Netbook Friendly Firefox Thread

Soldato
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Updated post to include more details, links, a new screenshot etc

I've been trying to squeeze as many vertical pixels out of Firefox as I can on my desktop for awhile now, but now that I have my netbook I've really pushed the boat out. This is what I have so far:

(Updated: 24/09/2009)
35530666.png

The bulk of it was done just by dragging stuff around and disabling the bookmarks toolbar space,navigation, status bar space and search box.

Extensions used:
  • Tinymenu - replaces the traditional menu with that button in the top left
  • Hide Caption Titlebar Plus - Gets rid of the titlebar and gives you those buttons in the tob right.
  • Greasemonkey - Used to run custom javascript (aka user scripts)
  • Stylish - Used to run custom css (aka user styles)

User styles used:
  • Bookmarks toolbar - icons only
  • Change the height of the tab bar
  • Force bookmarks toolbar display (stops firefox from collapsing the toolbar into a dropdown)
  • Remove the Search Magnifying Glass (Go) Button
  • Yellow https location bar

User scripts used:

  • Link tooltip

How to remove search bar and amend the address bar to do standard google searches:

Type about:config in the address bar and filter for keyword.url. By default the value for this preference should be:

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=

What that does is a google I'm feeling lucky search on any non web address you type in the location bar. So that said you want to change that value to the following:

http://www.google.com/search?btnG=Google+Search&q=

By setting it to that any non address you type in the location bar and hit return on will perform a proper google search and show you the results.


So has anyone else tried this sort of thing? Post pics and share tips if you've got them!
 
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Soldato
Joined
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Doesn't Firefox have support for searching in the addess bar anyway? When I whack something in that it doesn't recognise as a site it goes to the google search of it anyway. :confused:

Edit: try Fast Dial it means that I don't have bookmarks along the top.
 
Last edited:
Soldato
OP
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There was a plugin that 'merged' the search bar and the address bar - can't remember what that one was called though.

That's a fantastic idea, and I've worked out how to do it.

Type about:config in the address bar and filter for keyword.url. By default the value for this preference should be:

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=

What that does is a google I'm feeling lucky search on any non web address you type in the location bar. So that said you want to change that value to the following:

http://www.google.com/search?btnG=Google+Search&q=

By setting it to that any non address you type in the location bar and hit return on will perform a proper google search and show you the results.

It would be nice if there was a proper extension that let you switch search engines on the fly, but the above will do fine. Thinking about it I almost always use the google option anyway on the existing seach box, so this will do fine.

I'll update my op with this info when I get a chance. I want to put some links to the scripts I've used on there as well and put up some new screenshots. I don't have my netbook this weekend so I'll have to see if I can reproduce it on my lappy and set the screen res low.

edit:

Just had a look at it, and it seems you have to pass it arguments to get it to search properly. Is this right? If not then it renders the above useless but nevermind!
 
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Soldato
OP
Joined
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Location
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Personaly I'm trying to keep my view fairly static, don't like having bits popping in and out when I hover over them.

I had tried playing around with the minimal tabs user style but I don't how it changes the font size on tabs and gets rid of the new tab button. Feels like looking at the normal fonts above and then having to look at really small fonts on the tabs will screw up my eyes.

Is LittleFox no longer compatible?

Takes up too much space! :D
 
Last edited:
Soldato
OP
Joined
9 May 2005
Posts
7,401
Location
Berkshire
Doesn't Firefox have support for searching in the addess bar anyway? When I whack something in that it doesn't recognise as a site it goes to the google search of it anyway. :confused:

Edit: try Fast Dial it means that I don't have bookmarks along the top.

Doesn't it do a "I'm feeling lucky search" and take you straight to a site rather than display the results?

With regards to Fast Dial, I'm torn now. I really like having the bookmarks toolbar up the top there, but I love the look of this. I might see if I can use Fast Dial as my homepage.

edit: bahh double post.
 
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