Review: Splash

Firefox, especially if you have lots of extensions, does take sometime to start up. There are times I wonder is it loading? So I click the icon again thinking may be it didn’t work the first time around. Then I end up with Fx opened up in two windows. This is not a big deal, I just closed the extra browser window.

Then I discovered a simple and customizable solution, the Splash extension. When you start Firefox a “Splash” (loading) screen will appear when Firefox is starting up. The default image is taken from the graphic that is displayed on your About Firefox screen. However, you can customize and make your own “Splash” Screen as seen below:

Default Fx Splash Screen

My Custom Fx Splash Screen
(image courtesy of Mr Tech’s Firefox Splash Screens)

The extension is really simple to setup via its Options menu:
Tools >> Add-ons (or Extensions), Splash and then click Options.
Note: If you are having trouble with Splash’s Options window “rolling-up” this can be fixed via about:config by changing browser.preferences.animateFadeIn to False.

The options screen allows the following customizations:

• Choose the image to be displayed
• Add background text
• Choose the size of the splash screen
• Specify how long the screen will be displayed
• Play a sound file on start-up
• plus more

Splash is about 24K and works with Firefox 1.5 – 3.0a2 and does create the illusion Firefox is loading quicker!

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Related Articles:

• Update: Splash Screens
• FastStone Capture No Longer Free

Fx Add-ons Overhaul Pt 3.5

[Part 1][Part 2][Part 3][Part 3.5][Part 4][Part 4.5]

Just a quick update (thus the pt 3.5) on the status of the Firefox Add-on Overhaul. Some good news from the Mozilla Webdev Blog in response to a complaint (not mine) in regards to the lack of an Advanced Search feature:

“fwenzel@mozilla.com Says:
February 14th, 2007 at 10:37 pm

…Advanced search is on our list, and will come back.”

You can take a look at the preview site, but just keep in mind that this is a work in progress and due to the issues discussed in the Mozilla Webdev Blog, the site may be inaccessible or not function as desired at times.

Fx Cookie Vulnerability

A recent Vulnerability involving Fx 2.0.0.1 (and possibly 1.5.0.* builds) has been exposed. The vulnerability (Bug 370445) could allow a malicious web site to impersonate an authentic one and set a cookie on its behalf. Due to Fx 2.0.0.2 already in RC status and due out in a few days, plus the bug is still being worked it is doubtful this will be fixed in this upcoming build. Likely we will see this fixed in Fx 2.0.0.3 (and if affects the 1.5.0.X builds, 1.5.0.11). In the mean time you can apply this simple fix via about:config…

• In a new tab, enter about:config in the location bar to access Firefox’s advanced preferences
• Right click on any preference and select New>String
• Enter capability.policy.default.Location.hostname.set for the preference name
• Enter noAccess for the preference value
• Restart Firefox

News Source: Mozilla Links

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Add-ons Promotion Contest

The other day an e-mail came into the Blog’s tips mailbox from Ken Saunders. Ken is an administrator for Spread Firefox and was inviting me to submit a review and join the Add-ons Promotion Contest. The timing of this e-mail invitation is a bit ironic as I was just discussing in the Firefox Add-ons Overhaul Pt 3 about the reviews options as part of the new Firefox Add-On site. The advertisement above gives the basic details of the contest and full details (rules, prizes, etc) can be found at Spread Firefox: Add-Ons Promotion Contest.

I have entered the contest with my recent review of CoLT. You can see all the participants and vote for your favorite add-ons (CoLT) reviews at the Firefox Addons Contest lens. Note: You will need to register for a FREE Squidoo account to vote (for CoLT).

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