If you?re a frequent user of Firefox, you?ve probably become well aware of how much memory the program begins consuming after extended use, a problem that persists with even the latest version. While this browser is deservedly praised for it?s the functionality and customizability (made possible by the numerous extensions that improve the Firefox experience), its drain on memory ? an issue is known to also occur on systems with plenty of memory ? can become a nuisance that sees the performance of the browser begin to falter.
Called Memory Fox, this extension optimizes Firefox? use of your memory, allocating your ram so as to ensure optimal performance when browsing the web. The extension adheres to preset limits set by the user, its functionality coming into focus once the browser?s expense of ram reaches the designated threshold. After the barrier?s been met, the memory is cleared, allowing the browser to function unimpeded.
Use of this extension requires both a Windows OS and Firefox 3. After you?ve downloaded the extension, restart Firefox and activate Memory Fox from the Tools button in the toolbar. Once installed, the setup is available for your optimization needs.
While this may make only a negligible difference for those computers with an insane amount of ram, it?s sure to impart a visible impact to systems that often find their use of Firefox burdensome where RAM?s concerned.
If you?re familiar with how the internet works, you know that each website you visit probably has a number of cookies downloaded to your browser. While usually harmless (they?re not spyware or viruses), they can be used for tracking your activity on any given website, becoming something of a nuisance for those of us who value our privacy when traversing the web.
Every internet browser, from Internet explorer to Firefox, offers users the ability to delete cookies that have been collected from the various sites they visit. But the process usually involves several steps, requiring you to select a number of menus before you?re able to even see the cookie you desire the deletion of.
If you use Firefox, there?s a simple way to remove cookies, rendering the process an effortless task that makes cookies accessible with just a dropdown. It?s called the CookieKiller extension, and it?s as easy to use as every other Firefox extension we?ve discussed on the Computer Geeks blog. Upon installation, you?re given two means of using the extension.
The first option sees you using the Status bar. When accessing it via a right-click, you?re presented with a menu that lets you Enable Cookie Block, which will block cookies from being collected.
But when you left-click on the icon, you?re given a menu that delineates the cookies associated with your browser. Selecting one of these cookies will see it removed.
Another option of yours is the ?context menu,? which can be accessed by right-clicking anywhere on the page.
As seen, once you select the cookie you?d like to delete, it?s gone from the list of available cookies.
However, once you revisit a site, there?s always the chance of the same cookie attaching itself to your browser. To prevent that, you can access the ?Preferences? menu, where you?re able to permanently block deleted cookies.
Cookies can be helpful, especially if you?re a frequent visitor of a website that?d like to remain logged in upon each visit. But they can also prove to be an annoyance for those of you who?d rather not have a website tracking your activity. If you?re looking for a way to quickly remove your cookies, the CookieKiller extension is a convenient means of doing so with Firefox.
If you’ve ever wanted to capture a session of your web browsing, whether it?s for an instructional package you?re compiling or just something to toy around with in your spare time, there?s a neat Firefox extension that lets you do just that without having to install any additional capturing software.
As you might know, Firefox extensions add to your browsing experiencing, sprucing it up with greater functionality and convenience that has contributed to the growing popularity of Mozilla?s browser. This latest extension allows users to record their screen while they browse.
Called CaptureFox, this extension does just that, capturing everything you do while it?s in a state of recording.
After its installation, you?ll notice a new icon sitting on the right-hand side of your status bar (it can also be accessed by hitting CTRL-SHIFT-U or selecting it from the tools menu), the use of which will bring up this extension’s menu.
There are?a fair number of options available, offering users a chance to determine just how high they?d like the quality of recording to be.
You can decide if you?d like to restrict it to just what?s available in your Firefox window, or you can record your entire screen. Along with frame rate, video quality is also adjustable, both of which being options that may affect performance on older machines.
This is a very helpful tool for those who?re making instructional videos, but it?s also a reliable ? and, for some, fun — means of keeping an actual history of the time spent on your computer.
Here?s a video that demonstrates just how CaptureFox ?works:
If you’re interested in this extension, you can read about and download CaptureFox here.
Despite being a holiday, the folks at Mozilla ?Firefox are making sure that their latest version of Firefox meets the standard previous versions have set. In doing so, they have released the fourth beta of Firefox 3.6. Which gives you over 100 fixes from the previous beta and more security measures.
With its great?security and customization features, Firefox has charged ahead of the browser pack. Proving the unfailing principle that competition is good for innovation. Which, is good for the end user. Firefox is one of the most secured browsers out there and is the preferred browser for most technicians. Here at Computer Geeks we prefer to use Mozilla Firefox over other browsers. It is much more secure and easy to use, for even the most novice of user. To learn more about which browser is right for you, visit our website??or give us a call 7 days a week at 800-433-5435
For those of you who?ve recently upgraded to the latest version of Firefox (ver. 3.6), the popular and amazingly customizable web browser from the ingenious crowd at Mozilla, you might be aware that your extensions ? those apps which expand upon your browsing experience ? aren?t working.
This is a problem about which frustrated users of Firefox have become especially vocal, but there seems to be a fix.
In the past, when a new version of the browser was released, there was a simple solution to ensuring that the extensions were working properly. One needed to only edit the config file, adding a simple ?extensions.checkCombatibility? entry to the list of values. With the new version, this string no longer works. However, with a simple amendment to the original value, you’ll have extensions working on your new browser in no time.
If you haven?t made the necessary changes, when installing an extension on the new version of Firefox, you?re met with an error message that reads:
Readeroo.0.2.20080520 could not be installed because it is not compatible with Firefox 3.6b3
Correcting this is simple, though the process may initially seem daunting to your average user. Here?s what you need to do:
In your address bar, where you?d normally enter a url (www.webpage.com), type: about:config.
Ignore the warning and proceed.
You?ll see an exhaustive list of all the configuration values associated with your browser. Ignore those and right-click on the list, choosing ?New? -? ?Boolean? from the drop down.
You?ll then be asked to enter a ?preference name,? where it becomes critical to know which version of Firefox 3.6 you?re using, as both Alpha and Beta releases are available to the public. ?For instance, if you know you have? the Beta release, you will enter the following in the ?preference name? field:
Extensions.checkCompatibility.3.6b
Note the ?b? at the end and understand that it signifies the Beta release, while an Alpha release would require that you end the string with an ?a.?
After that?s complete, you?ll want to choose ?false? and proceed. Assuming everything was entered correctly, the value will now be included in that long list of configuration settings. If you?re curious, run a search for it in the ?Filter? field.
Once that’s done, your extensions will install as they once did, returning you to the wonderful world of customization that Firefox extensions welcomes you to.
If you have any other questions, even if unrelated to Firefox, never hesitate to give us a call.
