Optimizing Firefox 3 Hacks And Tweaks

Previously I was using Firefox 2 and was happy with its performance. Then I downloaded the latest version on world download day. More than 60 million downloads are done till now. Earlier I used to tweak my browser to optimize it for the best performance. Now I am experimenting with the possibilities of the latest version. I am sharing them with you here. However I am a little disappointed with the extension compatibilities of the latest version. I guess I will need to re-install most of the extensions I was using with the earlier version. Its a pain considering the fact that most of those extensions do not have an updated versions for Firefox 3. I also found out what more I can do with the latest firefox, and then thensome easter eggs too! I hope these tips, tricks, hacks and tweaks will help you in optimizing the browser to suit your needs.

As I was trying to tweak Firefox 3 to suit my needs, I realized that it is more cutomizable and user friendly than the previous version. I used the 'about:config' to do most of the tweaks. If you want to them please take a back up of your settings first, so that you can revert back, if you don't find the hacks and tweaks useful for you.

The following tweaks are obtained by typing about:config and then modifying the page. Make sure you take a back up copy just in case something goes wrong. Here are some of the hacks for the experimantally oriented.

Step one: Type about:config in the address bar and hit enter

Step two: Make the following modifications to the file by typing in the values on the respective fields to get the desired result (feel free to experiment)

1. To enable/disable Single Click Select URL of address bar

browser.urlbar.clickSelectsAll = True 

browser.urlbar.clickSelectsAll = False

2. To auto Complete URL while typing in the address Bar

browser.urlbar.autoFill=True

3. To set the number of auto complete URL in the address bar

browser.urlbar.maxRichResults = #

(# indicates the number of auto complete URLs shown. The default is 12)

4. To disabler Browser Toolbar Tip

browser.chrome.toolbar_tips = False

5. To paste copied content by clicking the center button on the mouse

middlemouse.paste = True

6. To disable blinking text

browser.blink_allowed = False

7. To create a single close button to for all Firefox Opened Tabs.

browser.tabs.closeButtons = 3

8. To increase number of recently closed tabs.

browser.sessionstore.max_tabs_undo=15

9. Right click view source in your editor

view_source.editor.external=True

view_source.editor.path= Path of Editor 

10. To enable fast scrolling across tabs

toolkit.scrollbox.scrollIncrement =75

11. To stop displaying website icon in address bar and on the tabs

browser.chrome.site_icons = False

12. To enable spell check in text fields

layout.spellcheckDefault = 2

13. To speed up the browser

network.http.max-connections 30 to 96

network.http.max-connections-per-server 15 to 32

network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server 6 to 8

network.http.pipelining false to true

network.http.proxy.pipelining false to true

network.http.pipelining.maxrequests 30 to 8

network.http.pipelining.ssl false to true

network.http.proxy.pipelining false to true

14. To disable annoying browser behavior

Change the followowing values to 'false'

dom.disable_window_open_feature.titlebar

dom.disable_window_open_feature.menubar

dom.disable_window_move_resize

dom.disable_window_open_feature.toolbar

15. To show more tabs on single window

browser.tabs.tabMinWidth = 75

16. To display search results in new tab

browser.search.openintab=True.

I have used many of the above about:config hacks with Firefox 2 before and it is working for the new version as well. If some thing goes wrong after applying these changes, restore your about:config to older setting.

People will be coming out with more helpful hacks, useful tips, tweaks and tricks soon. FireTune is a simple freeware utility that will help you to fine tune Firefox 3. It is meant for tuning network related settings and is done with respect to your computer speed and Internet speed. This saves your lots of time which you would waste while doing this optimization manually. Click here to download this utility. If you feel that the changes done with Firetune are not upto the mark then you can always revert back to your original settings.

One other interesting feature I have fond in Firefox 3 is that you can easily save all media and image files. To do this first you need to click on the site identification button sitting just left to the address bar. A “Manage Information” Button will pop up. Click on it and you will see another popup with lot of options. Select the Media Option. Here you can see all the images and other media files availble in that web page. Select any or all, then click on the Save As button. This will ask you to specify a folder where it will save all the media and image files.

I am also using flashblock extension which blocks all annoying video and flash contents and help the pages to load faster. Interclue is another useful add-on I have installed, which helps me see less and know more, click less and do more, and warns me of dangerous sites.

Like most of all other softwares, Firefox 3 is also carrying easter eggs!

To see the first easter egg in Firefox 3, type about:Mozilla in the address bar and hit enter. You can see the following text appear on the screen, (white text in maroon background). "Mammon slept. And the beast reborn spread over the earth and its numbers grew legion. And they proclaimed the times and sacrificed crops unto the fire, with the cunning of foxes. And they built a new world in their own image as promised by the sacred words, and spoke of the beast with their children. Mammon awoke, and lo! it was naught but a follower.

from The Book of Mozilla, 11:9 (10th Edition)"

To see the second easter egg type about:robots into the Firefox 3 address bar. The following will appear!

"Welcome Humans!

* Robots may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

And they have a plan."

There is a button saying "Try Again". Try it!