To attribute the success of Mozilla Firefox to a particular feature or set of features is a big mistake. To understand why Mozilla Firefox is as popular as it is today, one has to go back a few years when there was no Safari, no Chrome and no Mozilla Firefox. Internet Explorer comprehensively occupied the market and had a market share in excess of ninety percent. That is to say, of any ten computers on the World Wide Web, nine used Internet Explorer to surf the web. All major sites were expected to comply with the standards set by Internet Explorer irrespective of whether they could be improved upon or not.

Further, Internet Explorer was clunky, difficult to load and prone to crashes. However, none of this made a difference and the web browser remained the same despite repeated request and pleas for improvements.

The Firefox web browser came along and aggressively marketed itself as a web browser that was completely opposite to the Internet Explorer. It was:

Lightweight: The Firefox web browser was the most compact web browser in the market when it was first introduced. It was the first web browser that could be downloaded over the internet without any difficulty. Even those who had a dialup internet connection could download the installation file and install the Firefox web browser in a span of an hour. This was a revolutionary improvement in the world of web browsing.

Word of Mouth Marketing: The developers of Mozilla Firefox never made big promises. They simply allowed users to test Firefox and spread the word if they found it to be better than other web browsers. The word quickly spread that the web browser that would overtake IE had arrived. The developers smartly utilized the David vs Goliath analogy and marketed itself as a useful and functional web browser that was taking on a monopolistic and inefficient web browser. Of course, this marketing tactic would never have succeeded had the web browser failed to back its promises with action. However, the Firefox web browser promised and successfully offered practical improvements in the web experience of the surfers of the web.

Surfeit of new features: Mozilla Firefox has always been undergoing improvements. That is the reason why there are more than ten sub releases for every new major release. From the time it was first released, updates have been frequently made available for all the surfers of the web. Some updates focused on security while others focused on improving functionality. Even those who wanted to use a good looking web browser to surf the web were offered a better looking Firefox with the help of updates and extensions. The idea of utilizing tags to organize bookmarks was borrowed from social networking web sites. Those who loved visiting social networking websites were stunned with this fantastic improvement. Some of the most popular improvements made by Mozilla Firefox have always seemed very obvious in the hindsight. Tabbed browsing, tags for bookmarks, session restore feature, extensions- these features should have been made available from the very start. That has always been the specialty of the Firefox web browser.

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The Firefox browser used social networking and social communication on the World Wide Web to spread word about the launch of version 1.0. The launch was a huge success as the popularity of the Firefox web browser grew by word of mouth marketing. People posted links on social forums informing other that such a web browsing software application had been released. If you remember, that was a time when Internet Explorer was hardly as a responsive to the needs of the surfers of the web as it is today. Needless to say, the surfers of the web took to Firefox as a fish takes to water.

Today, social networking websites have become a part of our web experience in the same way as the Firefox web browser has become our favorite web browser. However, the symbiotic relationship has not come to an end. Those who love social networking web sites find the Firefox web browser perfect for their requirements.

One special feature of social networking web sites is that there is no limit to the total number of web sites that you can join. However, accessing multiple web sites at once and posting information on multiple social networking sites is not easy. In case of social networking sites, uploading links can be very complicated if one has to log in again and again. This is where Firefox extensions enter the picture. There are numerous social networking website extensions that enable the surfers to access their favorite social networks with just a click of the mouse. The user name and the password can be saved in the extension and need not be entered again and again. Further, you can add links, organize your account and communicate information to other friends on the social network through a single Firefox extension.

As a payback, almost all reputed social networking websites like Digg, Delicious, Twitter, StumbleUpon and Facebook contain communities dedicated to the Firefox web browser. Now that the Firefox web browser has become very popular, one may feel that it has no further use of the community. However, one should not forget that the Firefox web browser is an open source software application. It relies on the contribution of the masses to remain alive. The day the surfers of the web stop contributing to the web browser will be the day the Firefox web browser will go into a decline.

To ensure that the talent of the surfers all over the world is utilized for the development of the Firefox web browser, social networking web sites are used as the meeting place. The community of the Firefox web browser on face book has more than one hundred and fifteen thousand members. The popularity of the web browser on such social networking web sites is the primary reason where Firefox 3.0 was a roaring success. Even today, the progress of the Firefox web browser is closely intertwined with the popularity of social networking websites.

