Product Description

They dreamed of a better browser . . . and before you could say "explore no more," Firefox was born. But already you want more. Tighter security, greater functionality. A custom installation for Linux. Maybe even that unique extension you've always dreamed of creating. Well, if you want to tweak the Fox, here are over 400 pages of ways to do it. From hacking profile settings to cracking links and cleaning out the cookie jar, this is the stuff that puts you in control.

Step-by-step instructions for these hacks and dozens more

• Settings, content, and extension hacks
• Hacking the interface and themes
• Performance boosters
• Anti-phishing and security hacks
• Toolbar and status bar tweaks
• Navigation, download, and search hacks
• Hacks for common plugins
• Extension and theme creation

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #421786 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-05
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 430 pages

Download Description
They dreamed of a better browser . . . and before you could say ""explore no more,"" Firefox was born. But already you want more. Tighter security, greater functionality. A custom installation for Linux. Maybe even that unique extension you've always dreamed of creating. Well, if you want to tweak the Fox, here are over 400 pages of ways to do it. From hacking profile settings to cracking links and cleaning out the cookie jar, this is the stuff that puts you in control. Step-by-step instructions for these hacks and dozens more Settings, content, and extension hacks Hacking the interface and themes Performance boosters Anti-phishing and security hacks Toolbar and status bar tweaks Navigation, download, and search hacks Hacks for common plugins Extension and theme creation

From the Back Cover
They dreamed of a better browser . . . and before you could say "explore no more," Firefox was born. But already you want more. Tighter security, greater functionality. A custom installation for Linux. Maybe even that unique extension you've always dreamed of creating. Well, if you want to tweak the Fox, here are over 400 pages of ways to do it. From hacking profile settings to cracking links and cleaning out the cookie jar, this is the stuff that puts you in control.

Step-by-step instructions for these hacks and dozens more

• Settings, content, and extension hacks
• Hacking the interface and themes
• Performance boosters
• Anti-phishing and security hacks
• Toolbar and status bar tweaks
• Navigation, download, and search hacks
• Hacks for common plugins
• Extension and theme creation

About the Author
Mel Reyes, a veteran of technology and programming, is an avid fan and user of Firefox and all its predecessors. He programs in several languages, works with a variety of technologies, and runs MRTech.com, which provides free technology news, support, tips, and software. He works in several industries helping clients with web, desktop, and database application development. Mel can be reached by e-mail at mel@mrtech.com.

Customer Reviews

A Survey of Mostly Out-of-date Hacks
Briefly describes lists anyone could have culled from the usual Firefox websites. Given Firefox's fast-changing nature, this ends up not being a good second step.

Other FireFox Help? Yes!
FireFox Help Forum.

Created by Mystic Thunder. One of the best Help Forums out there. Voted 4/5 by internet sites. One 5/5!

What you do is type invisionfree.com in your URL browser. Then look to the left and look for "Board Directorys" at the navigational menu. Click it. Scroll down until you see Computer (& Internet) Support. Go to Page 1 (If you haven't already) and at the very bottom you'll see FireFox Help Forum. Click on it. Then register on the forum and tell others to registeras well! Who knows maybe if we get a working community I may buy us a domain name!

easy to extend, but it can be dangerous
Of the popular browsers, Firefox has certainly joined those ranks recently and rapidly. But its appeal is not just to the user. Reyes explains how it was made from the ground up to be easily extensible by programmers. He illustrates this at length, with over 150 hacks developed by its fans. These are grouped into sections like performance, menus and navigation.

But you may want to try and thumb through the detailed contents and then through the hacks, to see if any catch your fancy. Because the book can be used in two ways. Firstly, to get ideas about new extensions, by seeing what has already been done. (A lot!) Secondly, to scope out if any of that earlier work is worth installing on your machine. To either end, the book naturally refers to websites where the extensions can be found. The book is a hardcopy portal.

You should also be careful. The very flexibility of Firefox can mean trouble if you go to a computer at a publicly accessible place and use it there. Think of a library or cybercafe. Several of the extensions can be used by a phisher to mislead what you see when browsing. Firefox on your machine can help protect you, and the book talks about this. But on an unknown machine, some extensions can be turned against you. The book never talks about this aspect of Firefox. It's not the fault of the author. He's part of the Firefox community. They are all so fired up about it. Which is cool. But they largely neglected to consider that its ease of programming can be a weapon turned against the unwary user.