Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) 7.0
is a great browser. It has many new
features, most of which are securityrelated. However, there is one new
feature that can simplify your browsing experience.
Most people know that instead of typing a full URL in IE's address bar (e.g.,
http://www.mywebsite.com), you can simply type the domain name (e.g., mywebsite)
and press Ctrl+Enter. IE then automatically adds the http://www prefix
and .com suffix. Most all browsers, including earlier versions of IE,
offer this feature.
In IE 7.0 and IE 6.0, you can customize the suffix, which is .com by
default. First, you need to create a QuickComplete registry subkey under the
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar key.
Then, in the QuickComplete subkey, you need to create a registry entry with
the following properties:
Name: QuickComplete
Type: REG_SZ
Value: http://www.%s.net
As you might have noticed, both the subkey and entry have the same name (i.e.,
QuickComplete), which is a bit unusual. Although this example changes the suffix
to .net, you can change the suffix to whatever you need.
Besides .com sites, many international users also visit sites that have
their national suffix. For example, many users in Greece also visit sites that
have the .gr suffix. IE 7.0 has a little-known feature than can help
such users. Start IE 7.0 and follow these steps:
1. Select Internet Options on the Tools menu.
2. Click Languages.
3. In the Suffix box, type the suffix you want (e.g., gr).
4. Click OK twice.
Now, when you want to enter a site that has a .com suffix, you just
enter the domain name and press Ctrl+Enter. When you want to enter a site that
has the national suffix (e.g., .gr), you just enter the domain name and press
Ctrl+Shift+Enter.
—Apostolos Fotakelis, Systems Administrator,Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki, and freelance IT consultant