Firefox and Thunderbird Help





Firefox is an open source (free!) web browser, the latest version of Mozilla, which is being recommended as being as good or better, and safer, than Microsoft Internet Explorer by many expert sources. It is also a sort of relative to Netscape.

For a very objective analysis of whether or not you should switch from Microsoft Internet Explorer to Firefox 2.x, read the article from Gizmo's Support Alert Newsletter.

Tip: second line of the top toolbar has the search engine box. You can add other search engines to this, and make any one your default. Just click on the search engine logo, and select Add engines. Then select your favorite(s) from the list.

Firefox Extentions

Tip: Firefox may block, for security reasons, a site from installing an extension the first time you visit that site. You'll see a yellow alert bar across the top of the web site view that alerts you. Give permission here, and then try again to install. It should work.
You can go into Tools, Options, Content and select Warn me when web sites try to install extensions or themes. Open the Exceptions view and add the web site that you often use for extensions or themes, so you won't have this problem in the future.

One of the great things about Firefox is that many people can create extensions, which are specialized programs that add all sorts of useful features. Here are some favorites you might like to add. Just go to the Extensions page and search for the following:

Boreham Library Favorite Firefox Extensions

  • Update Notifier - will notify you when updates are available for your extensions and themes.

  • Tab Mix Plus - this allows you to open tabs across your one Firefox screen, for each new page you open, instead of opening multiple Firefox copies. It makes it much easier to go back and forth between web pages for comparisons, handling several tasks, etc. Note: while some of these features are now built into Firefox 2.x, TabMix Plus still has some additional useful options.

  • IE Tab - this allows you to open those web pages in Firefox which still insist on using non-standard MS Internet Explorer-specific coding -- the ones that don't appear properly in Firefox and other non-IE browsers. You don't have to leave Firefox to see them, and by setting them in the list in IE Tab, you can automatically view them in IE Tab next time you visit those pages.

  • Forecastfox - This is a weather status and forecast that you can place several places on your page (such as the toolbar-menubar, at the top of your screen), configure to show your local forecast, show a radar map, and lots of features. Current temperature, predicted temperature, forecast for today and the next several days, severe weather alerts, sound alarm or not, and more features are included.

  • Sage - Wondering about RSS feeds? This is one of several extensions for getting them in Firefox, and it will even search a web page to find the feed and let you install it easily if you like.

  • del.icio.us is the social bookmarking service that puts your bookmarks online for others to see. With this extention, you can add a new bookmark easily and quickly.

  • Foxmarks Bookmark Synchronizer allows you to synchronize the bookmarks on Firefox on one PC to another PC.
  • Adblock Plus filters out the annoying ads from many web pages. However, it may, in a few cases, block an ad you want to see.

  • Web Developer adds a toolbar with a lot of useful features for people creating web sites, including details on the code, CSS, and lots of analytical tools.

  • Download Statusbar is a detailed view of how your downloaded file is coming through, with percentages, details on the file, time to complete, and lets you have more control.

  • L2 is great for use with library catalogs (including the UA Fort Smith Boreham Library catalog!) and other book services. When an ISBN is found on a page, L2 automatically pops up a box for the option to search this in Amazon, and present the reviews and information there, if available. Requires you to install the Greasemonkey extension first.

  • Book Burro pops up when a book is being viewed and lets you search a number of book services for the best price, or the WorldCat library catalog (specify your zip code). Note: this is from a separate organization, so you'll need to tell Firefox to allow it to install from this site.

  • Firedoodle creates a whiteboard function, which lets you mark up a webpage as if you had a set of colored markers -- make arrows, circle things, make notes. Useful for tutorials.

Firefox Extensions Mirror lets you find the extension to improve Firefox by looking up the purpose, in order to find the name (for example, search "weather" and get the extensions to add weather update features to Firefox). You do NOT need to be a member to search.

Firefox Bugs

Okay, so Firefox isn't perfect (No browser is!). But the fixes are developed faster than most other browsers, and can be found on the Firefox site with a little searching. Most problems get fixed in under two weeks, compared to problems with Internet Explorer that may take much longer.

One "bug" that really isn't a Firefox bug is a problem you may have with Adobe Acrobat Reader not wanting to work in Firefox. This is a Microsoft trick, in reality.

  1. Click on the toolbar for Tools, then select Options.
  2. Select Downloads and then View and Edit Actions.
  3. Find "PDF" files and see what is being used to open them. If it has been changed to the Microsoft viewer, change it back to Adobe Acrobat reader following the steps there.

