Toolkit Addition

ToolKit: Speed Your Browser

The more proficient you are at surfing the Web, the more impatient you're likely to become when things load slowly. Don't sweat. Try a few of the tips below. A few seconds saved here and there over the course of a day, may mean you've got those extra minutes to find that extra person or make that last phone call.

Before you begin your ‘net exploration, make a few changes in the way you do it. Unless you're actively looking for ideas about Web design, or unless you're an intensely visual as opposed to text-based person, turn off the auto load images if you're using Navigator. To do this, choose Options in the Toolbar and unclick Autoload Images.

Then, deselect Java (unless you're going to a chat event in which case you'll need it).

If you're using Navigator, click on Options; choose Network Preferences; click Languages; unclick Enable Java.

To deselect Java in Internet Explorer, go to View; choose Options; choose Security; unclick Enable Java programs.

Then, decide what it is you're doing and pay attention to your cache. The cache stores the images and texts of the pages you visit. If you return to the same sites a few times a day in search of newly posted resumes, increase the size of your cache to about 10,000 K (10MB) so the pages will load more quickly. On the other hand, if you're exploring new sites and possibilities, clear out the cache to gain more speed.

Then, you're set.

For an added boost, run a few browser windows at the same time. This way, while you're scanning one page, another can load so that when you're ready to move to it, it's ready and waiting. You can drag links from one window to the other to start the load. To open a new browser in Navigator, hit [CTRL] and N at the same time. To do it in Internet Explorer, go to the File menu and select New Window.

Unless you're actively using it, keep all windows minimized. This keeps the program you're using from bogging down. It also allows quick access to the desk top because all you need do to get to the desktop is minimize one window rather than several.

Now you're set to go with no time wasted waiting for pages to load.

Search Tips

ToolKit: Finding People

Here's the scenario.

You found a Web site loaded with white papers that include names of programmers, developers, and intranet experts. You have no clue where they live, who they work for, or who they are.

You're on a mailing discussion list and have just read a rather interesting post, but the person left no signature and the name in the from box is clearly a nickname. You're interested, but want to check her out first.

You find, in your massive address files, the email address for a person who might just be perfect for a position that just opened up so you shoot off an inquiry to him. Your mail is returned with "host or address unknown".

You've just learned some great stuff by reading a FAQ, but there's no contact point.

Enter the great people hunt.

Depending on what information you do have and what information you're looking for, any of the tools below can help. You can find street addresses, email addresses, organizational affiliations, and Web postings. To have these tools be of use you need either a name or an email address.

If you have a name, but no email address, you can try any of the tools. If you have an email address, limit your search to Internet Address Finder or Yahoo's People Search. Tools:

• Internet Address Finder has more than 6.7 million listings. You can search by last name or you can narrow it down by name, domain, or organization. What you get back is an email address along with domain and organization. It also lets you do a reverse lookup. If you have an email address, but no name, you can enter the address and retrieve the name.
• Switchboard lets you search for businesses, individuals, and email addresses.
• Yahoo's People Search is another tool you can use to search for people's addresses and email. Its primary distinctive feature is that it allows email lookups based on searching via old or outdated email addresses.
• Alta Vista, with its massive index and smart searching features, oldemail lets you find just about anyone who's ever posted something to a news group or a Web site. Just type their name in, enclose it with quotation marks, and hit search. If you get no results, try a variation of the name. For instance, use lower case only, run the two words together, try just last name, etc. You can also limit the search to just Usenet (newsgroup) postings.
• Hot Bot has a pulldown menu on its search page where you can click on person and type in their name.

For additional tools, specifically useful if you're looking within particular niches, see our Finding People page by clicking on #4 in the table of contents to the left.

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