NODE-POWERED SURFING

WHAT IS IT?

E2 Internet Explorer is an enhanced version of Microsoft Internet Explorer. Enhanced for noding, that is. Not very enhanced though, just kinda. This is basically an expansion to Internet Explorer 6. It's mostly just like your normal Internet Explorer interface, with a few helpful add-ons. E2 Internet Explorer is available for download at http://fuzzelfish.com/E2.IE.zip. Before installing it, you'll need to have Internet Explorer 6 installed. This is available at http://microsoft.com/windows/ie. You will also need a ZIP extractor. If you have Windows XP, this is built-in. If you don't, go download an evaluation version of WinZip at http://winzip.com.

INSTALLING IT

WARNING: Upon installation of this program, your Internet Settings will be reset to the default. Most people don't change them anyway, so it shouldn't bother you much. But don't be surprised if things look weird and you have to change your settings after installing this. Also, uninstallation is difficult (see "Uninstallation" in the "Troubleshooting" section below).

Extract all the files in E2.IE.zip to the same folder. Then run "E2 IE Setup.exe". It should be the only executable; all the other files are ".SETUP" files. First, Setup will verify that all the other files that should have been extracted along with it are present. If they aren't, it will crash and burn. Now, if you have extracted all the files correctly, Setup will ask you to hit the [Yes] button on any dialog boxes that appear. Click "Continue…". Three dialog boxes will appear in rapid succession. Click Yes and Yes and Yes and OK and OK and OK. If you hit the [No] button, certain parts of E2 Internet Explorer will not be installed. Now click "Install…". A new window will pop-up. Follow all the instructions. At the very end, you'll probably have to restart your computer.

ALL THE UPDATES

ICONS AND TITLES

You'll notice a few difference with Internet Explorer right away. First of all, the title bar should now read "<some webpage title> - Microsoft Internet Explorer Provided by E2". Also, the little icon on the top right that is usually either a Windows flag or a Internet Explorer logo will be replaced with the E2 logo. Awesome, isn't it?

MAGIC BUTTONS

There will now be two new buttons next to the Print, Edit, and Discuss buttons in the Standard Buttons toolbar. The first of these is a direct link to E2. Just click the button, and you've got E2! The button next to that will open a small box that asks you for a search query. Upon hitting [OK], E2 will be searched for your query. If there is node with the same title as the one you typed in, you will be taken to that node. Otherwise, you will be taken to the search results. This is just a slightly modified version of the Internet Explorer Everything Search Button. Now click on the "Favorites" toolbar. Along with your regular favorites, you will get not just another link to E2, but also a link to the E2 Node Tracker (written by Cow of Doom, run by conform). And then there is one last magic button. Select "Online Support" from the "Help" toolbar. That is a direct link back to this node, just in case you need some troubleshooting info or junk like that.

SEARCHING E2

Searching E2 is something we all do pretty often, so one of my goals with this was to make searching E2 as easy as possible, while still retaining as much of Internet Explorer as possible. With this update, there are now four different ways to search E2. One of these is the search button I talked about in the previous section. The rest are things you can type directly into the address bar. Type these things into the address bar, without the quotes, and replacing "<search query>" with what you want to search for:

• "e2 <search query>": This will perform a simple E2 search with your search query.
• "e2* <search query>": This will perform an E2 search with your search query and the Ignore Exact option enabled.
• "e2! <search query>": This will perform an E2 search with your search query and the Near Matches option enabled.

TROUBLESHOOTING

COMMON PROBLEMS

All my Internet Settings (such as "Enable TLS 3.0") have been deleted.
I warned you this would happen. Installation causes all your Internet Settings to be reset to default (except for Security and Privacy). You will have to change them back to how you want them.

The Internet Connection Wizard pops up whenever I try to open Internet Explorer. I hit [Cancel], but then I can't surf the Net.
Another unfortunate side effect of resetting settings. Just bear with the wizard and complete it one time. Then it will never show its face again, and you will be able to surf the Net.

When I try to search E2 from the address bar, it doesn't work.
There are (at least) two possibilites:

1. You aren't typing it right. See the "Searching E2" section above.
2. You hit [No] on the dialog boxes that popped up while installing this thing. Rerun the setup (you have to redownload it to do this), and hit Yes and Yes and Yes and OK and OK and OK. After doing this, quit the setup. Or you could continue with the setup and waste your time. Your choice.

I'm having some other miscellanous problem.
First, you'll have to classify your problem. If your problem is something to do with Internet Explorer but is unrelated to the E2 enhancements, then contact Microsoft. If your error is related to the E2 enhancements, /msg me.

The E2 Search Button doesn't work.
This is a known bug. See below for how to fix it.

KNOWN BUGS

The E2 Search Button doesn't work.
This is an error caused by a small typo I made. To fix it, go to Start -> Run. Type in "regedit" (without the quotes). Hit Ctrl + F. This should open a Find window. Search for:

javascript:Q=document.selection.createRange().text;if(!Q){void(Q=prompt('Search%20E2%20for%20what%3F',''))};if(Q)location.href='http://www.everything2.com/?node='+escape(Q);

A "Searching the registry…" window will appear for a while. Once this window disappears, double-click on "Exec". "Exec" will be under the "Name" column in the main part of the screen. A box will appear. Replace everything in the "Value data:" textbox with:

http://fuzzelfish.com/e2s.asp

Quit Internet Explorer and start it again. That should do it.

UNINSTALLATION

Uninstallation is sort of hard. Go to http://microsoft.com/windows/ie/ and download the installer and run it. It should change your settings back to normal. It might not.

Bugs/hate mail/etc. go to: rdude