Section 152. Customize the Browser


152. Customize the Browser

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Just jump right in!


SEE ALSO

145 Use History

146 Browse with Tabbed Windows

147 Set Your Home Page

151 Manage Your Downloads


You don't have to use Firefox to browse the Web just like everyone else; instead, you can customize it to fit the way you work. In addition to changing options, you can install extensions , plug-ins , and themes that complement the web browser. For example, you might install the Googlebar extension, which helps you refine your Google searches, or the Acrobat Reader plug-in, which displays PDF documents within the browser window.

KEY TERMS

Extensions Small add-on programs that add specific functionality to Firefox.

Plug-in A program that can be called by Firefox to open , play, or display a file of a particular type, such as a sound or movie file.


152. Customize the Browser


1.
Change Program Options

Choose Tools, Options from the menu bar. The Options dialog box appears. Click the button in the left pane for the type of option you want to change:

  • General Here you can set your Home page, select default fonts and colors for web pages that don't specify them, set the default language for the browser to use, allow Firefox to check whether it is the default web browser, and set up proxies (intermediaries that try to complete a task before passing it on to the browser).

  • Tabbed Browsing Here you can tell Firefox when to automatically create tabbed windows and other options. See 146 Browse with Tabbed Windows .

  • Privacy Here you can set the number of days of history to track, have Firefox save data normally entered into Web forms and log-in screens, limit the size of the Download Manager history, control how cookies are handled, and set the size of the browser cache .

    KEY TERMS

    Cookies Information stored on your computer by a Web site, such as your preferences when viewing data on that site.

    Cache A temporary storage area on your computer for web pages you visit so that they can be displayed more quickly should you visit them again.

  • Web Features Here you can tell Firefox to block popup windows, stop Web sites from installing programs on your system, block images from displaying, and stop Java and JavaScript programs from running.

  • Downloads Here you can pick the folder into which you want to save downloads, prevent Download Manager from appearing automatically, and associate various file types with the programs you want to handle them, such as selecting the movie viewer you want to use to view movie files.

  • Advanced Here you can set options that make Firefox easier to use if you're disabled, control how images and text are displayed in the browser, control how tabbed browsing works by default, allow Firefox to check for new updates automatically, and establish how you want the browser to send and receive secure data.

Options associated with the button you select appear on the right side of the Options dialog box. Set options as desired and click OK .

2.
Display Extensions

Choose Tools, Extensions from the menu. The Extensions dialog box appears, displaying a list of currently installed extensions. You can select an installed extension and click Uninstall to remove it, or select the extension and click Update to check the Web for a possible update to that extension.

Click Get More Extensions. The Mozilla Update web page appears, displaying a list of the most popular Firefox extensions. To display all extensions of a particular type, click that type in the list on the left. For example, perhaps you want to see all the Blogging extensions. When you find an extension you're interested in, click its link. A full description of the extension appears on another page, with some images of the extension in action.

3.
Download and Install Extension

Click Install Now. The Software Installation dialog box appears. Click Install Now to download and install the extension.

The Download Manager appears so that you can review the download if you like. After the extension has been downloaded to your system, close and restart Firefox to complete the installation.

4.
Download and Install Plug-ins

At the top of the Mozilla Update page, click the Firefox Plugins link. A list of plug-ins for Firefox appears. In the Download section for the plug-in you want, click the appropriate link for your operating system.

If prompted, click Save to Disk to download the plug-in, and click OK . After the plug-in is downloaded, follow the program's instructions to install it.

5.
Display Themes

At the top of the Mozilla Update page, click the Firefox Themes link. A list of the most popular Firefox themes appears. To display all themes of a particular type, click that type from the list on the left.

When you find a theme you like, click its image to read reviews of your selected theme and to view more sample images. Click Install Now. The theme is downloaded to your system.

6.
Install Theme

The Themes dialog box appears. Select the theme and click Use Theme to install it. To complete the installation, close and restart Firefox.



OpenOffice.org 2, Firefox, and Thunderbird for Windows All in One
Sams Teach Yourself OpenOffice.org 2, Firefox and Thunderbird for Windows All in One
ISBN: 0672328089
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 232
Authors: Greg Perry

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