March 17, 2012

Got Windows 64-bit and want the latest Firefox? Try Waterfox 11 instead

Hot on the heels of the slightly delayed official unveiling of Firefox 11 FINAL comes  Waterfox 11.0 , an optimized build of the Firefox source code for Windows 64-bit users.

Waterfox 11.0 contains exactly the same updates as Firefox 11 (see below), plus one major change of its own, a switch from AMD’s Core Math Library (ACML) to the AMD LibM library, which is optimized for 64-bit processors.

Aside from the change to AMD LibM library, Waterfox 11.0 has also been compiled with a new set of flags from the original Firefox 11.0 source code, which should help improve performance further. Other changes, as expected, simply mirror what are already present in Firefox 11.

These include limited support for importing data from Google Chrome, the ability to synchronize add-ons via Firefox Sync, updated support for various HTML5 and CSS standards and redesigned media controls for HTML5 video. Waterfox 11 also includes the two enhancements for developers: a CSS Style Inspector and Tilt (3D) view for HTML pages.

64-bit users wishing to switch to Waterfox 11.0 will need to install 64-bit versions of JavaAdobe Flash Player and, if required,  Microsoft Silverlight .

Note that Waterfox uses exactly the same preferences and user files as Firefox, which makes switching painless on the one hand, but does mean you should uninstall the program with care should you wish to revert back to the 32-bit version of Firefox: make sure you deselect any option to delete your personal preferences and files before proceeding to remove the program.

Waterfox 11.0 is a free download for PCs running 64-bit versions of Windows XP, Vista and 7. Other users looking for a version of Firefox that has been optimized for speed and performance should check out  Pale Moon 9.2 instead. Although not as updated as frequently as Firefox itself, Pale Moon’s developer has  hinted that a new build based on Firefox 11 may surface this month.

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March 3, 2012

Install Multiple Versions Of Firefox With Utilu Mozilla Firefox Collection

By Aatif Khan on Jun 30 2010 2 Comments
  • Mozilla Firefox, being the powerful web browser that it is, also happens to be one of the largely used ones. So much so that web developers often have to keep in view how a certain webpage would get rendered by the Gecko engine, the technology behind Firefox. With many versions existing and each having its own uses, it has to be taken into account that all versions of the popular browser are able to display the page as it should be.
Utilu Mozilla Firefox Collection was developed with the same concept in mind. This utility is basically a combination of various versions of Firefox browser, all standalone, so that they can be used at the same time.
At the time of installation, you can choose which versions of the browser you want to install. A full installation will put all versions of Firefox on your machine, right from the first one to the latest. This essentially is meant for web developers and programmers, who can see how a certain content would render in each version. You also get three plug-ins/add-ons with the full installation.
Usage is not rocket science here. With Utilu installed, you get plenty of icons on your desktop, one for each different version of Firefox and one for Utilu itself. Run this one to get a dialog box where you can enter any file path or URL, and it will get opened in all installed versions of Firefox browser. You can even enter multiple URLs enclosed in quotes and separated by spaces, and they will render in separate tabs.
Additional features brought by Utilu include:
  • It can open one or more local files and/or URLs in all installed versions of Mozilla Firefox with a single click
  • It can appear in the context menu of Windows Explorer, so a file can be opened in every installed version of Mozilla Firefox directly
  • It can display the version number of Mozilla Firefox in the title bar
  • It includes a number of window resizing options for the Web Developer add-on, settings for all common resolutions like 800×600, 1024×768, 1280×1024, 1440×900 and 1600×1200 are included
  • It can be installed for all users, so it’s available for everyone
  • It can be installed and used silently, it’s possible to create an unattended installation and use all functions using command line parameters
  • It even works under the most restricted user accounts after installation, only the installation needs to be done by someone with Administrator privileges
  • It supports both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows 98, 98 SE, ME, NT 4.0, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008 and 7
It may be noted here that Firefox versions 3.0 and above do not support Windows 98, ME and NT 4.0, so don’t expect these to get installed if you are running of these OS.
We tested Utilu Mozilla Firefox Collection on Windows 7 32-bit.
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April 17, 2010

Pale Moon 3.6.3

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Publisher: Moonchild Productions
Last updated: April 15, 2010
File Size: 7.7 MB
OS Support: Windows (all)
License: Freeware
Downloads: 272
User Rating: Not rated yet  (0 votes)
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Publisher's Description

Custom-built and optimized Firefox browsers for Windows.

Why settle for a basic build of your Firefox browser on Windows Operating Systems when you can have one that performs 25% faster? Mozilla does not provide optimized browser packages for Windows, while many Linux ("from scratch") users get the advantage of a browser built specifically for their system. That needs to change! So, here is the Pale Moon project: Custom-built and optimized Firefox browsers for Windows Operating Systems. Make sure to get the most speed out of your browser!

