How do I speed up my iBook browser (Internet Explorer 4.5)?
The iBook OS is 8.6.

Since you're using OS 8.6, I'm assuming that you own one of the
first-generation  iBooks that debuted in 1999. That notebook shipped
with a 300mhz G3 processor and and 32mb RAM. Many users on the web
report running the much more demanding OS X 10.1 on their 300mhz
iBooks, so your machine should certainly be capable of handing OS 8.6
and IE 4.5. The browser's poor performance is probably the result of
not having enough physical RAM installed in the computer.
There's a web page is devoted to speeding up Explorer on Macs. On the
page, you'll see that most of the tips are memory-related.
http://www.lowendmac.com/ibasics/010221.html

Likewise, in a Usenet discussion of the issue, Explorer 4.5 is
described as "memory-hungry" when running on the iBook. Try this link
to read the discussion:
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=ibook+ram+explorer+4.5&start=10&hl=en&selm=1ehdlpc.18mdm821x6bvwwN%40dialup.62-172-28-24.tesco.net&rnum=14

In that discussion, one user recommended switching to Netscape 4.08.
If you'd like to try that, you can download that version of Netscape
at:
http://home.netscape.com/download/archive/client_archive40x.html

If you prefer to stick with Explorer, your best bet is to increase
your memory.
According to the following link, the original iBook had 32mb installed
and has a memory slot that accepts a memory module in various sizes up
to 512mb.
http://www.memoryx.net/ibook.html

The following web site offers pricing information for various vendors
of iBook memory:
http://www.ramseeker.com/ibook.shtml

The following discussion forum is dedicated to iBook issues:
http://forums.macnn.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum&f=13

Other resources for iBook users:
http://www.ibookzone.com/
http://www.ibook-user.com/

Google search terms: ibook explorer performance
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=googlet&q=ibook+explorer+performance&btnG=Google+Search

Google groups search terms: ibook ram explorer 4.5
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=ibook+ram+explorer+4.5&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search

I hope this helps. Good luck.

---

Request for Answer Clarification by evansjg-ga on 14 May 2002 04:08 PDT

I have 128 megs of RAM.
Is there a way to clear internet memory cache?

---

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 14 May 2002 15:48 PDT

Yahoo provides a good tutorial on clearing your browser's memory
cache. Visit their web site at:
http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/mail/errors/errors-17.html

An iBook should be relatively adequate for browsing given the fact
that it is a G3 chip of some sort. The problems stems from the
Macintosh inherent browsing speed, which is slower than a PC,
particulary when it handles Java in Explorer. The latest 5.5 version
of Explorer for the Mac is faster than it's predessors, so I would
recommend to upgrade to that.

Hardware aside probably the problem area is not the iBook itself but
your internet connection or Internet Service Provider (ISP) and the
time of day you surf. Many heavily used services can crawl to a snails
pace if accessed during peak periods, for example in the evenings when
people get back from work to check emails.

Also the type of site, and the geographical region their server is
located in makes a huge difference in speed. Generally speaking,
anything transatlantic will be slower and countries with poor
infrastructure like India will have slow or congested network access.

The above has to be eliminated from the equation, so if you perform a
test on a local site in offpeak hours e.g. run a speed test at:
http://www.webjockey.net/html/speedtest.html but you really need to
run one from your nearest location. Try locating one from here, but
avoid the Java version as they do not work well on the Mac.

If it is established the speed is within limits for  your connection
speed then it must be that you are accessing some slow sites, either
busy servers or those that are located on the otherside of the world
with poor network infrastructure.