| Spring 2006 |
| Tip O'Tex Computer Club Newsletter |
| Firefox and Thunderbird |
| Most of us use Internet Explorer for our browser. If you've had problems with IE (particularly if you've been 'hijacked') you might want to try Mozilla Firefox for your browser. I have found that Firefox isn't as susceptible to viruses and hijacking as IE. Most people that create those really mean, stupid things that mess up our computers, are aiming at Microsoft. Firefox isn't Microsoft, so isn't as much of a target. There are some really nice things about Firefox. One of the things I like best is that you can have "tabs" across the top of the Firefox screen for a whole bunch of web pages you might have open at one time. With IE, the chances are that they'll be bundled under an "Internet Explorer" icon on your Taskbar, and you have to click on that, and then click on the one you wantk hoping that you chose the right one. With Firefox, I've had as many as 15 different web pages open at one time, and each of them is just ONE click away. Download: I've been doing a lot of my downloads at www.samleathers.com/tools.php (That's my grandson's webpage, where he has almost all of the programs or links that I use.) Click "Productivity Applications" on the left side, then click on Firefox. On the next page, click on Download Firefox. Its almost 5 MB, so it will take a while if you're using a dial-up connection. When asked if you want to “Run this program from its current location” or “Save this program to disk” choose the “Save….” Option (it probably already has the “button” next to it) and click OK. (There are several options as to where to save your set-up files, but its probably best to create and use a folder called C:\Downloads.) See "Create Download Folder" at the end of this letter. When the download is complete, click the Open button to start the installation. Follow the prompts and let the program install where it wants to go (the designers of the program know more about it than we do, in most cases). As part of the setup, you'll be asked several questions. Among these is "do you want to make Firefox your default browser" - choose Yes -- if you want to go back to Internet Explorer, its easy to do. You'll also be asked if you want to import your Favorites, and that should be answered Yes, also. (In Firefox, they're called Bookmarks, but they're still your favorite places.) |
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| To create your own Download folder, and make it the default for future downloads: When you start to download something from the Internet, the first screen you see has a title of "Save As" and you'll see a white line at the top that tells you where the file will be saved. This line comes right after "Save In:" Click at the right end of the "Save In" line on the downpointing arrow, and click on the icon for the C: drive. Look on the tool bar for the Create New Folder icon. It looks like a regular yellow folder, but it has a red asterisk on it. When you find it, click once on it and you'll see New Folder. It will be highlighted already, which means all you have to do it type Downloads and the words "new folder" will be replaced, and you will have named the folder. You have now created a new folder for your downloads. Doublclick on Downloads and you'll see it appear in the Save In: line. Then click Save and your download will begin. The next time you download something, the Downloads folder will be there. You can always open a Windows Explorer screen by holding the Windows key and tapping E, then click on the Downloads folder to find that file. One more thought here... when you start your download, you will probably see a space for a checkmark next to "Close dialog box when complete" - make sure there is NOT a checkmark there. Then when the download is done, you can just click on Open to open the file, or start the installation. With Firefox (another great feature) you can click on Tools and you'll see a link to your Downloads folder. |
| Create a Download Folder |
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| Firefox |
| Thunderbird |
| Thunderbird is the conpanion to Firefox- and its a really slick e-mail program. It operates a lot like Outlook Express, but doesn't seem to have some of the problems that OE has. I've know several people that have lost all of their folders (including LOTS of mail) because OE decides to lock up, or lock them out. Previously I've advised people to "compact folders" in OE, hoping that would keep the program running smoothly. But even then, sometimes it goes haywire. Thunderbird is certainly worth checking out. As part of the installation, you'll be asked if you want to import your settings, address book and messages. If you choose Yes, you'll be asked what program they're coming from and you choose Outlook Express. That takes care of setting everything up. It looks different, but not a whole lot different, and is easy to get used to. One feature that I really like is that you can go to a message that you've sent, and "Edit as new" - meaning you don't have to copy/paste everything into a new letter so you can send it to someone else. With "Edit as new" all you have to do is change the recipient. With OE when you start typing a person's name, you see their name, hit Enter and their address goes in. If you have more than one address, you choose which one just as it sends. With Thunderbird, when you start typing a person's name, you get a drop-down menu of a whole list of possible addresses. I like that feature, too. Sometimes I remember part of the address, and it looks for that, too - and lets you choose which one you want. |