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Helpful Hints for Using Firefox

Firefox, an internet browser, is well-liked for many reasons.  Easy accessibility, beginner-friendly elements, and useful features make it one of the most reliable tools for the internet.

 

Most of the included items in Firefox are typical for web browsers.  First, tabbed browsing makes it possible to view multiple windows at once.  Simply by clicking an additional “tab” at the top of the screen, users can keep current items at hand while moving on to new projects and information.  This is helpful for those who are completing projects or choosing between two items online.  Direct comparisons can be made and key points can be fused easily.

 

Locating information has never been easier.  With Firefox, typing ctrl+k can bring up a search bar immediately.  Also, right clicking on a highlighted word generates a search as well.  Users can find definitions, answers to questions, or pertinent information in a snap.  Or one click to be exact.

Internet Access: Image Download

Image Location:  http://computerlcd.org/Magician_Economic_Computer_19_LCD.jpg

Firefox makes downloads easy through a tool called background downloading.  Basically, items that are to be downloaded begin immediately, and by the time users save them to disk, they are already finished.  Firefox is quick when it comes to putting information on the computer.  Usually, it takes just as much time to choose where to store the information as it does to actually download it.

 

One last important element of Firefox is this:  it’s largely successful due to those who use it.  Improvements are made through user’s suggestions, and anyone is able to communicate with the Firefox team leaders.  Source codes are readily available at all times.

Filed Under: Advantages, FireFox Tagged With: , ,

Advantages of Internet Explorer 9

Internet Explorer has been losing potential users for a number of years now. In an effort to keep their users they have offered a new Internet Explorer version 9. It is believed that this version will include everything that users want and need in a web browser.

 

Here’s a look at some of the great features Internet Explore 9 offers web browser users.

 

Cleaner Appearance

 

Internet Explorer 9 gives internet users a cleaner web browsing experience. Tabs, buttons and other items are all moved into one row instead of cluttered all over the screen.

 

The Ability to Pin Tabs

 

Internet Explorer 9 has a tab pinning option. This means if you have a tab that you visit a lot or need to keep referencing you can pin it so it doesn’t move down the list. Also included in the tab pinning option is the ability to pull up a row of all tabs so you can see each window and tab in real time and flip back and forth to it.

 

Fasted Web Browser

 

Internet Explorer 9 is the fastest web browser on the market. It loads JavaScript quickly and it pulls up windows faster than any other browser. Internet users always complained about the time it took to load Internet Explorer and that is gone with this version.

 

Isolated Tabs

 

Internet users can choose to run certain tabs as an isolated function. This will prevent browser crashes and other problems that can come from running too many tabs at one time.

 

With all these advantages Internet Explorer might have just jumped to the head of the game in terms of popular web browsers.

Filed Under: Advantages, Explorer, Web browser Tagged With: , ,

Disadvantages of Downloading Firefox 4

When a web browser like Firefox update itself it can be expected that there will be tons of complaints. Internet users are creatures of habit and do not adapt well to change. So when Firefox 4 was rolled out a month and half ago, experts braced for a slew of complaints from longtime Firefox users. The good news is there were relatively few complaints.

 

Here’s a look at some of the disadvantages or complaints Firefox 4 users had after downloading the latest version of this web browser.

 

Not Compatible With Some Add-Ons 

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Image via Wikipedia

 

The latest Firefox version is not compatible with some add-ons. While this wouldn’t be a problem for those that don’t use the add-ons it can be problematic for those that regularly use some of these popular add-ons. Add-ons that are not compatible with Firefox 4 include Delicious Bookmarks, RealPlayer Browser Record and NoScript.

 

This add-on issue is probably a temporary problem as most add-ons will update to so it is compatible with Firefox 4.

 

Address Bar Copying

 

Firefox has offered computer users the chance to copy web addresses by pressing the F6 button. However, Firefox 4 does not have this option. Instead, Firefox users are forced to use the mouse and copy and paste the web address they wish to use.

 

After eight months in the beta stage it is no surprise that there are relatively few complaints and problems with the Firefox 4 web browser and that there are more advantages than disadvantages for the web browser. The majority of the problems are superficial or ones that will be easily fixed in a matter of months.

Filed Under: Explorer, Web browser Tagged With: , ,

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Google Chrome

Google Chrome is the latest and greatest in web browsing. It has not only added another layer of competition to the industry, but it has also pushed established web browsers like Firefox to step it up a little.

Chrome has several features that are an advantage to its users. It is very efficient, and moves very quickly. Since there is not a local program that needs to load up, Chrome will be up within seconds of the click of the mouse. It is designed to be light weight and not take up a lot of memory since all activities will be done online. All the data from users will not be saved on the computer, but on servers so it will not use up memory.