Of course, getting a faster browser is not just about optimizing the compilation process (building a program from its source code), but also about carefully choosing features and how to choose the best setup. This means that this browser, however extremely close to Firefox, does not have all the functions that Firefox has. A few, carefully selected, features have been disabled that are not in high demand, and that do not interfere with the way web pages are displayed or function; all to maximize speed and efficiency of the browser. Please see the page with technical details to learn exactly what the browser supports, and what it doesn't support. In short, if you need accessibility features or parental controls, then please visit the firefox homepage and get the official, non-optimized build.

Features:

* Highly optimized for current processors
* 100% Firefox sourced: As safe as the browser that has seen years of development.
* Uses slightly less memory because of disabled redundant and optional code
* Significant speed increases for page drawing and script processing
* Support for SVG and Canvas
* Support for Firefox extensions, themes and personas

System Requirements:

* Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista/Seven, 32-bit or 64-bit (64-bit O.S.es are not natively supported, but the browser will run fine on them)
* A 7th generation or later processor with SSE2 support like a Pentium IV or Athlon 64 or later (see list of supported processors) Standard Pale Moon will NOT run on Athlon XP processors! Please GO HERE if you are running on an Athlon XP or Athlon MP processor machine.
* 64 MB of RAM (128 MB or more recommended)
* At least 35 MB of free (uncompressed) disk space

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Six Obscure Web Browsers You Might Love

Six Obscure Web Browsers You Might Love

It used to be that Firefox, Opera and others were the "alternative" Web browsers, but in an age of forced ballot screens that's not entirely accurate. In fact, one could say that the more experienced a user is the further and faster they run from Internet Explorer.

Excluding the "big five" you're undoubtedly familiar with (IE, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and Safari), there are many little-known browsers that are potentially even more suitable for your needs, no matter how basic or advanced.

This week we are taking a look at six truly alternative browsers and what separates them from the rest of the pack. This is far from an all-inclusive list, and we'd love to hear if you happen to be using any of these yourself or perhaps there's yet another unheard of browser that we missed. In alphabetical order, the browsers:

Arora
Platforms: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, BSD, Haiku
Engine: WebKit

Why you care: Arora is an open source, cross-platform program that has a sensible feature set for the average user, such as built-in ad blocking, private browsing, session management and anything else you might expect from a basic browser. It's a worthy alternative to Chrome (it's based on the same WebKit engine) if you're interested in a lightweight solution but want something not branded by Google.

Download: Windows, Mac OS X, more

Camino
Platforms: Mac OS X
Engine: Based on Gecko, written in Objective-C Cocoa

Why you care: Camino's on a mission to provide the best possible browsing experience for OS X users, and it has integrated support for many of the operating system's services, such as Keychain, Bonjour, and Growl. Considering its specialized feature set, it's certainly a worthwhile replacement for Safari, Firefox or any other browser you might be using on your Mac.

Download: online purchase viagra OS X 10.4 or later, more

Flock
Platforms: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux
Engine: Gecko, Firefox codebase

Why you care: Flock has integrated features for popular social media services out of the box, including Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, Blogger, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. Additionally, it's based on Firefox, so you should be familiar with it from the get-go. Some advanced users might still prefer Firefox along with an army of add-ons, but Flock could be useful for less tech savvy socialites.

Download: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, more

K-Meleon
Platforms: Windows
Engine: Gecko

Why you care: K-Meleon's interface is extremely customizable and it uses a Windows native interface making it easy on system resources. You can consider this the Camino for Windows. Further optimized and portable derivatives are available, including one that claims it is the least resource intensive browser for Windows that uses an up-to-date rendering engine.

Download: Windows, more

Maxthon
Platforms: Windows
Engine: Trident

Why you care: Extremely popular in China, the browser has even received funding from well-known investors to continue its development. Maxthon crams a ton of features into the base install (sort of like Opera) without sacrificing the compatibility of IE's Trident rendering engine. Version 3.0 (currently in alpha) can switch between both Trident and WebKit to render Web pages.

Download: Windows, more

Pale Moon
Platforms: Windows
Engine: Gecko, Firefox codebase

Why you care: It's a Windows-optimized clone of Firefox that could offer you a slight performance boost — up to 25% on some SunSpider rendering and scripting tests they claim, while using less system memory. The speed gains come without a catch, since the browser should work with most of your Firefox extensions. In fact, it should automatically detect and make use of your existing Firefox profile upon installation, so it's a hassle-free "migration."

Download: Windows, more

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February 20, 2010

Create Your Own Cloud with Opera Unite

how long does viagra stay in your system align=”center”>Tech Tips - 255

Create Your Own Cloud with Opera Unite

by Scott Nesbitt – February 14, 2010

Cloud computing. It's one of the big buzzwords in the tech world. And whether you're excited by it or turned off by it, cloud computing has the potential to change the way we use our desktop computers, laptop computers, and netbooks.

