Surfin' with the bird...Firebird!

[sith_killer_99]

I just downloaded Mozilla's Firebird web browser and I love it!

Tab surfing let's you pull up pages without opening new windows and you can open them behind the current page, while you wait for the page to load, so you're not stuck staring at a blank page while it loads.

I hope that made sense.

Anyway, it's a great little browser, small yet feature packed. It also comes with the google bar built it along with a host of other features. It also imports your IE bookmarks for easy transition, though, you will have to set your homepage and re-log in to all your favorite sites, like SSG. ;)

So, if your into trying new software and/or browsers give it a shot.

[JediTricks]

I'm pretty happy with my Mozilla 1.5 (not the same as Firebird), its browser is awesome and the only reason I don't use it for my ONLY browser is that with my Win95, it doesn't do the wheel button and doesn't conform to all my sound effects that the other programs do. I haven't gotten used to tabbed browsing yet, so I rarely use it - I'm used to opening new windows everywhere, like here on the forums, so I bet that's probably way more handy for that too.

The reason I went with the Mozilla 1.5 instead of Firebird is I wanted the integrated Composer program as well, I'm used to Netscape Communicator 4 (Netscapes are built off of Mozilla) and Mozilla 1.5 is a wonderful advancement of the systems there (plus, why have both Mozilla 1.5 and Mozilla Firebird? ;)). Heck, if it did the wheel thing for me, I'd forgive the lack of sounds and use it over this crummy IE 5.5 I've got.

[darthvyn]

i rock the 'bird as well... i love it! the google search bar in the upper right hand corner is all up ons! and i like the fact that it's not microsoft, and developed by the public... too cool!

[sith_killer_99]

Have you had any problems with Java?

I was running the bird on a site that checks internet connection speed and they require java, so I loaded it and still nothing. :cry: I ended up going back with IE and it ran fine.

I still use Firebird for about half of my sufing. In fact, I've been using it all day. I love it for managing multiple windows!

[Exhaust Port]

I've been toying with switching to Firebird from Mozilla. I've used it a few times on other computers and like the new additions as well as the cleaner look (which is not easy to accomplish compared to Mozilla). I'm a fan of multiple windows and like how Firebird manages tabs compared to Mozilla. With that said, I still haven't convinced myself to switch over. Perhaps in the near future....

[JediTricks]

SK99, is it possible you don't have Java on, or your security settings prevent that from running?

[Exhaust Port]

I see that Firebird is now called Firefox. I've tried a couple times without success to download the browser. Anyone have any luck recently?

[darthvyn]

i'm getting it right now... it's taking a while, but i guess it's really popular! i'll let you know how it is when i get a chance to check it out...

[darthvyn]

it's pretty cool... none too different yet... but we'll see. for one thing, it doesn't give me the horiz. scroll here, i can see the ads on the right side...

[Exhaust Port]

I guess they were just swamped with requests. It's 1:30 AM and I'm finally getting it to download. I'll leave the install for tomorrow. :)

[Exhaust Port]

I've installed Firefox and figured out how to transfer over my bookmarks from Mozilla. Sadly, you can't transfer your saved logins so I'm now in the process of revisiting all those websites to enter the passwords. On a few I've had to reset the passwords since it had been so long since I actually typed them in.

I figure I'll give it a good week or so of solid surfing to see how I like the browser before I make my final decision.

[sith_killer_99]

Firefox, hmmm, I guess I'll have to see if there is some kinda update for my firebird.

[Exhaust Port]

Probably not. They had to rename Firebird because of copyright issues so it's now known as FireFox. The latest version is .8 so unless that is different than your browser version I would't bother.

Everytime I see Firefox I think of the movie. :)

[sith_killer_99]

Angelia Jolie rules!

