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Starter
Many of you have already considered changing your web browser, or have actually done it, but for those of you who like reading the KingsFans forum and are still using Internet Explorer, I think you should consider an alternative that just might make your forum reading a little nicer.
My browser of choice is Firefox, although the benefits I will mention apply to other browsers as well, like Opera. I have recently enjoyed exposing some of the extra features of these browsers to some co-workers and my wife, and so I thought I'd do the same for any of you here that happened upon this thread, especially since most of my favorite features make browsing KingsFans.com that much easier.
So here are the features that I like and why they are nice:
So those are my favorite features of Firefox. There are other benefits, too, and of course a few negatives, but overall I really prefer surfing the web with Firefox over Internet Explorer. Trust me it's wonderful.
Now, if any of you are curious about trying to switch, give it a try and ask any questions about it here, there are plenty of knowledgable and experienced users amongst us to help you out.
For those of you who already use Firefox, what extensions and themes do you like the most? I current use the Qute 3 theme only, I like things simple. I also use Tabbrowser Preferences, DictionarySearch, Flashblock (nice!) and just recently I added Mouse Gestures 1.0. I have only been using Mouse Gestures when browsing forums, because I have a set pattern that the mouse gestures help me with. I am slowly getting used to them so that I don't close a tab when I just mean to switch it. Are there any good ones I am missing?
And by the way, while creating this thread I have used all of the first three features that I mentioned - tabs to keep reading new posts while I typed this, dictionary search to make sure I spelled "insinuated" correctly and thesaurus search to check for a better alternative for "counteract", and Find as you type to look for the places I typed FireFox and change them to Firefox. Sure, I'm pretty anal about that stuff which is why I need these features, but trust me, it's wonderful.
My browser of choice is Firefox, although the benefits I will mention apply to other browsers as well, like Opera. I have recently enjoyed exposing some of the extra features of these browsers to some co-workers and my wife, and so I thought I'd do the same for any of you here that happened upon this thread, especially since most of my favorite features make browsing KingsFans.com that much easier.
So here are the features that I like and why they are nice:
- Tabbed Browsing - The single best feature not yet in Internet Explorer. This feature lets you open several pages, each with a different web address, that show up as tabs on your browser that you can easily switch between. In Internet Explorer, you must open a new window for each different webpage you want to keep open at the same time.
To open a link in a new tab, simply click on the link with your scroll button (the little scroller wheel in the middle of the mouse can be pushed down to "middle-click"). This is ideal for surfing the forums. I like to open a particular forum, like the Kings forum, and then middle-click the "Go to first new post" icon (
- Find as you type - In Firefox, if you hit Ctrl-F (or if you do as I have done and check the Tools->Options->Advanced->"Begin finding when you begin typing" option) you can just start typing the word or phrase that you want to search the current page for and Firefox will start looking for it on that page automatically.
I find myself trying to use this feature everywhere. I'll open up an old email, or a Word document and just start typing expecting the program to find the words I am typing in the page. Unfortunately, only Firefox (and maybe a few other browsers) has this feature. This feature helps with general web browsing more than specific KingsFans reading, but you can use it here as well. Have you ever been looking for a particular thread in the thread list but you just can't see it? Just start typing a word that you know is in the thread title, and Firefox will find it for you. Or maybe you have a thread open, and you remember that somebody made some reference to your favorite ex-King, Terry Tyler, but you just can't find it. Just start typing T-Y-L, and chances are Firefox will find just that post that you were looking for. Trust me, it's wonderful.
- Dictionary Search - Have you ever been reading the threads and come across a particularly interesting post, but there is one word that you just don't remember the meaning of and you wish you had a dictionary at your fingertips to look it up really quickly. Or maybe you are participating in a discussion and somebody has insinuated that you are not very smart, and so to prove them wrong you decide to use some of the big words you learned in 10th grade english class - but the problem is that you don't remember how to spell them, and an incorrect spelling would completely counteract the benefits of the use of the big word? Well, Firefox gives you at least two easy ways solve your problems.
The first method is built-in. It is the Search Bar. It is the small edit box next to the address bar that usually has the Google G logo. Normally, if you type something in here and hit enter, it will search Google for what you typed. If you click on the little arrow, it will drop down a list of other sites to search. One of those is probably Dictionary.com. So just type in the word you want to look up, and hit enter. The definition will be displayed, or if you mispelled it a list of potentially correct spellings will be given. Nifty. In fact, you can have this information pop up in a new tab so it won't bother what you are in the middle of - just hold down Alt when you hit enter, or do as I do and set the preference in the Tabbrowser Preferences extension.
The second method is an extension to Firefox. You have to download and install extensions, but they are generally very easy. There is an extension called DictionarySearch. With this extension, if you just select a word and right-click, one of the options will be 'Dictionary Search for "plethora"' or whatever the word you selected was. This also can open a new tab with the same results. You can customize either of these options to do Thesaurus searching, too. Trust me, it's wonderful.
- Popup-Blocking - This feature doesn't apply to KingsFans.com, which doesn't have popup windows (I think), but many other sites do have annoying popup ads. By default Firefox blocks most popup ads from appearing. In general, it is pretty good about letting legitimate popups open, but when it makes a mistake you can usually tell it to allow popups for the site that you want them from. This feature is available for most browsers, but its nice to just have it built-in and not have to worry about it. Trust me, it's wonderful.
So those are my favorite features of Firefox. There are other benefits, too, and of course a few negatives, but overall I really prefer surfing the web with Firefox over Internet Explorer. Trust me it's wonderful.

Now, if any of you are curious about trying to switch, give it a try and ask any questions about it here, there are plenty of knowledgable and experienced users amongst us to help you out.
For those of you who already use Firefox, what extensions and themes do you like the most? I current use the Qute 3 theme only, I like things simple. I also use Tabbrowser Preferences, DictionarySearch, Flashblock (nice!) and just recently I added Mouse Gestures 1.0. I have only been using Mouse Gestures when browsing forums, because I have a set pattern that the mouse gestures help me with. I am slowly getting used to them so that I don't close a tab when I just mean to switch it. Are there any good ones I am missing?
And by the way, while creating this thread I have used all of the first three features that I mentioned - tabs to keep reading new posts while I typed this, dictionary search to make sure I spelled "insinuated" correctly and thesaurus search to check for a better alternative for "counteract", and Find as you type to look for the places I typed FireFox and change them to Firefox. Sure, I'm pretty anal about that stuff which is why I need these features, but trust me, it's wonderful.
