Parent: [:Software]

Firefox Web Browser

Firefox is a highly-rated Web browser that comes as the default application for Ubuntu.

Already a good browser, and more secure than more popular options, Firefox comes into its own with the customisation options that are available for it. For a start, it's themeable, which means you can choose a look that suits your preferences.

However, it can also be extended by little programs - called 'extensions' - which enable you to mould the browser around what you want to do online. Pretty much any eventually is catered for with an extension - for example, blogging, newsfeed readers, FTP.

It's also easy to try out extensions and then uninstall them if you're not happy with their functionality.

Menu: Applications > Internet > Firefox Web Browser

Key Features

• Tabbed Browsing
• Ample choice in 'extensions' (add-ons) and themes.

Screenshot

attachment:scrn-firefox.jpg

Installation

• Part of the default Ubuntu installation

Hints and Tips

Examples of Extensions

Security

• NoScript - gives you greater control over what scripts are allowed to run in your browser

• CookieSafe - offers similar functionality, only for cookies

Functionality

• Tab Mix Plus - is a helpful extension for working with tabs and has a good session saver (you can also insert the sessions icon on one of the available toolbars)

• All-in-One Sidebar - allows easy access to key features

• Tiny Menu - Shortens the menu (see screenshot). This means that you can increase the space for content by, for example, putting the favicons of your favorite sites (Bookmarks Toolbar Icons) alongside your newly-shortened menu and hiding your Bookmarks Toolbar.

Support

• OpenOffice.org Menu - Links to key areas of OpenOffice.org's site

• Ubuntu Forums Menu - Links to key areas of Ubuntu's Forum pages

Custom Configuration

There are a number of basic adjustments you can make that have been reported to improve Firefox's performance.

Open a new tab in Firefox and enter in the address:

about:config

No http, or anything, just 'about:config'. Then search for each of the following, by typing them in the Filter box, and make the suggested changes:

• network.dns.disableIPv6 - Double-click on this to set it to true

• network.http.max-connections - set to 96

• network.http.pipelining - set to true

• network.http.pipelining.maxrequests - set to 8

• network.http.proxy.pipelining - set to true

Other applications you may wish to look at

• [:Epiphany] - GNOME-based Web Browser

• [http://getswiftfox.com/ Swiftfox] - A version of Firefox that's said to be better optimised for individual machines.

• [http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/ Seamonkey] - Mozilla's Internet Suite.

• [http://www.opera.com/ Opera] -Opera web browser, a proprietary but free web browser which is standards-compliant and has many features.

Important Security Note

Ubuntu has a strict policy of not having new versions of software in a stable version of Ubuntu. However, Firefox is an exception to that rule, due to issues with backporting fixes. All supported versions of Ubuntu can receive newer versions of Firefox in updates as soon as they are available.

See: [:UbuntuBackports:Ubuntu Backports]

Further Reading

• [http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ Firefox]

• [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/themes/ Firefox Themes]

• [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/extensions/ Firefox Extensions]

• [http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/faq#extensions Mozilla's Extensions Guide]

• [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=500994&postdays=0&postorder=asc&postsperpage=15&start=0&sid=347406a37861718aa89b293a3acabb9e How to avoid potential privacy concerns over some toolbar extensions (mozillaZine Forums)]

CategoryDocumentation