[Exhaust Port]

Angelia Jolie wasn't in Firefox was she? At least not the movie I'm thinking of:

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0083943/fullcredits

John Ratzenberger, Cliff on Cheers, was in it though. :)

[darthvyn]

Probably not. They had to rename Firebird because of copyright issues so it's now known as FireFox. The latest version is .8 so unless that is different than your browser version I would't bother.

Everytime I see Firefox I think of the movie. :)

the last version was 0.7 - it's a new build... first big change was an installer pack, as opposed to a .zip file. it also uses the mozilla "profile" thing... which makes firefox a different browser than even firebird - if i have one open and try to use either of the other ones, it says the profile is in use... kinda annoying, but not a big deal. we'll see if there are any more major changes...

okay... annoying #1... i get a dialogue that asks me if i want to continue with sending info over an unencrypted line every time i want to post here, or enter my login/password... pretty annoying. there is a checkbox that says "ask me every time before sending..." that i left blank thinking that i should check it if i want it to ask me... well it hasn't gone away yet...

[JediTricks]

Angelina Jolie was in "Foxfire", Clint Eastwood was in "Firefox".

[sith_killer_99]

:D Ooops, my mistake. Foxfire, that was it...thx JT.

[darthvyn]

firefox 1.0 preview release (codename greenlane) is available!!! check it out at

http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/

[Exhaust Port]

Thanks for the notice. I've downloaded and now surfing with 1.0. Nice. :)

[JediTricks]

With such exciting names like these, it's a total mystery why more people aren't using this browser. ;)

(Seriously though, I'm happy with my Mozilla 1.5 browser, just wish it had a real name)

[darthvyn]

dude, seriously, this browser is so much better than mozilla standard...

first new feature i found: instead of a dialog box when using the ctrl+f "find" function, now there's a toolbar that appears at the bottom, that highlights the word you are searching for as you type it.

yeah, the codenames and such are getting out of hand, but the browser is the best i've ever used. and i'm pretty sure they intend to call firefox just mozilla after the official 1.0 release...

[JediTricks]

Well, what else is good about this browser? Sell it man, SELL IT! :D

[darthvyn]

tabbed browsing (ctrl+t, double click tab bar, or click the tab button on navigation bar to open a new tab,) extremely large viewing area due to small navigation buttons, faster loading time: no "welcome" box like opera, mozilla, netscape (just loads a window like IE,) completely W3C standards comliant, built-in smart pop-up blocker: lets you view pop-ups you want, while filtering out those you don't, very small installer download, endless configurablility through "extensions" (like plug-ins, but coded by the mozilla team...


With such exciting names like these, it's a total mystery why more people aren't using this browser. ;)

(Seriously though, I'm happy with my Mozilla 1.5 browser, just wish it had a real name)

the funniest browser extension, by the way, is "firesomething" which changes the name of the browser in the titlebar to any of numerous random names... right now i'm using "Mozilla ThunderZebra"!

EDIT: now i'm using "Mozilla SeaSalamander"

[darthvyn]

http://www.spreadfirefox.com/

goal: 1,000,000 dl's in 10 days.

with 7 days left, they already have 789,000

[darthvyn]

another feature: the address bar turns yellow whenever you are using a secure page. found out when going to check my bank account balances.

[Exhaust Port]

I really like the new Find feature. Even before you're finished typing it'll tell you if that word is even in the page. Nice.

[darthvyn]

right now i'm using "Mozilla Hypnozebra"

funny stuff!

[Exhaust Port]

I downloaded the extension too. Surfin' with Moontoad!!

I also downloaded one that puts the day/date/time on the lower toolbar. Nice touch.