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By default, your Firefox web browsing software application is instructed to display all the data that has been transferred from the website every 0.12 seconds. This interval is known as the content notify interval. As the phrase suggests, it is the interval after which the Firefox web browsing software application will inform the surfer that it has received new content. If you are in the habit of opening Web pages that are large and complex in nature, then frequent notification of content can add to the delay of loading of the page. If you want to speed up the loading of the page, the smart thing to do is to enhance the content notification interval. The best part with making such changes in the Firefox web browsing software application is that you can undo the changes without any difficulty. In the event you find yourself stuck in a hole, you can always opt for the safe mode to bring back your Firefox web browser to the normal state.

If you feel that that a shorter content notification will help you improve your web browsing experience, read ahead to find out how exactly you can change the about:config page. Type about:config in the address bar of the web browser and press ‘Enter’ so that the web browser opens this page. Click the right button of the mouse and select a new integer. Name the integer as the content.notify.interval and enter five hundred thousand before clicking OK. Repeat the right click method to create a new Boolean. Rename it as content.notify.ontimer and set it as True.

Once this is done, your web browser will follow your instructions and have a longer interval for refresh of content. If there is an increase in the speed of your web browsing experience, retain the change. However, if you feel the change has hit the web browsing experience by delaying the loading of the page, you can always revert back to the original position. All you need to do is delete the entries that you have created.

Just as you have the content notify interval rule, you have the content switch threshold rule as well. How does this rule work? Well, if your browser feels that you are not working on the browser, it will divert its efforts towards loading pages quickly. The web browser does this by becoming less responsive to your instructions. Once the web browser reaches this state, it will work faster but respond slower to your instructions

Go ahead and bring down the content switch threshold limit and find out whether you are comfortable with the change or not. If you are comfortable, then continue with the change and watch your web browser load web pages a lot faster but be a bit slow to responds to your commands. Of course, this does not mean your web browser will be extremely slow. However, you must be prepared for a more patient approach. This change can be implemented by- Enter about:config

Creating new integer by using right click button of the mouse. Set the content.switch.threshold to 250000 i.e. (a quarter of a second). Click OK

If you are not comfortable with the idea of making changes in your auto:config section of the web browser, you can download Firefox extensions that do the job for you. If you want to find out whether these changes really work or not, you can make use of the various Firefox related forums on the web today to voice your doubts and seek confirmation.

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Tags: Firefox Help

Now, if you feel that your Firefox web browser is slow and if you wish to speed up your Firefox web browser, there are many tips available on the World Wide Web. Some of them are listed here. To implement any and every Firefox tweak, you will have to access the about: config page of the web browser. What is this about config all about? It is nothing but a shortcut that will take you to the source code of the Firefox web browser. You can use this link to make the changes to the source code. All you have to do is type the following words into your Firefox address bar – about: config.

You will quickly land inside the web browser and can now make changes to enhance the performance of your web browser. However, a word of caution is essential here. Tampering with this part of the Firefox web browser may lead to your web browser becoming unresponsive. Unless you know what you are doing, make it a point to seek some advice from the Firefox community before actually tampering with the about: config page.

Once you land inside the about: config page, it is time to make the necessary changes to increase the speed of your web browsing software application.

Any and every web browsing software application sends a single request to the website and waits for a website to respond before proceeding to load the page. However, you can alter the behavior of the Firefox web browser by instructing it to send multiple requests to the website. Needless to say, sending multiple requests from the same web browsing software application will increase your chances of receiving replies faster than others. The process is named as pipelining. You have the option of using pipelining to enhance the speed at which your web browser loads its pages.

If you want to opt for this tweak to speed up your web browser, just follow these steps Type about: config in the address bar Double-click network.http.proxy.pipelining and set its value to true Double-click network.http.pipelining.maxrequests and set this to 8.

Once this is done, you should see a significant increase in the speed of your web browsing software application. However, the process of pipelining is often criticized as being unethical as the resources of the web servers of the various websites get overloaded by web browsers and its multiple requests. For starters, it is impossible to regulate and ensure that web browsing software applications do not send multiple requests.

