7 Steps to Achieving Internet-Browsing Nirvana (1)

Do you want to unleash the latent capabilities of your computer and yourself? Do you want to be able to access and sort through information at lightning speeds without the pain and annoyance of slow, inefficient browsing? If so, get on the path to trouble-free, effective access to the internet through this guide to enlightenment.

The concepts are fairly simple:

1. Remove unnecessary software from your computer
2. Update your browser
3. Install plugins
4. Test your browser
5. Fine-tune browser settings
6. Evaluate your tools
7. Improve, consolidate, integrate!

I have split the process into two parts. Steps 1-5 will comprise the first part. If you have a typical computer and just need to tune up your browsing experience, this first part shouldn't take longer than 15-30 minutes. However, it is meant to be a generic resource so you may come across a lot of information that does not apply to you.

Step 0 - Identify the Cause
Test Connection Speed [Skip this step if you just want to get straight to the fun part]
Before, we get started tweaking, it might help to find out why you're so dissatisfied with your internet. There may be many reasons that explain your crippled internet experience. I narrow them down to these three reasons:

• Your internet connection may be awful
• Latent software on your computer may be unnecessarily bogging down your device
• Your computer hardware may just not be sufficient for your needs

The easiest way to find this out is to run an internet speed test which will give you an idea of your true internet connection speed. The sites listed below will basically return a value for your download speed, your upload speed and your latency (or lag). If the latency is too high, the server may be too far away and the results may not be representative of your actual connection speed. Try a closer server or search for another internet speed test for your region.

http://www.speedtest.net/

http://www.dslreports.com/speedtest [I have only tried the Flash-based test]

http://www.pingtest.net/ - This information will likely not be important to you. It is from the makers of the speedtest

You may want to compare your average value with what you're actually paying your internet service provider (ISP).

Next, open up 2 or 3 of the most graphic- and computing-intensive applications that you have on your device. I opened Solid Works, DivX Plus Player and BlackBerry Desktop Software all at once. While these are loading, run the test again. You will notice one of three scenarios:

• Everything remains the same: This likely means that your computer hardware is fine and you should consider purchasing greater bandwidth. Otherwise, it may mean the applications you opened were not sufficiently stressful; however opening an HD movie in DivX Plus should do the trick for most computers.
• Download speed alone drops: This likely means that your computer is struggling either because of hardware, software of both. This guide will help you quickly alleviate the discomfort.
• Download speed and upload speed drop: This likely means that your computer has some serious hardware short-comings and this guide will only help some of that. Consider upgrading your memory or in seriously debilitating cases, replace your operating system.
• Some other combination: This is difficult to diagnose without further information as there may be several scenarios involved.

Step 1 - Get rid of the Old!
Remove unnecessary software
Delete unused or out-of-date software from your computer as these can keep you from experiencing Nirvana. To find these on a PC:

1. Open the Control Panel
2. Select 'Programs and Features', 'Uninstall a Program' or 'Add or Remove Programs'
3. At the top of the column of the list of programs, right click and select 'More...'
4. Find and select the checkbox next to 'Used' and click 'Ok'
5. Click on the header for the new column such that the list is now sorted from 'Rarely' to 'Frequently'. NOTE: The first few items may be small APIs that are listed as 'Frequently' but are separated from the full programs on the list.
6. Remove the software that you use rarely and/or feel you will not need in the future.

Delete unnecessary toolbars, plug-ins, and extensions in your current browser

Try to remove these using an option within your browser if possible. In addition, you may need to follow the steps described for uninstalling unused software to remove these toolbars and plug-ins. If this does not work to remove a toolbar, you may need to carefully read through the list of installed software or make advanced edits to your registry. In rare cases, you may need to uninstall your browser entirely. REMINDER: Be wary of the terms you agree to when you download software!

The following three tips are from articlebase.com:

• Remove temporary internet files
• Clean up disk errors
• Remove unnecessary background processes

If you want some help with these, check out the original article: http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/top-5-steps-to-optimize-your-web-browser-experience-877577.html

Replace your Operating System (Helpful in Extreme Cases ONLY!)
If you're dealing with a seriously troublesome computer that all you try to do with it is browse the internet, consider removing your entire operating system (OS) and replacing it with a lighter OS. This may seem an extreme measure for internet browsing, but the honest truth these days, is that most computer are simply hubs for internet connectivity. If this is the case for you, consider a stripped-down and light-weight operating system that will let you do just that. Examples:

• Chromium OS (Chrome OS)
• Xubuntu (Ubuntu) - USB Install
• Jolicloud

Step 2 - In with the New
Update your internet browser software.

If you're not using a stripped down Web OS, you will need to use a stand-alone web browser. Pretty simple, go to the site and follow instructions to download or update your browser.

Mozilla Firefox 3.6
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8
Google Chrome
Apple Safari 5

Coming Soon:
Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 *Beta*

I will refrain from taking any sides as of right now regarding which browser you should use. You need to experience them for yourself and decide which is in tune with your energy. What I recommend that you NOT do, however, is simply go with the same browser because you have always used it and think it is the best. Try something new for long enough, and you may be pleasantly surprised. I personally have Firefox, Explorer and Chrome installed on my computer and use all three depending on the situation. I have not tried the Beta for Explorer 9 that was released today, but I did find a seemingly reliable download source and listed it anyway.

Step 3 - Get the Basics
Install basic plugins

Plug-ins give your browser access to software that require greater control over your computer. These plugins will let you do things like play games online, view videos, and even use online word processors. Note that some of these tools may be phased out fairly soon with the increasing adoption of new internet standards and popularity of tablet and mobile devices.

This very useful tool from Mozilla might give you a good idea of what you need: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/plugincheck/

The Basic Essentials:
Adobe Flash Player
Adobe Acrobat Reader

Others:
Java
DivX Plus Web Player
Apple Quicktime
Adobe Shockwave
RealPlayer


Step 4 - Time for a Joy Ride!
Test Browser Performance

First, follow the instructions outlined in Step 0 to test your connection speed.
Next, the following tests will look at how your browser renders pages and if it meets standards:
Acid3 Test
Sputnik
HTML5 Test

After testing the connection speed/bandwidth and browser compliance, check out the following resources that will push your browser to the very pinnacle of web browsing requirements today:

IE9 Test Drive
  FishIE Demo
Apple - HTML5
Chrome Experiments

DO NOT be alarmed if your computer wheezes and coughs while trying to run some of these scripts, you will not come across very many of these kinds of websites anytime soon anyway. They are just meant to give you an idea of what will be possible and how your computer and browser measure up.



Step 5 - Tweak the Knobs
Modify Browser Settings

Based on the test from the previous step(s), you may need to make some additional tweaks to optimize your browser. The following pages may help tremendously:

eHow - A general guide to optimizing the four major web browsers

Mozilla Firefox - A guide to optimizing Firefox by PC World
Internet Explorer - A guide to optimizing Explorer by Microsoft
Google Chrome - Chrome Tips and Tweaks

After you have dusted, cleaned and tuned your browser into shape, you are now ready to tune yourself. The next two steps will help you match your online tools with browser extensions and your overall aura so that the World Wide Web will feel feel like it extends from your fingertips - perfect harmony.

I will cover steps 6 and 7 in Part 2 of this series. These are the tips that will really help boost your browsing experience by removing the clutter from your web presence and streamlining your information consumption. Have any questions about these first steps, drop a comment below and I will be sure to get back to you soon.