Although Google Chrome is good and growing into one of the most use browsers by web surfers, it does have some shortcomings. While one of the advantages of Google Chrome is that it is all web based, this could also be one of its initial downfalls. Users will need to have access at any time to the internet in order to take advantage of Chrome. It will also require users to have an extremely reliable internet provider with high speed access. Without this they will not be able to run some of the applications or to perform more than one task at a time. This is in contrast to traditional browsers that allow both online and offline functionality at the same time.

At this time it is still unknown whether or not the new Google Chrome will match traditional applications. Those who are technically savvy will undoubtedly be able to take full advantage of it, but it may be a little slow going for those who are just run of the mill internet users. The area where Chrome may shine is on netbooks and on laptops since they are designed to run on web based applications.

Filed Under: Advantages, Google Chrome Tagged With: , ,

Firefox Security Features

Keeping our computers safe, our identities safe and our children safe is a big issue for most internet users. Firefox has several features to help you do this as you browse the internet. Firefox, like other web browsers is always evolving and changing to make your experience better, but here aer some of the security features that are already in place.

  • Anti-Malware. If you click on a website that wants to attack your computer, Firefox will block you and give you a warning about the site. This, along with you being aware and careful about what you click on will help to keep you safe.
  • Web Site ID. If you want to make a purchase from a site that you are not familiar with, and are wondering if it is legitimate, you can have Firefox give it an overview. You can check on websites you think might be suspicious and find out if a website is what is it claiming to be.
  • Forget This Site. This is a feature that will allow you to remove any trace of a website from your computer. If you clicked on something and then wished you hadn’t, have make it seem like it never happened.
  • Parental Controls. Set the parental controls that you want.
  • Detect Plug-ins that are outdated. Plug-ins can be added to your computer when you need to view a video or play a game. If a plug-in has become outdated, it can be the cause of a security risk. Firefox will let you know if you have an outdated plug-in and then tell you where to go to updated it.
  • Set Your Own Security. You can go in an set your security to the level that you want. If you visit sights often that you know are safe, you can have Firefox make exceptions for these sites. You can also increase security as well if you want extra protection.
Filed Under: FireFox, General Tagged With: , , ,

Do People Know They Have A Choice In Browsers?

There is a huge war being fought by companies that develop internet browsers, but is it really worth it? As Google, Microsoft, and Modzilla continue to develop new and better versions of their web browsers, are they gaining new users with each new release?

Many users don’t even know what a browser is, let alone that they have a choice of what they can use, or that it could have an updated version. They turn on their computer everyday and click on the icon that brings them to the internet. Done. That is all they do to get to the internet. Many people have been clicking on that same icon for years without realizing that the technology behind it has changed significantly.

So, the challenge for companies like Google and Microsoft is to educate the public about their browsers and what is going on behind it. Each company has their own way of trying to get their users to update, but stopping support of older versions seems to be the most effective.

Firefox recently had their users complete a survey if they refused the offer to update their browser to find out why people didn’t want a new version. The majority of the people answered that they were just happy with what they had. For others, the response was just that they didn’t have time to update. This is good news though because the previous concern was the cost, and since the browser is free, the public needed to be educated.

Not only does updating your browser make your internet experience better, but it also keeps you safe. As the war continues between the browsers, so does the fight to get users to update to newer versions.

Filed Under: Web browser, WWW Tagged With: , , , ,

Creating your own persona

In this day of custom paint jobs and monogrammed lip rings why shouldn’t a web browser be as distinct as the person viewing it? If this problem has been vexing you ever since you thought up your penguin-themed browser, then worry no longer.

Mozilla’s Firefox web browser has the answer to your flightless bird dreams. Using a simple tool and a few online resources anyone can have their internet experience look exactly the way they want it to.

The first step is to create a file which will display correctly on the browser’s header bar. That’s the strip at the top of the browser window which starts out a simple gray when you first load Firefox.

If you don’t have a program like Adobe Photoshop loaded on your computer, that’s not a big deal. There are a couple of online resources which will allow you to start with a basic picture and create a file which will work for Firefox’s make-it-yourself persona feature. You can find a huge collection of images that can be used to create your persona using a P2P network like ares P2P.

SUMOPaint and Photoshop.com are two free online browser-based photo editing platforms which will let you open and manipulate a photo. Basically you need to either crop the image into a 3000 pixel wide by 200 pixel tall canvas. A simple way to do this is to open the photo, then create a new file the correct size. Copy the photo into the new canvas, and crop it to fit.

When you are saving the file, be sure to use JPG or PNG file extensions, and make sure the file is no bigger than 300k. Once you have the picture file the way you want it, go back to the Tools option and click Add-ons. From there, browse for new themes and when the web page opens look for the Create Your Own option near the top left of the window.

