Switching Between Default Browsers

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hlewton
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Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by hlewton »

Well my searching did not turn up information I am seeking so I'll try to ask my question in an understandable way.

Seems Gmail is forcing me to use a different browser other than the only one I have ever used - IE. I use IE 8 with the latest updates but Gmail claims it is an old browser that it no longer supports and when they force their "New Look" on me my Gmail looks terrible. They suggest to download and use Chrome. If I did I would only want to use Chrome for my Gmail accounts. I have icons I click on to take me to the Gmail sign in page and right now it opens that page using IE 8. How would I switch to Chrome at that point without changing the default browser (IE 8) for all my other icon shortcuts I use?

Thanks.
Regards,
hlewton

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HansV
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by HansV »

Set the Gmail login page as your home page for Chrome. You can then start Chrome and the login page will automatically be loaded.

(For instructions on setting the home page, see Set your home page - Google Chrome Help.

(I'm using IE9, and until now I've managed to return to the older Gmail look every time they try to force the new look onto me)
Best wishes,
Hans

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PaulB
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by PaulB »

You could set up a desktop shortcut with the following in the Target field:

"C:\Program Files\path\to\chrome.exe" "https:\\gmail.com"

I don't have Chrome installed so you will have to supply the path in the example above.
Regards,
Paul

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The realist adjusts his sails.

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Bigaldoc
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by Bigaldoc »

Both suggestions are great. My default browser is Firefox, but...

I have Chrome installed mainly for doing Google Maps, since it's faster with their own browser. So I have an icon for Chrome in my XP Quick Launch bar AND the homepage (as mentioned by Hans) set to Google Maps.

One click and I'm there...

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hlewton
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by hlewton »

Thanks for the suggestions from all of you.

Hans so far I have been able to do the same as far as reverting to the "Old" look but the way I read it is soon I won't have that option. I can't use IE 9 on my XP machines, as far as I know, and if I am understanding you correctly Gmail is telling you that even that version won't work. Is that correct?

I am going to download Chrome and see if I can follow the suggestions above. Thanks.
Regards,
hlewton

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hlewton
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by hlewton »

Well I have that part working but to me it looks terrible. I have not found a way to change the font to something more readable. Is it possible to change the default font in Chrome and if so where is it buried? Thanks
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hlewton

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hlewton
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by hlewton »

Never mind I think I just found it. Still it looks bad to me.
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hlewton

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HansV
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by HansV »

hlewton wrote:Hans so far I have been able to do the same as far as reverting to the "Old" look but the way I read it is soon I won't have that option. I can't use IE 9 on my XP machines, as far as I know, and if I am understanding you correctly Gmail is telling you that even that version won't work.
It's true that IE9 won't run on Windows XP.
I can't imagine that Gmail won't run on IE9 - Google would shoot itself in the foot...
Best wishes,
Hans

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hlewton
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by hlewton »

HansV wrote: I can't imagine that Gmail won't run on IE9 - Google would shoot itself in the foot...
I agree and that is why it is so hard to believe that it won't work with IE8 because I believe there is still a lot of computers still using XP and IE8 but Gmail's "New Look" garbles the folder list and I'm really not sure what else looks bad because I have always switched back to the "Old Look"
Regards,
hlewton

mharr
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by mharr »

To all with problems viewing the GMail new look on IE8 and IE9: The fix is to turn off IE compatibility mode for gmail site.
1. Go to the menu option (if you don't see the menu, press the Alt key) Tools - View Compatibility settings.
2. Look in the list and see if google.com or gmail is listed in there, and remove it if is.
3. Uncheck Include updated website lists from Microsoft and/or Display all websites in Compatiblity View.
4. Click Close, and the gmail page will refresh and look as Google intended.

I'm sure Microsoft will update their compatibility lists to remove gmail from it, so you likely will be able to add that setting (Include updated website lists from Microsoft) back in a few days. Until then, this will fix the temporary display problem.

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HansV
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by HansV »

Welcome to Eileen's Lounge!

That sounds like a useful tip - thanks!
Best wishes,
Hans

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hlewton
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by hlewton »

mharr wrote:To all with problems viewing the GMail new look on IE8 and IE9: The fix is to turn off IE compatibility mode for gmail site.
1. Go to the menu option (if you don't see the menu, press the Alt key) Tools - View Compatibility settings.
2. Look in the list and see if google.com or gmail is listed in there, and remove it if is.
3. Uncheck Include updated website lists from Microsoft and/or Display all websites in Compatiblity View.
4. Click Close, and the gmail page will refresh and look as Google intended.

I'm sure Microsoft will update their compatibility lists to remove gmail from it, so you likely will be able to add that setting (Include updated website lists from Microsoft) back in a few days. Until then, this will fix the temporary display problem.
Thank you. That worked great for me. Google was in that list but Gmail was not. Still it seems to have corrected the problem. Now I don't have to worry about using Chrome. Again, thanks.
Regards,
hlewton

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hlewton
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by hlewton »

I am again getting a message every time I sign into Gmail saying I am using version of IE that will soon be unsupported. Again I am using the most recent version of IE 8 I can with Windows XP. Any ideas why this is again happening and how I can get rid of the message. Everything seems to be appearing correctly but it seems they are trying to force me to use Chrome.
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hlewton

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HansV
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by HansV »

Some time ago, Google decided to support only the latest and next-to-latest versions of the major browsers. With the official release of Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10 on the 26th of October, Internet Explorer 8 is no longer the next-to-latest version. Support for it will end on November 15. See Supported browsers.

Gmail should still work in IE8 after November 15, but you may be forced to use the plain HTML version. I don't know if it is possible to suppress the compatibility warning.
Best wishes,
Hans

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hlewton
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by hlewton »

Thanks Hans. That sure explains it but seems to me it will leave a lot of XP users in the dust.
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hlewton

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Bigaldoc
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by Bigaldoc »

Do you have an email client on your PC or do you rely completely on web mail?

I have accounts with Gmail, Yahoo and my own web domain sever. I access my email on all using POP to my local copy of Thunderbird. The only time I use web mail is from someone else's computer.

Using POP, I don't get any complaints from Google, but then again my Gmail account gets very little use.

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hlewton
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by hlewton »

I do have Outlook on all my computers and one of my Gmail accounts I have the incoming email forwarded to my main email account in Outlook but there is still one Gmail account I only access through the WEB.
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hlewton

jolas
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by jolas »

Try installing google frame http://www.google.com/chromeframe?hl=en ... level=true and see if IE8 would respond better accessing gmail.

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hlewton
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by hlewton »

Thanks I'll have to give that a try.
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hlewton

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hlewton
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Re: Switching Between Default Browsers

Post by hlewton »

It seems to have gotten rid of that message, at least for the time being. Again, thanks.
Regards,
hlewton