Help me Firefox a friend!

Meatball · 7 Jul 2006 at 23:23

Well I'M round a friend's house cleaning up a mess of a computer (didn't have any proper anti-virus or firewall, has 8 viruses so far and 12 bits of spyware including mywebsearch!) I've cut down 54processes in 26 and now I'm trying to persuade her to use Firefox. The only problems I can think of is Windows live messenger and many other programs by default load up pages in internet explorer. How can I change this?

Mr Men · 7 Jul 2006 at 23:24

you can change in add/remove programmes then set programme access, or it might be in the start menu if they aint removed it, set your browser to Firefox and untick the allow access at IE

Meatball · 7 Jul 2006 at 23:25

Mr Men said:
I think you can change in add/remove programmes then set programme access

I've tried setting Firefox to the default web browser but to no effect. When I go back in after Internet explorer is the default again :confused:

. What can I do in add/remove programs?

MarcLister · 7 Jul 2006 at 23:40

I think we've had threads on this before but it is late and I can't be bothered to search. I googled instead and found this on MozillaZine.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/MSN_Messenger and http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=msn+messenger+opens+links+in+firefox&btnG=Google+Search in general.

Hope this helps to convert your friend.

Meatball · 8 Jul 2006 at 01:15

MarcLister said:
I think we've had threads on this before but it is late and I can't be bothered to search. I googled instead and found this on MozillaZine.

http://kb.mozillazine.org/MSN_Messenger and http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=msn+messenger+opens+links+in+firefox&btnG=Google+Search in general.

Hope this helps to convert your friend.

great help, thanks!

MarcLister · 8 Jul 2006 at 01:17

Lost-Prophet said:
great help, thanks!

No problems. Hope you are able to convert your friend. If not, post back and we will have to plan some kind of conversion campaign and use some propaganda.

Mindriot · 8 Jul 2006 at 09:40

MarcLister said:
No problems. Hope you are able to convert your friend. If not, post back and we will have to plan some kind of conversion campaign and use some propaganda.

Start her off with this

Iceberg2 · 8 Jul 2006 at 21:10

TBH IE7 is not that bad. I have been a firfox user for along time but after trying ie 7 for some weeks, i have found it to be just as safe as firefox and surprisingly faster than fox on very many websites including OC forums. I dont want to admit it but IE 7 is definately quite good. There might be no need to convert your friend after all. Just install IE 7

Caged · 9 Jul 2006 at 00:34

IE6 with the information bar and IE7 have pretty much eliminated the accidental spyware install happening. And if you click random ActiveX dialog boxes asking you to install stuff then you deserve to get your machine infected with the Windows equivalent of cancer.

Fillado · 9 Jul 2006 at 01:27

http://johnhaller.com/jh/mozilla/firefox_internet_explorer/ (and http://ietab.mozdev.org/ for things like Windows Update)

bledd · 9 Jul 2006 at 03:05

ie is still utterly rubbish tho

ad banners and crappy google ads all over the shop

firefox with ablock plus and filterset g tidies things up as they should be!

hp7909 · 9 Jul 2006 at 07:29

My Dad also refuses to use Firefox :mad:

So installed SpywareBlaster on his PC. Noticed less or no spyware/etc when I run Ad-Aware often (also refuses to run that

wish it could outrun ). Also got Windows Defender in there which helps :cool:

Van Hellseek · 9 Jul 2006 at 10:01

for ages i was stubborn and refused to use anything but ie. now i hate it. firefox is sooo much better!

Meatball · 9 Jul 2006 at 11:36

hp7909 said:
My Dad also refuses to use Firefox So installed SpywareBlaster on his PC. Noticed less or no spyware/etc when I run Ad-Aware often (also refuses to run that wish it could outrun ). Also got Windows Defender in there which helps

Exactly what I done. I installed the new IE7beta3 so when she does use IE by mistake she's safe. I also installed Spywareblaster and spybot and cleaned 8 viruses and 12 bits of spyware (inc Mywebsearch... :mad:

).

csmager · 9 Jul 2006 at 16:31

bledd. said:
ie is still utterly rubbish tho

ad banners and crappy google ads all over the shop

IE7 + Admuncher + IE Mouse Gestures plugin for me. Used Firefox for over a year, but IE7's greater compatiblity with sites (esp OWA) & ActiveX (used on some sites, e.g. Egg Banking) make it preferable. Also feels quicker, even if it is only Beta 3.