Firefox and Thunderbird Garage

I started using Mozilla when it was still in beta mode and then progressed to Firefox when that came out in beta. Since then, the only time that I use IE is when there are pages that will not render correctly in Firefox. I have also been successful in converting several people at work including my manager to Firefox. The rumor mill has it that our VP of Information Technology is a big fan of Firefox to the point that he is considering making Firefox the preferred browser. This book covers Firefox and Thunderbird in two independent sections, which is only appropriate since they're two separate programs. The writing, however, is consistent throughout. Unlike other books that I have reviewed that have multiple authors, this book does not exude a conflict in writing styles. That and the easy-going style indicative of the Garage series make this an easy book to read and follow. I was impressed that security is considered to be the most important aspect of Firefox, second only the actual installation. Chapter two covers the various aspects of security in Firefox, including cookies, pop-up blocking, passwords, plug-in installation, and others, explaining what each of these bits of the Internet are and how they can affect the user's privacy and security, making most of these issues understandable to novices. The section about Thunderbird follows the same format. The first chapter explains how Thunderbird differs from Firefox as well as the multi-OS installation techniques. The book even explains all of the libraries that are necessary with Thunderbird on Linux. This is nice considering that libraries are often the bane of new, Linux users. One thing that's odd is that Firefox and Thunderbird are not included with book. I know that combined they're only about 10 MB worth of downloads, which is nothing compared to service pack 1 for Internet Explorer 6 which comes in at a whopping 61 MB; but what better way to entice people to use Firefox than to give it to them right there? One of the small, three-inch CDs would have been more than sufficient to hold the applications and perhaps some of the plug-ins and third-party utilities. I know that 10 MB is not a lot, but I also know people who will not even download files that are that big when what they have (namely Internet Explorer) already works. Firefox and Thunderbird Garage is a great book for anyone who wants to get away (or anyone whom you would like to get away) from Outlook and Internet Explorer. Lots of screen shots, an easy-to-follow format, and good organization make this a book that all, new Firefox and Thunderbird converts should have next to them at all times.

When it comes to Internet browser and newsreader software Firefox and Thunderbird are both considered to be one of the best available. Firefox is the browser of choice for me and has been for some time. This book is about getting under the hood and modifying your Firefox and Thunderbird to make them work the way you want them to and make your experience more pleasurable. Just like car enthusiasts will take a stock car and modify it to be their pride and joy, this book explains how to take the stock installation of Firefox and Thunderbird and make them work the way you wish a browser and newsreader would work. Filled with valuable advice and insight, the authors don't waste waste a lot of words trying to explain things you don't really need to know. Basically they point out an item that can be improved, describes how it can work better, and then walks you through how to implement the change. With multiple appendixes that are packed with very valuable information, Firefox & Thunderbird Garage is highly recommended.

If you look at this book for what it is, it is a five-star book. This book is attempting to bring Firefox mainstream. The director of Engineering for the firm is the author. That says a lot. The use of two-color printing is used very well. It makes for interesting and entertaining reading. Some of the material is elementary, but some of it contains tidbits that experienced users will find helpful. Some of it would take a beginner quite a while to find out. Firefox is taking the world by storm and this is a good guide for quite a large portion of those new users. Competition is a good thing!

I'm not really a fan of the Garage series but this one is surprisingly good. The walktrhough goes from beginner to advanced use. And I found a lot of things that were new to me even as a long-time Firefox user. There is good coverage of the extensions that you can add in. Graphics are used well but not overused. And there are only a few of the 'survey' style segments that are so frequently used in books that cover browsers. Definitely worth the look if you think you aren't getting the most out of your browser (and you probably aren't.)

If you've been thinking about switching to Firefox and/or Thunderbird for web browser and email, this book can help you make that switch successfully... Firefox & Thunderbird Garage by Chris Hofmann, Marcia Knous, and John Hedtke. Chapter List: Firefox - Getting Started; Protecting Your Security and Privacy; Ridding Yourself of the Annoyances of the Web; Searching the Web; BLOG - Websites to Waste Your Time With; Bookmarks and History; Harnessing the Power of Tabbed Browsing; Customizing Firefox with Third-Party Extensions and Themes; BLOG - Managing Your Blog with Extensions; Other Interesting Features; BLOG - Literary Blogs Through the Ages Thunderbird - Getting Started with Mozilla Thunderbird; Setting Up Your Mail, RSS, and Newsgroup Accounts Using Mozilla Thunderbird; Protecting Your Privacy and Blocking Spam; BLOG - Phishing; Organizing Your Email Topics; BLOG - My Email Tirade of the Day; Customizing the Look and Feel of Mozilla Thunderbird; Appendices - Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts for Firefox; Keyboard and Mouse Shortcuts for Thunderbird; Menu Commands for Firebox; Menu Commands for Thunderbird; Hacking Configuration Files; Security, Certificates, and Validation; Glossary There are many things to like about this book. For one, the Garage series is an irreverent style of writing that conveys a lot of information in an entertaining, conversational fashion. In addition to the regular text (that is well illustrated), there are useful sidebars like Tool Kits and Fridges that go slightly off-topic but add some really nice tricks to your computing repertoire. The material on Firefox and Thunderbird is extremely practical without getting bogged down in geeky details that are of little use to the normal user. You could probably figure out a lot of this information on your own if you plugged away long enough, but by taking a little time to read this book, you'll become much more proficient with little effort. I personally liked the sections on themes and extensions. The extension concept is one of the most powerful features of Firefox, and knowing that you can add functionality to your browser with a simple download will change the way you surf the web. The authors cover a wide array of extensions, so you should find at least one or two immediate "must have" additions that you'll want to investigate. Granted, the world of extensions and add-on software is constantly changing, so what you see in the book will change over time. But still, it will at worst give you an impression of what's available out there. An excellent book for the new Firefox or Thunderbird user, and one that will give you enough new material to keep you learning for quite awhile. Highly recommended.