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December 12, 2008
Fire Up Your Internet Browsing with Firefox
Dear Larry,
A colleague of mine recommended using Firefox instead of
Internet Explorer. Do you consider this wise?
P. T.
Dear P. T.,
I happen to be a huge fan of Firefox and recommend it highly,
both for the PC and the Mac. For those not in the know, Firefox is simply a
free, alternative way to surf the net (like replacing your Magnavox TV with a
new Sony). Using Firefox doesn’t change the content of the Internet, just the
program you use to view that content.
To begin with, use Internet Explorer (or Safari on a Mac) to
go to www.firefox.com, and click the Free
Download button. When prompted, start the installer. Next, follow the steps as
Firefox sets itself up on your computer, then walks you through importing your
favorites and such from Internet Explorer or Safari. All done! Firefox is now
your new default Internet browser.
First of all, set a couple of options that I think are
worthwhile. With Firefox running, click Tools, Options. Click the Main button in
the toolbar and change your Home Page if you wish. In the Downloads section,
select “Always ask me where to save files” (this helps keep your desktop from
becoming overcrowded). Click the Tabs button, and under “Hide the tab bar,”
click Never. Click OK to save these changes.
Next, add a couple toolbar buttons that are missing: Click
View, Toolbars, Customize. Find the New Tab button and drag it to the main
Firefox toolbar, perhaps to the right of the Home button. Also, locate the Print
button and drag it to the toolbar as well, possibly to the left of the Home
button or to the right of the New Tab button, whatever you prefer. Close the
Customize Toolbar window by clicking Done.
One of the most powerful features of Firefox is its support
for Add-ons—mini-programs that enhance and extend Firefox’s capability. Before
we check out some of my absolute favorites, download the basics at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:7.
Next, go to https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865
if you want to block annoying advertisements and banners as you surf.
Firefox tabs (which enable you to explore multiple websites
simultaneously) work well, but Tab Mix Plus works better. Find this add-on at
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1122.
If you’re a Roboform user (http://www.accentoncomputers.com/logon/2008/20080321.htm),
you’ll want to return to the Roboform website to load the Roboform add-on for
Firefox. Similarly, if you’re a fan of the Google toolbar, go to
toolbar.google.com.
Finally, if you use Firefox on multiple computers, you can use
the Foxmarks Bookmark Synchronizer to synchronize your bookmarks across all your
computers (add a bookmark or Password on one, it’s automatically added to the
others). Go to www.foxmarks.com to find
out how to create a new account, and then install the add-on on each of your
computers.
Sure, learning Firefox may be a little like learning the fancy
features of your new flat screen TV or Blu-ray player, but believe me…it’s worth
it.
This is Larry Schneider, logging off.