  • Search Engines disappearance: a bug in version 1.5.0.2 sometimes removes all the added search engines you put into the box at upper right. Here's the fix for version 1.5.0.2 and later:
    1. Close all Firefox parts running
    2. Click on the Start button
    3. click on Run
    4. enter "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -safe-mode to start a little window for Firefox in "Safe" mode.
    5. Click on Reset toolbars and controls
    6. Click on Make changes and restart
    7. You should have your original search engines back.




    • Thunderbird

    Thunderbird is the email product from Mozilla (since email is not included in Firefox, to keep it small -- you can use Thunderbird or any other popular email package instead, as you prefer).

    Thunderbird Extensions

    Like Firefox, many people have developed specialized extensions that add useful features to Thunderbird. Here are a few you might like to add:

    • Update Notifier - will notify you when updates are available for your extensions and themes.

    • Contacts Sidebar - displays your email contacts in a sidebar, so you can easily choose an address to add to an email you are creating.

    • Unselect Message - getting a lot of spam? This avoids Thunderbird automatically opening the next message after you close or delete one. Just opening a spam message can alert the spammer (when the email downloads a graphic, say) that you have received the message and your address is valid to spam to again.

    • Mail tagger lets you add those smilie graphics into your email.

    Configuring Thunderbird for LionsLink

    While LionsLink is a good email solution for many users, sometimes you want the additional speed and functions of an email program that resides on your own PC, or you want to be able to save a lot more email than is possible in LionsLink. You can configure Thunderbird (and some other email programs) to work with LionsLink.
    BE WARNED: if you download email to Thunderbird and delete it on LionsLink, you will not be able to use it from any other PC later. It will only be on the copy of Thunderbird on the one computer which you set up to work with LionsLink. If you set Thunderbird up differently, however, it will leave email on the LionsLink server.

    These same steps can be used for other mail services, such as Google's Gmail and Cox Communications email.

    SPECIAL NOTE FOR LIONSLINK: each time you have to change your password for a new one, you will need to login to LionsLink directly just once with the new password. After that, the new password will work within Thunderbird, too.

    These instructions are for version 1.5.x, but there may be some variation in steps between versions. Look for the appropriate instructions as needed among the following.

    If there are no existing accounts, Thunderbird will probably start the Account Wizard when it opens. Otherwise, under Tools, select Account Settings and then select Add Account.

    Select Email account and click Next.

    		 New Account Setup

    Enter your name, and then your full LionsLink email address.

    		 Identity

    In Server Information, select the POP server and enter the name as imap.uafortsmith.edu (yes, this seems contradictory).

    The STMP server should be stmp.uafortsmith.edu

    		 Server Information

    In User Names enter your login name without the @uafortsmith.edu in both places.

    		 User Names

    In Account Name you will probably have your email address already filled in. If not, enter it.

    		 Account Name

    Check the Congratulations information to be sure it is all correct.
    NOTE: the Incoming Server Type should read "POP" rather than blank.

    		 Congratulations
    Tools Account Settings

    Now for some fine tuning.

    Select Tools dropdown menu and then select Account Settings.
    Account Settings

    Fill in your email address again in the Reply-To Address box.

    Fill in your organization if you like.

    You can specify a signature file and check the Attach this signature box.
    Create a little file named "signature.txt" and store it in My Documents. This should have your name, email address, and any other information you want everyone to have when you email them.

    You could instead use a vCard, which gives a lot more information, if you prefer.
    Server Settings

    Change the port to 110.

    Use secure connection is Never. (This is a limitation of the LionsLink connection.)

    The other settings should be okay.
    Copies and folders

    You have a choice here. Messages can be kept on the email server, accessible from anywhere. Or, select Local Folders to keep the messages only in your own Thunderbird (on your computer or USB drive).

    If you're not sure yet, leave your email address in the blanks, and mail will stay on the server for now.
    Composition and Addressing

    Here you can change where your reply goes. For example, change from below the message to above the message.
    Outgoing Server Settings

    Some of the Outgoing Server Settings must be updated.
    Click on Edit.
    SMTP Server Set the name of the outgoing server to smtp.uafortsmith.edu using port 25.

    IMPORTANT: folders in LionsLink are NOT the same as folders you create in Thunderbird. Once you move a message into a Thunderbird folder on your PC, you lose it from LionsLink.

    Now when you start Thunderbird, it should ask for your email password, and then download your LionsLink email.

    To create folders to click-and-drag emails to, go to File, choose New, choose Folder, and be sure the folder is created as a subfolder of your Inbox for your account.

    To check or change settings for the account, use Tools, select Account Settings, and pick the account.

    Thunderbird can handle multiple accounts. You can set up more accounts, and check them all from Thunderbird. This is especially handy if you use one account for the University, and another for personal use at home.
    If you set up more accounts, Thunderbird may expect to use the same incoming and outgoing servers. Just allow it to do that, and then go back in to edit the servers afterward using the Tools, Account Settings functions.