[JediTricks]

tabbed browsing (ctrl+t, double click tab bar, or click the tab button on navigation bar to open a new tab,) Moz 1.5 has that.

extremely large viewing area due to small navigation buttons Moz 1.5's nav buttons can be turned into just pics or just text. Personally, I like big buttons, I end up hitting the wrong stuff otherwise because I'm a gorilla-fisted moron. ;)

faster loading time: no "welcome" box like opera, mozilla, netscape (just loads a window like IE,)I think that's a function of start-up pre-loading, which Moz 1.5 has, but it does have that welcome image (then again, so does my IE).

completely W3C standards comliantOooh, sounds nifty. Now if only I knew what you were talking about. ;)

built-in smart pop-up blocker: lets you view pop-ups you want, while filtering out those you don't moz 1.5 has that.

very small installer download How big is small?

endless configurablility through "extensions" (like plug-ins, but coded by the mozilla team... Not sure what this one means, but am curious.

the funniest browser extension, by the way, is "firesomething" which changes the name of the browser in the titlebar to any of numerous random names... right now i'm using "Mozilla ThunderZebra"! EDIT: now i'm using "Mozilla SeaSalamander"That sounds pretty amusing! :D

another feature: the address bar turns yellow whenever you are using a secure page. That's darn slick.


Well, it sounds good, but I'm not ready to give up my Mozilla 1.5 just yet, it does have the awesome composer program built in.

[Exhaust Port]

Along the same lines of Firefox I've started using Thunderbird as my email application. One word, AWESOME. Up until now I've been using the old Mozilla email application which wasn't anything real special.

The first thing I noticed is that the old Mozilla application wasn't able to function with imbedded email links in webpages but Thunderbird is. The biggest advantage is the Junk Mail function of Thunderbird. Now rather than be overwhelmed with junk email the built in filters sort about 95% of those emails and moves them to the junk folder where you can check to make sure they are all "real junk" before they get deleted if you are so inclinded. Those messages that aren't picked up by the Junk filters can be manually marked as Junk so Thunderbird can learn to watch for similar emails in the future.

The one thing that Thunderbird doesn't come with is a feature to have it reside in your system tray as an active application like the Mozilla version did. Luckily there is a mod you can download and install that allows you to keep TB in the system tray. Now I can have it check for email every few minutes and give me a aurial warning that new messages are in the inbox. Another nice feature that any email filtered as junk doesn't trip the "new message" alert.

I recommend making the move to Thunderbird.

[darthvyn]

well, firefox has an official 1.0 release. i'm so excited, it's like watching a child grow up, and now he's going to college, or something.

wow. i'm a dork.

[Exhaust Port]

Thunderbird 1.0 is out now. This product keeps getting better and better. :)

[Exhaust Port]

Unlock the hidden power of Firefox!

http://windowssecrets.com/041202/#top1

[Hellboy]

As I already stated in another thread I am now a proud Firefox user as well. I haven't tried Thunderbird yet but think I might make the move soon.

[Slicker]

Right now I'm using Mozilla Firefox as my browser and after reading all of these posts I'm wondering what the difference between Firefox and Thunderbird is?

[Exhaust Port]

Thunderbird is the email application, Firebird is the internet browser.

[Exhaust Port]

I've been getting a few popups on a few website even though I've been using Firefox. Argh! I did some searching in the Firefox forums and found this fix for those that are also finding popups.


There's been quite a lot of buzz around the blogs the last couple of weeks with people seeing the return of the pop-ups and pop-unders. It looks to me like the overwhelming majority of these are from plug-ins, mostly flash.

A number of pundits and bloggers have been wondering aloud whether or not we'll be able to keep up with the pop-up spammers now that more of them are focused on us. Well, we shipped 1.0 with the capability to block these pop-ups and pop-unders but we didn't enable it because we were concerned about breaking legitimate uses. If you'd like to turn it on, it's a fairly simple change -- and would be absolutely trivial for us to enable once we determine whether or not lots of websites are depending on the feature.

To block pop-ups from plugins, open your Firefox 1.0 or 1.0.1 browser, type about:config in the address field. Right-click in the resulting config page somewhere and select New -> Interger. Type privacy.popups.disable_from_plugins in the resulting dialog, hit OK, type 2 in the next dialog and you're all set.

