INTERNET OPTIONS  -  PROGRAMS TAB

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 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 Adobe webpages with the Shockwave Flash Object disabled Internet Explorer will complain with the following message requester.


Fig 6.3  Click on the TO ENABLE THE ADD-ON, CLICK HERE link to bring up the Manage (Enable/Disable) Add-ons window

The message requester has not specified which ADD-ON needs enabling in order for the Adobe webpage to use Flash Objects (i.e Advertisements and/or Animations). Therefore it is anyones guess. Fortunately, in this example, I know which ADD-ON needs to be enabled. If I did not know I would not attempt to guess by enabling all disabled ADD-ONs for example as this would be risky, in case I enabled one or more ADD-ONs that really should be disabled and/or that have been disabled on purpose by Protection Software. Clicking on the message requester's TO ENABLE THE ADD-ON, CLICK HERE link brings up the Manage Add-ons window.

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, Windows Vista, Your Security Software and so on. You have been warned.


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

In this example - When the Manage Add-ons window appeared (Fig 6.4 above), after clicking on the message requester's TO ENABLE THE ADD-ON, CLICK HERE link (Fig 6.3 above), I then selected the disabled Shockwave Flash Object add-on. From there I clicked on the ENABLE radio button to enable the Shockwave Flash Object add-on. At this point the add-on is then enabled. Clicking on the OK button or red X (eXit) button then displays the following message which states that Internet Explorer (all Internet Explorer windows) might need restarting (closing down and then re-opened). Incidently. I know the Shockwave Flash Object add-on was disabled because the heading above the add-ons states Diabled (6), to mean the six add-ons listed below it are currently disabled.


Fig 6.5  Read the message and then click on OK to continue

Normally you would follow the message's advice and close down all of your Internet Explorer windows and then re-open them. However, with experience, you realize that in some scenarios you can just come out of a website/webpage without closing Internet Explorer and then re-enter that website/webpage once the add-on has been enabled. In other words. Click on the message's OK button (above), then click on Internet Explorer's BACK button until you are out of the website/webpage that needs the add-on enabled and then re-enter that website/webpage. With the add-on now enabled the website/webpage should be able to use the add-on as normal (i.e use Flash advertisements and/or animations in this example).

Here is another example whereby the Shockwave Flash Object add-on has been disabled. The Windows Live Messenger tour/download webpage requires Flash Player 8 or higher in order to display its Flash tour (Flash Movie). At the moment it thinks Adobe Flash Player is not installed, or is less than number 8, when in fact Flash Player 9 is installed. It is confused because of the add-on being disabled. Enabling the add-on as described above remedied the problem (Fig 6.6 below).



Fig 6.6  Flash Player 9 is installed but this webpage thinks not, due to the Shockwave Flash Object add-on being disabled.




Fig 6.7  The Windows Live Messenger tour/download webpage is now using the enabled Shockwave Flash Object add-on

Besides ADD-ONs, disaled COOKIES (Cookie files) are another common problem when using the Internet and more precisely when using Internet Explorer. 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'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.


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