The Joys of Mozilla

I'll come right out and say it: Microsoft Internet Explorer is toast. In five years, no one will remember why they ever kept using it. It's one of thier buggiest programs, with the release of constant patches to cover security holes. Over time, the browser accumlates junk you can't control, advertisements, and toolbars you never use yet are impossible to get rid of. Not only that, but you don't even think about fixed you are on the one layout of buttons, and the general appearance. The concept of a skin didn't even strike me for an internet browser. Enter Mozilla Firefox. It was released in full form last year, completely free, and after extensive beta testing with users around the world. I'm still discovering new uses, but I'll be brief.

1) Total customization. Don't like the reload button? Boom! its gone. Want to put the button for your homepage on the far left of the screen, or an eighth left of the address window? Done. You can change colors, skins, move everything around, including address windows, toolbars, etc. It's easy, there are hundreds of skins online, and you dont even have to reboot your computer.

2) Power. I only add the toolbars I want to add, nothing sticks to the window and it comes with a built in pop-up manager, which shows you a small icon on the bottom when it blocks a pop-up, if you want to see it, stop all pop ups from that site, or allow all popups from that site. And It remembers. Included in the features is a search command which uses the bottom bar of the screen, instead of a large bulky window.

3) Add-ons. I added a module that displays current weather, todays forecast, and tomorrow's forecast. It occupies three tiny cells on the bottom of my screen in the bottom toolbar, showing icons for the weather. If I mouse over it, it gives me a tiny window which tells me full details about that weather. The other cool thing is that the search toolbar, which many people have for Google, is also totally customizeble. All you see is the icon for the search you have selected then you type your word in the text box. If you click on the icon, you can select a variety of search tools including Amazon.com, ebay, Google, dictionary.com, and others. I added Bartleby.com for my academics searches.

4) Security. Mozilla Firefox is rated as one of the most secure internet browsers. ASU's technology director sent out an email in the spate of viruses going around that we should switch to Mozilla for security.

I was a bit hesitant at first, but downloading and installation was a breeze. It even transfers over all your bookmarks. (you can actually open a new window to organize all your bookmarks, nice touch). Anyway, I guess I've gushed over it enough, but I just think that people who are using I.E. are really shortchanging themselves when alternatives like Mozilla are out there.

Well, today I went to Murf's lecture at 8:40 AM, then to listen to a lecture the forces at work within a beam in my structures class. In studio, I showed my work and the TA liked it. Said it needed a little work. Final project due next wednesday, so its going to be a busy weekend. Beautiful day today, if not a little cool. I may be going to a marker rendering workshop saturday. I bought some ad markers, which are colored markers used by interior people and industrial designers for coloring. They're quick and they look good, but I need practice. Jen's really good at them, and the workshop is only ten dollars. I've been listening to Franz Ferdinand which is really good. Great disc. What did I learn today? I learned a cha-cha routine in latin dance, a fair bit about forces in beams, and that radio signals coming to cell phones makes my speakers crackle.