This pref can actually take three values:

* 0: open allowed
* 1: the opened windows are treated as popups, but they're allowed to open (we limit the number of these types of popups)
* 2: the window is a popup, block it

[Hellboy]

Luckily I haven't been experiencing this problem but thanks for the heads up EP, if I do happen to encounter it I'll at least know how to fix it now. :)

[JediTricks]

I downloaded Firefox here and it's good, but I prefer the Mozilla browser, it had a few more controls, a great integrated webpage editor, and I liked how the systems overall worked - minor stuff like the location of the bookmarks pulldown and the fold-up toolbars. I'll probably end up sticking with Firefox, but I still have my Moz for occasional use.

[darthvyn]

cool, JT, i'm glad you are checking it out...

i myself have (of course) IE, NN, Moz, MozFF, Opera and AvantBrowser all on my machine. as a web developer i've gotta make sure everything works in all browsers the same way.

so, they just release the 0.2 version of their calendar app: SUNBIRD

check it out here

http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/sunbird.html

it's pretty cool. i'm already using it. it's a lot like iCal, but for all platforms.

[Exhaust Port]

There is a new version of Firefox out that fixes the recently reported security bugs. If you surf with the bird then head over and pick it up.

[Hellboy]

Just updated yesterday myself. :D

[JediTricks]

I did the update today, tried to do it yesterday when I heard about it but it wouldn't do anything upon OKing the update, turns out you not only have to OK it, you have to also tick the box for "allow web sites to install software" (it makes no mention of this in the help file, and I had to sorta guess that was the problem after going through the Mozilla.org forums. Once I figured out the issue, it went very smoothly. Apparently, if you use any added the extensions though, you'll run into a few issues.

[darthvyn]

updated as soon as the little red arrow pointing up showed up under the minimize box... one thing, if you do that, you need to close FF in order to continue...

and JT, i've never run into that problem with "allow web sites to install software." strange. is that something you checked previously, or does it seem to be a default option? most extensions will work with new versions, only if something is drastically changed in the program tree will it be null and void. and usually if that's the case, the extension authors will update their file soon enough. they're good like that.

[JediTricks]

I always turn that option off as I feel it could be a security exploit.

The extensions issue isn't that they won't work with Firefox, it's that when you do the update it can create a profile issue that jams things up and shut the program down and such, there were a LOT of complaints about that on their Firefox forum today. Also, one of the security holes closed with 1.0.4 was that users can no longer make their own extensions apparently.

[darthvyn]

i don't have that many extensions installed... what i do have has either worked, been disabled if not supported by the current version, or updated quickly after a new release.

interesting about that change to the extension allowance...

[JediTricks]

I'll be honest, I didn't know what extensions were till I was in there looking for my problem. :D I'm still not entirely clear on what they are. :p

So, how many extensions did you have, and how many did you end up having to lose?

[darthvyn]

i had "adblock" but got rid of it, because i didn't feel i needed it... i have a bandwidth tester that shows you the speed of your connection, which i've used once and don't really care about, i had "firesomething" which changed the name of "mozilla firefox" in the title bar to one of various combinations of animals and elements and such. i think there was a series of posts earlier in this thread about the names it was coming up with. by far the most entertaining extension, but alas, it's not compatible with newer releases, and i have an extension that lets you choose between alternate style sheets and makes the style persist from document to document. really just to test out the alternate stylesheets i have on my site. but i also have a javascript that does the same thing with a link on every page of my site, so it's not too necessary.

basically, i like the bare-bones version, and don't care much for the extensions except for a little bit of entertaimnent.

[darthvyn]

they (finally!) updated firesomething extension to work with ver. 1.x, so now i'm using mozilla fireraccoon!

btw... they have a ver. 1.0.5 available for download now. haven't gotten it yet, don't have too much time right now... but it's there.

[Exhaust Port]

I didn't even notice that. I did my update a few days ago but never noticed what extensions were back. I'm now using Mozilla Lightninghorse.