Finally, the penguins you wanted.

Filed Under: FireFox, Web browser Tagged With: , ,

Bad Weather(Bug)

In a perfect world the internet would always be free, fast and void of spam, malware, spyware and the like. Things being the way they are, however, the internet is a potentially dangerous place.

You don’t want your computer wandering, unsuspecting through the untamed internet landscape, after all. It could catch a serious virus, or even worse, relinquish your vital data to some nefarious web bandit.

We take precautions to try and keep our various PCs, laptops, Macs and so on safe from the nasty things lurking in the web. We load it with anti-virus this and scan it for anti-malware that.

We know a few basic tips for staying safe we like to pass along. For instance we know the African prince who needs help getting his millions of dollars is a scam. We’ve even heard of Snopes.com which has proved useful when trying to weed through countless forwards and discerning fact from urban legend.

But did you realize sometimes the problem is your browser? It hardly makes sense that during these times of high competition between web browsers that any of them would fall in with the sorts of companies and individuals who (shudder) spam our in-boxes. And yet, that’s what can happen.

Take WeatherBug, for instance. When this neat little widget first showed up everyone and their mother had it blipping away the local weather in the corner of their desktop. It was, after all, pretty neat to get the current weather and a short forecast at a glance.

But things sort of fell apart when people starting realizing WeatherBug was a spyware distributor. And WeatherBug is a recommended Add-on at Mozilla.com, just going to show you can’t always trust a company to do the right or the smart thing. While it doesn’t make Firefox any less of a great browser, it’s important make sure you know what you are agreeing to when adding an add-on.

Filed Under: FireFox, Web browser Tagged With: , , ,

A Programmers Dilemma: To Offer a Software Download for Free or for a Cost?

WorldWideWeb
Image via Wikipedia

If you are a software programmer, you will face the dilemma whether you should offer a software download at zero cost, or whether you should charge money even though you are not a big name in the world of software yet. Many software programmers choose the former approach and offer a software download at zero cost, hoping that their efforts will encourage individuals and users to offer gratuitous payment.

However, this approach is not going to work if you rely on your programming skills for your daily meal. On the other hand, charging money from customers can work counter-productively in the long run because people would prefer purchasing software from a more reputable organization. You can make use of the following tips and techniques to improve visibility of your software without offering free software download.

For starters, try to make a few free mini-applications such as web browser add-ons for every premium program you put up for sale.

Second, implement search engine optimization strategies and tactics on your website to ensure that the right set of customers are targeted.

Third, focus on after-sales and service. Many programmers are very good when it comes to writing code properly. However, they can be bad at people skills and do not provide good quality after-sales support to customers.

Remember, each and every customer you have is an asset that can give you returns for the rest of your life. If you offer software that is licensed on an annual basis, make sure that the quality of service is high enough to bring them back year after year

Finally, you should keep an eye out for competition. You should always be on the look out to overcome competition with minimum effort and expenses. If you ignore this aspect, chances are high that customers may get pulled to some other service provider instead.

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Filed Under: Advantages, Explorer, FireFox Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

How private is private?

It’s important to immediately consider this simple truth right now; there is no such thing as totally secure on the internet. The reality is that no matter how many precautions you take, if you put something out there on the internet you don’t want anyone to attribute to you, there is the very real chance it can still be tracked back to you.

Just assume that whatever goes out can inevitably come back in. Given the right circumstances and the right person with the right set of skills and most seemingly secure transactions become suspect.

That said, there are some precautions one can take to try and be more secure, more safe. One must use secure FileZilla Server for secure file transfers from one computer to the other. Most people know they can block cookies, install Adblocker and avoid suspicious emails and websites.

Still others will be using a browser with a privacy feature which they will turn on whenever they want to remain anonymous on the web. As it turns out, however, even this feature refuted as a good safeguard has its limits.

Private browsing is essentially a step where cookies are denied access on to your machine. Those little packets of information which track where you have been and what you have been doing on the internet are a major source of malicious code and programming. Private browsing was designed a method to stop those cookies from tracking your activity while it is turned on.

Still, if you aren’t using the Firefox extension Anonymizer Nevercookie they you are not doing enough to stay secure and anonymous on the web. Also, you can keep your system secure by sharing files through secure P2P networks. If you are looking for a secure P2P program that is 100% clean then you can download ares. This feature will also deny access to the Flash storage site in your computer which has also been tracking what you are up to and can be accessible to the right people.

The extension will also create a second, clean and isolated web browser window for your private browsing, which will get you at least a little closer to being secure.

Filed Under: Web browser Tagged With: , ,
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