Secondly, the websites always have the option of refusing to serve those web browsers that send multiple requests through pipelining. Hence, if you find it difficult to open a particular website using your Firefox web browser after you have opted for pipeline, then perhaps the website does not support pipelining. In such a scenario, you simply have to undo the changes made to your Firefox web browser. Your web browsing should return back to normal once this is done. In the event your web browser does not open due to any incorrect alteration of about: config, simply make use of the safe mode of the web browser to undo the changes. [tags]Mozilla, Firefox, Firefox extensions, Firefox updates, Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari, Tabbed Browsing, Session Restore, Firefox Bookmarks[/tags

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The answer lay a partially in the fact that ordinary individuals were using the World Wide Web for not just entertainment and fun but also for purposes like Gaining knowledge, Doing shopping and Chatting with friends. The World Wide Web is no longer a bunch of web sites that are independent and aloof from the requirements of the ordinary user. Today, every surfer is treated as a potential customer and is given top priority. This has led to the development of many services that were not available earlier on the World Wide Web. Online banking, online trading, online education-these are just some of the services that have become a part of our lexicon on the World Wide Web.

This is led to a rise in the number of web sites that an individual visits on a daily basis. Earlier, there were just a few web sites that were popular on a global scale. Today there are different web sites providing different services and catering to different requirements. These websites are popular all over the world. Google is famous as the best search engine around, Amazon is famous as an online store, and Yahoo is famous for the content it provides while Windows Live provides a package of software applications that can enhance not just the web browsing experience but also the overall computing experience of the surfer. And this is not considering financial web sites that have become an integral part of our lives. You cannot afford to forget the web address of your bank’s web site, can you? This is one reason why surfers of the World Wide Web are using the Bookmarks feature more often.

The second reason behind the sudden rise is the phenomenon known as Social Networking web sites. Today, you can upload all your bookmarks on to the web and share it with all other individuals. If you run a business on your own website, your contribution to the social networking web sites may pull additional traffic to your site. Additional traffic increases your chances of concluding a sale and earning a profit. Of course, social bookmarking web sites also help you know the web better. No single individual can claim to know each and every site on the web. It is only when we cooperate with each other and share information can we expect to know something worthwhile about the World Wide Web. This is done by uploading bookmarks to online accounts and sharing the same with others.

The popularity of the Bookmark feature did not go unnoticed. Web browsing software applications struggled to provide better and better services as far as bookmarks were concerned. Accessing Bookmarks was a very difficult. This changed when individuals were given the option of saving Bookmarks in Mozilla Firefox by just a single click of the mouse. Searching for Bookmarks was a very difficult. The Firefox web browsing software application introduced the tags feature which helped the surfers search for bookmarks not on the basis of title but on the basis of its theme and basic idea.

This led to many fundamental changes in the way the Firefox web browser works. This also led to new Firefox extensions, Newt themes and new tips on extracting more from the web browser. Today, the surfer of the Firefox web browsing software applications can definitely claim to enjoy a much superior web browsing experience as compared to the surfers of other web browsers.

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The operating system of their computer combines its web browser and its network settings to access the server, which in turn has an operating system to deal with. Considering the fact that so many operating systems and software applications are involved, it is but natural for flaws and cracks to appear in the security plans. To pretend that this should not take place is absurd.

Rather, the sensible thing to do is to accept this as a part of the functioning of any web browser and work towards solving the problem as quickly as possible. Further, the inherent instability in the system combined with the fact that there are many individuals on the World Wide Web who have nothing but malice in their hearts and seek nothing else but to destroy the World Wide Web by hacking into the computers of other surfers drastically increases the chances of security problems. They take apart every new security innovation and study it to bypass it as quickly as possible.

The web browsing software applications are fighting the battle on both fronts and it is but natural that some hackers win and cause havoc for surfers of the World Wide Web. The only way to completely secure your computer is to take it off the web. If you log on to the web, you have to be prepared for security risks. Of course, that does not mean that security risks shall be welcomed and shall not be solved. There is a difference in accepting the problem and ignoring it.

This is exactly the approach that the Firefox web browser has taken. It is completely cool about the fact that major security flaws may be found in its code. However, it is very particular about stamping out these flaws in the code as quickly as possible. The moment such a flaw is located, it is immediately analyzed and the entire might of the Firefox community steps in to solve the security flaw as quickly as possible.

This is the reason why Mozilla Firefox insists on total transparency. How can one expect the Firefox community to solve the security flaw unless it is clearly told what the flaw is all about? Of course, if the flaw makes the developers look stupid, nothing can be done about it because protecting one’s reputation is not as important as protecting the computer of each and every surfer of the World Wide Web who trusts the Firefox web browser. Hence, all you need to do is run a quick search on the World Wide Web will find numerous websites covering the various security flaws that have existed in Mozilla Firefox.