The idea behind cloud computing is to move applications off your desktop and on to the Web. That opens a very large digital can of worms, though. While you get access to your favorite applications no matter where you are, your information is in someone else's hands. You don't get much control.

Why not create your own cloud? Under normal circumstances, this is difficult even if you have experience programming Web applications. You can do the deed on your desktop computer or laptop computer for free using the Opera Web browser and a feature of that browser called Opera Unite.

What is Opera Unite?

A feature of Opera version 10 or later, Opera Unite is a file and application server. Whereas a traditional server can be difficult to set up, you can get up and running with Opera Unite with just a few mouse clicks. More on this in a moment.

Using Opera Unite, you can share files and collaborate with anyone. And, for the most part, they don't need to be using Opera. The files and applications that you're serving can be accessed with any Web browser.

With Opera Unite, you get a a unique URL that gives you and your collaborators access to your Opera Unite server. With Opera Unite, you can:

  • Share files and photos
  • Run a basic Web server
  • Have instant messenger chats
  • Play music files on your computer
  • Share notes
  • Back up files
  • Use Twitter

And more.

Note: If you have more questions about Opera Unite, you might want to check out the very detailed FAQ.

How does it work?

Opera Unite is built into the Opera Web browser. You need to enable and configure it. That's a surprisingly simple process that only takes a few clicks.

To get going, download and install Opera. Start the browser and then select Tools > Opera Unite Server > Enable Opera Unite. This will start a wizard that will walk you through the process. Two things you'll have to do are sign up for a My Opera account and create a name for your computer.

Your Opera user name and computer name identify your PC to the DNS server run by the folks at Opera Software. The DNS server directs all traffic  to your Opera Unite server using a specific URL. When you or your friends want to access the Opera Unite server that you're running, you'll type http://yourcomputer.yourname.operaunite.com – for example, http://zen.scottnesbitt.operaunite.com.

If you want to stop Opera Unite, click the Unite icon in the bottom left corner of the browser window and select Stop.

It's all about the applications

You've got Opera Unite running. Now what? The best place to start is with the built-in applications. You can access these applications by clicking the panel button in the top left corner of the Opera window, and then clicking the Opera Unite icon (the third one from the top).

There are six applications bundled with Unite:

  • File Sharing – exchange any type of file with your friends and colleagues
  • Web Server – host a Web site
  • Messenger – exchange text messages with other people in the My Opera community
  • Fridge – A collaborative sticky note system
  • Media Player – Play the music files on your computer, anywhere you are
  • Photo Sharing – Displays a directory of your photos as a gallery

By default, the applications aren't running. You can start them by double-clicking the application in the panel.

Remember that you can make the applications visible to everyone, or just give selected people access. For the latter, Opera Unite assigns the application a password. You might want to change that password – the default is four or five characters. Not the most secure passwords around.

I usually use the File Sharing and Media Player applications the most. But to create your own cloud with Opera Unite, you can install any of the available ones from the Opera Unite Web site. There were only 42 applications out there at the time this TechTip was written, but there probably will be more coming down the pike in the near future.

Applications: interesting and useful

Not every application will be of use to everyone. Here are a few of my favorites.

My business partner and I have different schedules and work in different parts of the city. A lot of our collaboration and brainstorming takes place online. When we brainstorming ideas, the Whiteboard application comes in handy. It lets us sketch out ideas and add corrections or comments. All without getting marker on our hands or shirts.

While the File Sharing application is good, it's download only. I often work away from my home office using a netbook. Running Opera Unite on my main computer with the Document Sync and Document Courier applications, I can exchange files between the computers and synchronize any changes. Sort of like the online file sharing services that were covered in a previous TechTip.

Like everyone else, I have a lot to do. Keeping up with all of those tasks requires a lot of work on my part. The Task Manager application makes that a lot easier. I use it as a simple online to-do list, and often share it with my wife so we both know what we're up to and can fit things into our schedules.

Finally, as someone who co-owns a small business I often have meetings with multiple people: my business partner, people I'm collaborating  with, clients and prospective clients. It's tough to nail down a date and time where we can all meet. That's why I find Meet so useful. It's a meeting calendar, but one which allows invitees to vote on the date and time of a meeting. It sure beats juggling a bunch of emails and phone calls .

If you want to install an application, find it at the Opera Unite Web site, (in Opera, of course) and click the Install Application button.

Final thoughts

Opera Unite is definitely useful. In the short term, it might not replace your favorite desktop or Web applications. The lack of applications available for it could be a turn off. But remember that Opera Unite hasn't been around for all that long. Its application ecosystem is small but it is growing.

In fact, it might be the start of the next step in using the Web: giving the average computer user a quick and simple way to create their own little clouds.

Thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment or to post in the forums.

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