Migrating to the Firefox Web Browser

By Robert Reed
November, 2004

What is Firefox?

• Firefox is a Web Browser, an alternative to Internet Explorer (IE)
• It is based upon the Mozilla engine, a descendant of Netscape
• It is a free open-source program available for Windows, Macintosh and Unix/linux
• The Mozilla browser has been available since the late 90’s when Netscape opened its code to the open source community. The Mozilla suite of applications has been a favorite of geeks and early adapters
• Firefox preview version 0.9 released in summer 2004, and quickly gathered exceptional reviews
• Fully debugged Firefox version 1.0 released on November 8, 2004
  

Why Switch to Firefox?

• IE (95% market share) and sibling Microsoft Outlook are so prevalent that the majority of viruses and worms are written to exploit MS vulnerabilities.
• Firefox security controls are more flexible and accessible to users than IE controls
• Firefox has built in safeguards against spyware and adware
• IE is a very large “swiss army knife” internet application, that is bloated and highly vulnerable to hackers due to its complexity
• Firefox is a small and efficient program, engineered and packaged solely for WWW browsing. Yet expanded functions are available by installing flexible extensions to the core program.
• Firefox user features reflect current web practices, IE has not changed or developed its feature set for several years.
  
  

Firefox Functional Advantages over IE

• Improved and enhanced bookmarking functions
• Built-in, flexible and intuitive popup controls
• Improved printing and print preview functions
• Improved context menus and frame navigation
• Tabbed browsing – opens new browser windows within the Firefox window
  

Firefox endorsements

“Beware of spyware. If you can, use the Firefox browser.” - USA Today

“Better than Internet Explorer by leaps and bounds.” - FORBES

“Once you try Firefox, you’ll wonder why anyone uses any other web browser” – Wired News

“I've been using it for a week now, and I've all but forgotten about Explorer.” –MSN’s Slate (a Microsoft publication)

How to Install Firefox

• To download Firefox, go to http://getfirefox.com and select "Free Download" (be patient, the servers have been swamped since the official release of ver. 1.0)
• When asked to 'Open the file' or 'Save it to your computer', select 'Open' to begin installation. If you save it to your computer, save the file to your desktop and double-click the Firefox Setup 1.0.exe file to start the install.
• You can also purchase the Firefox 1.0 CD and Guidebook from http://www.mozillastore.com/products/software.

To customize Firefox

• An import wizard will run when you first install Firefox (and is also available later through the File menu, File > Import), and it imports your IE Favorites, options, cookies, stored passwords, and a variety of other data. This saves you time customizing Firefox to fit your needs.
• When prompted about making Firefox your default web browser, click YES
• Many of the plug-ins, add-ons, and toolbars that you may are accustomed to with IE are also available for Mozilla Firefox; you can install plugins for Flash Player, QuickTime, RealPlayer, Acrobat Reader, the Google toolbar and more. See http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/switch.html for links.
• Firefox extensions are available to add the functionality or features that you want to your browser. They can add anything from a toolbar button to a completely new feature. See https://update.mozilla.org/extensions/?application=firefox

Keep IE Installed

Don’t remove IE, there are still a few interactive websites that were written to work only with IE, and you must use IE to run the “Windows Update” that keeps your operating system current.

For further reading

Firefox 1.0 Makes Flashy Debut, by Michelle Delio, Wired News Nov 11, 2004

Are the Browser Wars Back?, by Paul Boutin, Slate, June 30, 2004

Browser War II: Revenge of Netscape, by David Sheets, St. Louis Post Dispatch, Nov 12, 2004

Better Browser Now The Best, by Arik Hesseldahl, Forbes September 29, 2004

Signs your PC's under siege, and what you can do, by Byron Acohido and Jon Swartz, USA TODAY, September 8, 2004

You can also purchase the Firefox 1.0 CD and Guidebook from http://www.mozillastore.com/products/software.

Many of the plug-ins, add-ons, and toolbars that you may are accustomed to with IE are also available for Mozilla Firefox; you can install plugins for Flash Player, QuickTime, RealPlayer, Acrobat Reader, the Google toolbar and more. See http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/switch.html for links.

Firefox extensions are available to add the functionality or features that you want to your browser. They can add anything from a toolbar button to a completely new feature. See https://update.mozilla.org/extensions/?application=firefox

Robert Reed
November, 2004.