The developers of the Firefox web browser can be called stupid for allowing security flaws to creep in but they certainly cannot be called liars who try to convince you that everything is hunky dory with your web browser when the truth is that it is filled with unresolved security flaws.

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Incorporation of a new feature in the Firefox web browser is often preceded by a detailed study of the requirements of these surfers. The web browser does not rely on any external agencies to conduct the survey. It simply makes use of the fantastic Firefox Community that it has built over the years. All the developers have to do is spread the word that they are looking for solutions to overcome a particular problem or enhance a particular feature. In a short period, they get responses from a wide range of surfers of the World Wide Web from all over the world. Each surfer provides feedback on the basis of his or her own requirements. This provides enough data for the developers to arrive at the right approach.

The best part with the Firefox web browser is that nobody loses. If your suggestions and recommendations are not accepted, they can be converted into Firefox extensions and can be downloaded from the web. If you are not satisfied with the updated version of the Firefox web browser, you can simply make use of the suitable Firefox extension to modify the web browser to suit your requirements. Of course, if you possess the necessary programming skills to take on such a task yourself, you can proceed to modify the source code of the browser yourself to make it work the way you wanted to. You can obtain assistance from other surfers on the World Wide Web as well. All you need to do is upload your doubts and questions to the web and you will be flooded with answers, suggestions, criticism and tips on achieving your goal.

One of the latest improvements under consideration is the cognitive shield for Firefox tabs. This improvement was heavily influenced by the feedback of the users of the Firefox web browser. The developers have been working on this problem for the past few months and have relied on user feedback to understand the problem well.

The issue is a very simple one- Every time a surfer opens a new tab; he or she ends up with a blank tab. There is nothing wrong with a blank tab. However, the developers acknowledged that opening a blank tab and keying in the address again and again is not very efficient. Hence, they wanted to improve upon this feature. Other web browsers are offering different solutions.

Opera offers Speed Dial which helps the surfers list their favorite web sites which shall be available when they open a new tab. The Internet Explorer too offers quick access to favorite websites when a new tab is opened. The Firefox web browsing software application too seeks to offer this feature. However, as has always been the case with the Firefox web browser, the developers did not simply stop here and went ahead and considered the problem in detail. The results of their analysis revealed that the best way to improve performance of the surfer is to offer quick access to favorite sites combined with a cognitive shield. This feature is currently in the testing stage and those interested in trying it out can download a test version and check it out.

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Many surfers have noticed that the loading of the bookmarks often gets delayed due to the favicon. In such a scenario, there is the option of changing the way favicons are displayed in your web browser’s address bar.

As is often the case, you can modify the about:config page to disable favicons in Mozilla Firefox. The about:config page contains all your preferences of your Firefox web browser. Since it is next to impossible for an individual to go through all the links, the Firefox web browser has a filter, which can be used to quickly bring down the total number of preferences in question. To disable favicons, you will have to change a particular entry in the list of preferences. In the filter, you should type browser.chrome to bring down the list of preferences to manageable levels. Once the list of preferences has been shortened, open the browser.chrome.favicons and modify the same. Double click this preference and set it to false. Once this is done, you should double-click on browser.chrome.site_icons. This preference should also be set at false. Once these two preferences are set to false, the favicons shall no longer be seen on your address bar.

In the event you find it necessary to get your favicons back, simply go back to the about:config page and undo the changes that have been made.

If you find it too small a thing to worry about, then you are completely free to ignore the whole issue and continue surfing the web as you wish. If you want to make your web browser look better, you can go in for Firefox themes to make your web browser look better. This is one of the biggest advantages that Mozilla Firefox offers. No change is too small and too insignificant for the developers of the web browser. The web browser offers fantastic opportunities to change even small things. This is evident from the large number of Firefox extensions and Firefox themes available on the web. Not all extensions are as complicated and detailed like Tab Mix Plus extensions. Some extensions deal with very small matters which may seem of no relevance to some. However, the developers of the web browser do not think and judge on behalf of the surfers. They give complete freedom to the surfers to choose the modifications they like.

The concept of Firefox skins too is an extension of the same logic. A Firefox theme covers each and every aspect of the web browser’s appearance. From the skin to the button- everything changes. On the other hand, you can opt to just change the Firefox skins on a daily basis. This will help you feel as if you are using a new browser every day.