[darthvyn]

hmmm... mozilla firephoenix. isn't that a bit redundant?

[Exhaust Port]

I'll see your Firephoenix and raise you a Moonrat. :)

[darthvyn]

checkin' in with mozilla watercrab! once again, a little redundant.

moonrat is cool, though. kinda like the jabberwocki poem... the momerats or something.

[Exhaust Port]

Alright, today I'm greeted with Powertarantula! Man I really feel like I'm kicking some @#$ today!! :D

[darthvyn]

powertarantula. that's awesome.

have you updated to 1.0.5 yet? i haven't gotten the chance to. don't know what's different about it. the "update" red icon didn't pop up at all, though. weird.

[Exhaust Port]

Nope. I'm still at 1.0.4. I'd assume that it's only another security update as that is what the last few were.

[darthvyn]

i upgraded. everything installed still works. that's cool. nothing too surprising from the upgrade, though...

[mabudonicus]

No, I think it is mostly a fix to allow some of the extensions that were ruined by previous upgrades to function again, and it was also supposed to address issues of locking up that some users (like ME) were experiencing due to previously installed plug-ins-
And hopefully I can finally get FLASH to work again, the combination of my PC and Firefox has made a lot of multimedia webpages give me nothing but headaches...
when the "extensions are reqired for some of the media on this page" message appears and I click on the message to "find and install extensions" it does nothing.. I've checked the forums and everything, done it all in the correct order and still can't get certain stuff to function at all

Also it seems like Firefox has lost the ability to deflect ALL popups, I stil get some especially from certain news sites like NYT if my memory serves..
Anyone else find this at all????

[Hellboy]

I haven't done the upgrade yet but I'll probably get around to doing it soon.

For the record I haven't had any problems with popups mabs. I guess I've been lucky.

[JediTricks]

Websites have developed several new kinds of popups that circumvent the popup blocker, so you'll see more of those as they catch on and then blocker software will catch up to that.

[Slicker]

The only site that I've consistently noticed pop-ups getting through on is ebaumsworld.com. Every time I go to the site I get at least one or two ads.

[mabudonicus]

Ahhh nuts, I was afraid that it was a matter of crafty technology... build a better mousetrap and they just cross em with cockroaches and spring 'em loose in cyberspace, I guess :D

[JediTricks]

sw.com actually has a few pop-ups that work around the blockers, really sleazy, most of the time they come up when you click a link on their site.

[darthvyn]

just thought i'd check in and tell you i'm surfing with the "mozilla hypnolobster!"

obey the lobster!!!

mabudon - i've never succesfully used the "these plugins are missing" thing - when i get that i generally go to the site to get them instead... i don't know why it doesn't work...

[mabudonicus]

Thanks vyn, so it's NOT just me
I stil can't get quicktime to work in the browser- I normally use the real alternative with the QT stuff added to it and it works just fine, but just to make sure I DLed the entire clunky Apple version of it and it still doesn't play any embedded media correctly, usually has a poor framerate and the audio doesn't work :beard:
Ah well

[darthvyn]

THAT'S strange... never had a prob with quicktime stuff. i don't install real player unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. i hate them like nothing else on the face of the earth!

[LusiferSam]

I've finally fixed a long standing problem I've had with Firefox. I personally hate it when you click on a link and the browser opens a new window rather loads the link in the same window. 9 times of of 10 just want the link to load in my working window.

Netscape 7.0 (and some older version of Mozilla) had a preference setting under Scripts & Plug-ins to disable this feature. But later versions removed this setting. I've also suspected that there was a simple fix out there. And it turns out that I was right. The solution to my little problem was buried in about:config. It's a bit like playing with the root level files in your OS, so you better know what your doing before trying anything.

Now with that fix and Netscape 8 being Windows only I might just move to Firefox and Thunderbird full time.

