Internet Explorer 7+
Ok, you have installed Vista, we know how it fires up and you have logged on. Chances are after you have played around with the AERO interface (Authentic, Energetic, reflective and Open...who thought that one up??), you will be heading over to check out IE7.
Now if you have been using IE7 for XP, you may be thinking that this is identical, well you'd be kinda right. It is very similar, but it has some important differences. Vista's version of IE7 is correctly named IE7+ and operates in a 'least privilege' mode known as Protected Mode. Protected Mode is designed to make it much harder for malicious software to install via the browser interface.
Internet Explorer runs in the context of a very restricted user and can only write information to certain file areas (such as the Temporary Internet files location).
If your like me and rather miss the Menu bars, worry not, ALT will become your helpful companion. Pressing ALT brings the old fashioned menu's scurrying back. I find this most helpful in IE and Explorer.
AutoComplete has been designed to be much more customizable. If you feel comfortable your PC is secure, you can configure AutoComplete to remember all your usernames and passwords on a per-site basis.
In addition to this, AutoComplete can also remember form information and web addresses (to customise goto Tools> Internet Options> Content).
If like me you are interested in how Windows stores these credentials, they are stored in Registry, encrypted with 3DES (512bit key)and can only be 'got at' by the DPAPI (Data Protection API), which appears to be a much better interface from a security perspective than Windows XP 'Protected Storage' (PStore).
One final tip, have a go at using F11 to switch to full screen. Moving the mouse to the top of the screen gets your menu's back and F11 again reverts. I don't normally like ALT-Enter style full screens, but I am starting to really like this feature.
Now if you have been using IE7 for XP, you may be thinking that this is identical, well you'd be kinda right. It is very similar, but it has some important differences. Vista's version of IE7 is correctly named IE7+ and operates in a 'least privilege' mode known as Protected Mode. Protected Mode is designed to make it much harder for malicious software to install via the browser interface.
Internet Explorer runs in the context of a very restricted user and can only write information to certain file areas (such as the Temporary Internet files location).
If your like me and rather miss the Menu bars, worry not, ALT will become your helpful companion. Pressing ALT brings the old fashioned menu's scurrying back. I find this most helpful in IE and Explorer.
AutoComplete has been designed to be much more customizable. If you feel comfortable your PC is secure, you can configure AutoComplete to remember all your usernames and passwords on a per-site basis.
In addition to this, AutoComplete can also remember form information and web addresses (to customise goto Tools> Internet Options> Content).
If like me you are interested in how Windows stores these credentials, they are stored in Registry, encrypted with 3DES (512bit key)and can only be 'got at' by the DPAPI (Data Protection API), which appears to be a much better interface from a security perspective than Windows XP 'Protected Storage' (PStore).
One final tip, have a go at using F11 to switch to full screen. Moving the mouse to the top of the screen gets your menu's back and F11 again reverts. I don't normally like ALT-Enter style full screens, but I am starting to really like this feature.
posted by Paul Vincent at 5:22 PM
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2 Comments:
Some useful tips there, Paul!
>Although I am yet to brave installing Vista again, I tried your tips on IE7 XP and they work!
I didn't realize you could do ALT+ENTER in IE, which does the same as F11.
And yes the address bar drop down when you put your mouse to the top of the screen is good.
Another tip: If you have multiple tabs open, then Ctrl-Tab flicks between them - which looks quite good in full screen mode.
Interesting tip about the ALT button, but it only seems to work with the left ALT key. If you'd rather a permanent menu bar, go to tools button and select Menu Bar
Great work.
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