by Penny Phillip

Created on: December 10, 2008   Last Updated: January 06, 2009

Want the recipe for a dish your friend's mom used to make when you were little? Need tips on clearing blocked drains or fixing your garbage disposal unit? Confused by some medical term your doctor threw at you? Maybe you want driving directions to that new restaurant you simply can't wait to eat at. Just 'Google' it!

Like no other time in history, information is at the fingertips of anyone who has access to a computer with an Internet connection. In addition to Google, the search engine which has become a verb, there are countless other search engines (Yahoo, Ask.com, MSN search, AOL search, Expedia, to name a few) which can be used to ferret out information from the millions of web pages online.

The vast amount number of websites out there can easily lead to information overload, unless you know a few secrets. Foremost among them is, how to get the most out of your browser - yes, your web browser: Internet Explorer, Firefox or other. Important features to become familiar with are:

1. The browser's search box at the top right hand corner of the browser window can be set to the search engine of your choice. Look at yours right now and notice the little arrow pointing down, that gives a menu of choices when you click on it. This allows you to change your browser's default search engine or to add more search engines if the one you prefer to use is not listed. Experiment with it a little and find the search engine that works best for you. Now all you have to do is type searches directly into your browser's search box and bingo! Get results from the search engine of your choice without ever again having to type 'www.google.com' or 'www.yahoo.com'.

2. Next, get familiar with the 'tab' function of your browser. Click 'File' then 'New tab'. A new tab will open in the same browser window you are already using; you can switch between the two with a simple click. This feature, if you don't already use it, will become your new best friend. It will save lots of time when your search produces a long list of sites and you want to look at more than one of them. Simply right-click on each site you're interested in, then select 'Open in new tab' from the menu that pops up. Open multiple sites that way, then switch between them with ease; if none are what you're looking for, simply close each by clicking on the little red 'x' on each tab until you're left only with the original search results page.

Now you're ready to master the art of the Internet search. Before going further, please

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