[JediTricks]

Hmm, I've never had that before, except when a link is specifically designed to do that (it's a simple piece of HTML code, we use it often when we have links in the SSG news), but cool that you were able to figure out what to do to get it workin'.


After 7 years of being a non-meddling ISP, Earthlink last Friday morning decided it was time to ruin everybody's day and changed the way users can send email. Up until now, I could use pretty much any email program from the past 9 years to access my email, and had been using Eudora 4 (the last decent version of Eudora before they got bloated and crashy) with its quick and smart self-contained suite environment, but now Earthlink requires email sending to have a password to work and they only take Eudora 5.2 and above (and that's at the bottom of their list of very few email programs that actually work with their system), so now I'm forced to use Thunderbird. On the working end, it does do its stuff fairly well (except for dumping oversized messages on the server, but that's an oddity I set up myself), but I really hate its working environment, and so many little annoyances within that every day feels like a misery with this sort of email. Still, it works and Eudora don't so F-me I guess.

[darthvyn]

I've finally fixed a long standing problem I've had with Firefox. I personally hate it when you click on a link and the browser opens a new window rather loads the link in the same window. 9 times of of 10 just want the link to load in my working window.

Netscape 7.0 (and some older version of Mozilla) had a preference setting under Scripts & Plug-ins to disable this feature. But later versions removed this setting. I've also suspected that there was a simple fix out there. And it turns out that I was right. The solution to my little problem was buried in about:config. It's a bit like playing with the root level files in your OS, so you better know what your doing before trying anything.

that's interesting... i always open new sites in a new tab by clicking the scoll wheel.

it's actually invalid x/html to make a link open in a new window - target="blank" isn't allowed in xhtml 1.1 strict. i found that out the hard way when i transitioned my whole site over... all external links were new window links, but i found a javascript that does it instead, and validates.

[LusiferSam]

Mozilla just released Firefox 2.0. I'm giving her a test spin right now. We'll see how it works out.

[sith_killer_99]

LMK, I only surf with Mozilla these days.

My wife also just installed it on my parents machine so she can surf, she loves it as much as I do!!!:D

[pbarnard]

I'll just wait till the upgrade reminder comes through the browser.

[Kidhuman]

It works better than the other versions, but still has the flash issue. Also you cant use ALT + S for shortcuts now. GRRRRRR have to hit the button now.

[sith_killer_99]

Yeah, the Flash issue is definatly my biggest complaint. I don't really do short cut keys (Ctrl + X) while I am surfin'. I'm a point a click kinda guy. But I hear what you are saying, I hate it whenever an upgrade takes away any feature(s).

[Kidhuman]

I usually hit alt + s for the wuick post here and other forums, but now I cant because it opens the histroy tab at the top

[darthvyn]

the browser wars 2.0 are in high gear, with FF2.0 released only a couple of days after IE7...

IE still sucks, btw.

[Kidhuman]

I just noticed it has a spell checker built into it.

[Slicker]

I just noticed it has a spell checker built into it.
And I just noticed that that was your first correctly spelled post on SSG!

Congrats!:thumbsup:;)

[LusiferSam]

I just noticed it has a spell checker built into it.

That's the main I was quick to upgrade. But the spell check only tell you when you've spelled a word, which to me is 100% less. A real spell checker should do more than tell you a word is spelled wrong. Oh well back to Thunderbird for spell checking.

[Dar' Argol]

I just noticed it has a spell checker built into it.

Well, we should start to see better speeled posts from me . . . when i download it . .

[darthvyn]

That's the main I was quick to upgrade. But the spell check only tell you when you've spelled a word, which to me is 100% less. A real spell checker should do more than tell you a word is spelled wrong. Oh well back to Thunderbird for spell checking.

it does... right-click on the word that has a red under-line on it: it gives you suggestions.

another cool feature is the auto-complete suggestions in the google search bar...

[Kidhuman]

Wow, thanks for that tip Vyn