail but I get a complaint that COOKIES are disabled.

Fig 6.8  Cookies are currently disabled - Use the DEFAULT button in the Privacy TAB to enable them.

To enable/restore internet explorer 9's 'cookies' settings you need to go to the Privacy TAB and make sure the DEFAULT button is faded out, to mean the default settings for 'cookies' are currently being used. If the DEFAULT button is not faded out simply click on it to enable Cookies.

Fig 6.9  Click on the DEFAULT button, if need be, to enable Cookies.

The above examples are specific. Meaning, they are meant to demonstrate MANAGE ADD-ONs and enable/restore Cookies for the scenarios described. They are not meant/exampled as a cure for any computer problems you may be experiencing. Rather than flob you off with the usual "For Advanced Users Only" I have exampled MANAGE ADD-ONs purely because the scenarios above are common and therefore I feel that you, as a beginner, should at least know what you can try (with caution) if you come across the above specific scenarios.

Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.  As stated here by the Microsoft Corporation.