firefox browser firefox browser and extensions thunderbird email (maybe) danbury area computer...

Firefox Browser

Firefox Browser and Extensions

Thunderbird Email (maybe)

Danbury Area Computer SocietyOctober 3, 2006

Jim Scheef, Immediate Past President

Firefox Browser

Firefox Browser

Is it really more secure?

1. No, not really2. Yes, way more secure

Firefox Browser

No, not really more secure

1. It has scripting for good and bad things2. It has vulnerabilities like zero-day

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6121608.html

3. No active anti-phishing4. No software is perfect5. It’s run by a human

Firefox Browser

Yes, way more secure

1. The smaller foot-print argument2. Patches come faster (maybe) as update releases

(forces you to update everything rather than individual patches)

Firefox Browser




3. Does not run Active-X

Firefox Browser




3. Does not run Active-X4. Displays target URL of any link5. Firefox users are smarter <chuckle>

Firefox Browser

Features I like

1. Automatic updates2. Extensions, thousands of extensions!3. Helpful little details

Firefox Browser

Extensions, Add-ons and Themes

● Customization is what makes Firefox great● Extensions are small programs written to run in a

Firefox interface (API)● There are thousands of extensions:

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/extensions/● Installing the wrong extension can blow your

security – read before you click● Add-ons are programs like Acrobat, etc.● Themes (skins) change the overall appearance

Firefox Browser

My Top Five Extensions

1. Plain Old Favourites – use IE favorites in Firefox

2. Roboform Toolbar – works just like the bar in IE

3. Yahoo Toolbar – Yahoo just a click away

4. Duplicate Tab – so handy you won’t believe it

5. Adblock – does just what it says

Firefox Browser

More Extensions

6. For developers: ColorZilla, Copy Plain Text, DOM Inspector

7. For usability: IE View, Firefox View, PDF Download, Tabbrowser Preferences, Sort Extensions and Themes

8. For fun or just plain weirdness: Leet Key9. For the paranoid: DNS Toolbar

Firefox Browser

How to make Firefox your default browser

1. Check boxes in Firefox preferences and Internet Options

2. Change behavior of the .htm and .html file extensions (also changes the icon)

3. Change the Start Menu (cosmetic only)

Firefox Browser

Change for Thunderbird

Uncheck for Firefox

Firefox Browser

Firefox Browser

Firefox 2.0

● Yes, it’s coming● Currently in RC1

Thunderbird Email Client


What is it?

● Standards-based (RFC compliant) email client● http://www.mozilla.com/thunderbird/



1. No, not really2. Yes, way more secure



● The same arguments apply – I really don’t know● Less market experience due to less publicity due

to smaller user base due to less market experience due to less publicity due…


What standards?

● POP3 – post office protocol– Most common– Messages stored on receiving computer

● IMAP4 – internet message access protocol– Messages remain on server– Optionally copied to local computer– Really useful when you use many computers– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Message_Access_

Protocol– Supported by Exchange


What standards?

● SMTP – simple mail transport protocol– Used for sending to an MTA (message transfer agent)

server – MTA finds the destination domain’s email server and

delivers the message also using SMTP


Why I think it’s cool

● Support for IMAP● Free● Many extensions● Seems to work well with AIM Mail (also free)

http://about.aol.com/faq/openmailaccess#othermail

We’re done

Questions and Discussion

firefox browser firefox browser and extensions thunderbird email (maybe) danbury area computer...

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