Further, many more about:config changes are available on the World Wide Web. All you need to do is check them out and implement them as per the instructions.

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The ordinary web surfer understood the true potential of the World Wide Web when they laid their hands on Mozilla Firefox. It was the Firefox web browser which performed the most difficult task of breaking the dominant monopoly of Internet Explorer. Today, Safari and Chrome are snapping at the heels of Internet Explorer. However, whether these web browsers would have made any impact when Internet Explorer was at its zenith is doubtful indeed.

It is not incorrect to say that the Firefox web browser has all the characteristics and features necessary to not just provide good service but to dominate the market. The first and most important condition that the Mozilla Firefox fulfills is that it has absolutely no interest in cornering the majority of the market for itself. Unlike Internet Explorer, which connected itself with the Windows Operating System and rode piggybacks on its popularity to maintain its reach, the Firefox web browser does not come attached with any other software or operating system. There is and has never been any backdoor entry for Mozilla Firefox. Of course, Mozilla Firefox too has entered into agreements with different the service providers to enhance its popularity. However, at no point of time has it denied the surfers of their choice to reject the web browser. You often are asked whether you want to download Mozilla Firefox with Google toolbar when installing any new software. However, there always is the option of denying permission.

The Firefox web browsing software application was born out of an earnest desire to help the surfers explore the World Wide Web better. Even today, it is this earnest desire of the developers that has ensured that the Firefox web browser is always updated against the latest security risks and security threats. It can be safely said that the Firefox web browser has acquired such a faithful following that its popularity will not fall even if it slows down a bit in its efforts to improve and offer nothing but the best to the surfers. However, that is not how Firefox works.

If you surf the World Wide Web today, you will find that users and developers of the Firefox web browser are constantly finding newer ways to make the software application better. The latest release of the Firefox web browser contains many new features that will have a significant impact on the web browsing experience of the surfers. As is always the case, the trial version or the beta version as it is called is available for download. Any and every user of the Firefox web browser can download the beta version to test and convey his or her feedback to the developers. One can be rest assured that each and every bit of advice is given due thought and consideration before a decision is taken. The vibrant Firefox community has increased the rate at which newer features have been incorporated into the web browser.

As the browser war further heats up, the surfers of the Firefox web browser can be assured of newer and newer features aimed at improving their web experience.

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Do you want to combine the fantastic advantages offered by Google and Wikipedia? How would react if you could search not only Wikipedia but Google as well at the same point of time? Just opt for the Googlepedia Firefox extension. As you search for information on the Google search engine, you can simultaneously search Wikipedia as well. When you conduct your search on Google, the Wikipedia entry would automatically open in the right hand side of the screen. Hence, you would have simultaneously searched for information on Google search engine as well as in Wikipedia. Chances of finding the information you need are very high if you combine Google with Wikipedia. That is exactly the logic underlying this Firefox extension.

Of course, you will have to compromise on screen space. However, this is a much faster option as compared to manually visiting Google search engine and conducting the search and going through Wikipedia in a separate tab. Instead you can combine both these searches in a single page and obtain information a lot faster.

If you feel that Google results are not satisfactory or if you feel that Wikipedia has not provided the right solutions for you, you can convert the split page paid into a single page that provides either the Wikipedia entry or the Google search results.

Most search engines are now offering suggestions on the keywords that you search. However, there is a Firefox extension, Search Cloudlet, that offers tag cloud over and above your search results on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Twitter. What advantages does a tag cloud offer? If you have visited social networking websites, you will definitely have enjoyed the fantastic advantages of the tag cloud. A tag cloud is a list of relevant keywords that can be associated with a particular term or phrase that you are searching about. For example, if you key in the word ‘U.S. president’ in the search bar of the search engine, you will receive a list of words like Obama, Bush, Clinton, Election, Controversies, Constitutional duties, Past Presidents etc. More often than not, the tag cloud contains the keywords that will take you to the information you are searching for. This feature, although present in social networking sites, is not present by default in search engines. However, Firefox uses can enjoy this feature.

This Firefox extension is designed to enhance the advantages of searching on reputed search engines. If you opt for these Firefox extensions, you can quickly become an expert as far as research on the World Wide Web is concerned. The extensions will help you search more in less time. Further, it will help you enhance the quality of your search as well.

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