Speed Tips

• Avoid fat pages: On the Web, there are usually many places to get the same information. Don't reward sites that publish overly large, slow loading pages by returning. Look for sites that give you the information you want in a fast, user- (and browser-) friendly format.
• Use keyboard shortcuts: There are many keyboard shortcuts for fast browser menu actions. You'll see shortcuts listed to the right of some menu options (they vary on different browsers and platforms). Common shortcuts: Ctrl-N (Windows) and Command-N opens a new window; Esc (Windows) and Command-. [period] (Macintosh) stops the loading of the page; Ctrl-D (Windows) and Command-D adds the page to your favorites or bookmarks.
• Surf with two (or more) windows: Open two or more windows for fun — and fast — surfing. Here's how: Go to your browser's File menu and select New Window or New Navigator Window. Or you can hit the Command (Macintosh) or Control (Windows) key (depending on platform) and then the N key. This way, you can read a page in one window while a new page loads in the other. Right-click (or click and hold using a Mac) on a link or image for the option to open a new page in a new window. But, remember, whenever you open a new window, the Back button will be disabled. Click over to the original window to go back to previous sites.
• Reload: If a page doesn't load the first time you enter the URL, try hitting your browser's Reload/Refresh button a few times. This sometimes cuts you ahead of others waiting to access the site.
• Stop: Sometimes, the best way to get to what you want on a slow-loading page is to hit your browser's Stop button. Hitting Stop will often load everything on the page except some of the biggest images. If you don't get what you need because not enough of the page has loaded, hit Reload/Refresh.
• Turn off images: Depending on why you are visiting a site, its images may not be important to you — yet they are the slowest thing to load (pictures are, indeed, worth a thousand words). Though you CAN set your browser so it won't automatically load images, don't do so permanently; many pages will be difficult or even impossible to use. If you want, you can use a text version of your Personal Start Page. Click on Edit My Page, then Page Layout, and choose text-only.
• Turn off Java: Java is cool. Java is fun. Java is dynamic. But Java can also be very slow. If you notice that every time you come to a page with Java (look at the status bar of your browser, in the lower left, for "loading applet"), and your browser hangs and leaves you waiting for minutes, turn off your browser's automatic Java loading.
• Look for mirrors: Busy sites have what are called "mirror sites" set up around the world to ease congestion. Try the nearest location first. If the main site is busy, shop around.
• Avoid peak times: From about 11 a.m. EST to 6 p.m. PST, the "information superhighway" is crowded with users. And, just like physical highways, as traffic increases, speed decreases. If you are having trouble visiting busy sites, or if your browser is creeping along, try again later in the evening.