Difference between revisions of "Archive:Mozilla Firefox"

Revision as of 06:52, 14 December 2005

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Introduction

This page is meant for end-users and first-time administrators configuring Mozilla Firefox for end-users. Please keep your edits concise and unbiased (don't add your favorite extension just because you like it - think about the average user). Specifically, this documentation is based on my experiences working at a high school.

Originally taken from The Windows Documentation Project, but moved here for centralization. For more Tips & Tricks see the gentoo-wiki.

By CoolAJ86

About Firefox

• Homepage: http://getfirefox.com
• Support: http://wiki.mozilla.org

Installing

• Windows: Download from http://getfirefox.com
• Mac OS X: Download from http://getfirefox.com
• Ubuntu (Debian) Linux:
  • sudo apt-get install mozilla-firefox
  • Search for 'Firefox' in Desktop => System Tools => Syaptic

The installation process is quite simple. If you think viewing the installation process in pictures would help you feel more comfortable there is a page available for you to do so.

Primary Plugins

Macromedia Flash

• [Download]

Primary Extensions

This is a short list of some of the most useful extensions that most end-users seem to enjoy and should probably be shipped with Firefox by default. I'm mindfull that an administrator would be installing these, a user may use them every day but never know it.

Google Suggest

• Screenshot
• [Download]

The Google Suggest Firefox Extension is one of a few Extensions by Google. It integrates the power of Google Suggest into the main search bar of the browser. For those who are not familiar with Google Suggest, it is a technology which suggests autocompletions for your search based on the most popular searches. No configuration is necessary or offered for this extension. Graphic Example

Google Preview

• Screenshot
• [Download]

Tabbrowser Prefences

• [Download]

Tabbrowser Preferences, true to its name, provides additional preferences for tabbed browsing via an user-interface addon in Tools --> Options (in Microsoft Windows) or Edit --> Preferences.

Download Tweak Manager

• Screenshot
• Download

Webmail Compose

• Screenshot
• [Download]

Adblock

• Screenshot
• [Download]
• Importable list of Ad sites

Forecastfox

• Screenshot
• Download

Session Saver

• Screenshot
• Download

Undoclosetab

• Screenshot
• Download

Paste and Go

• Screenshot
• Download

Secondary Extensions

This extensions are must-have, but are not user-trasparent (a user would have to recognize they exist in order to use them).

Google Toolbar

• Screenshot
• [Download]

TinyURL Creator

• Screenshot
• Download

IE View

• Screenshot
• Download

Deepest Sender

• Screenshot
• Download

FireFTP

• Screenshot
• Download

downTHEMall!

• Screenshot
• Download

Customizing the User Interface

Now that you have extensions installed, there are a few things that most users and administrators will want to change to make Firefox even more user-friendly. This assumes that you have installed the 'Primary' Exntensions as listed above.

Advanced Tab

1. Uncheck Auto update

Downloads Tab

1. Click Options
2. Radio "Open in the Sidebar"
3. Check close when downloads complete

Privacy

1. Don't store passwords
2. History 0 days
3. don't save forms
4. remove dl history when exits
5. keep cookies until close

tabbed browsing

1. tab focus : select tabs when the mouse is moved onto them
2. uncheck "hide the tab bar when only one tab is open
3. load the following in new tabs: searches from the search bar

add searches

wikipedia with google urban dictionary IMDB google scholar

webmail compose

tools > extensions > webmail

• enable gmail hotmail yahoo

adblock

tools > adblock > preferences

forcastfox

set area code on next restart

Tips and Tricks - General

Quick Search

There are certain quick searches you can perform by specifying the type of search in the Location bar

• slang ${keyword}

Multiple Extensions

If you have already downloaded a number of extensions and wish to add them all at once it is simple to do so.

1. Open up a file browser where the extenions (xpi files) have been saved. Example:
   • explorer C:\Downloads\Firefox\extensions
   • nautilus -browser ~/Downloads/Firefox/extensions
2. Open Firefox's extension browser
   • Tools => Extensions
3. Drag and drop the extenions (xpi files) from the File Browser into the Firefox Extension Browser
4. Click Continue or Install as appropriate

Tips and Tricks - Public Machines

1. Make default browser
2. Disable MSIE through 'Set Application Defaults' - MSIE is a major security Risk
3. location:about:config, add browser.bookmarks.file ${HOME}\bookmarks.html
4. Set all caches to clear on exit

1. Extensions (in VUHS_Software/internet/firefox_ext/)
2. Disable automatic updates if frozen

Troubleshooting

If you are having trouble using the "Add Engines..." feature of the Firefox Search Bar, take a look at this qwik 2-step solution:

• http://gentoo-wiki.com/Search_Bar_Plugin