| INSTALL FIREFOX WEB BROWSER |
Firefox is a web browser that is mainly for website developers and people who like ADD-ONs (Apps and so on). Meaning, in general you use Internet Explorer 9 for
its safety and security features (i.e. for online banking purposes), Google Chrome for its speed and Firefox for its flexibility features (i.e. its ADD-ONs).
The reason for making this section is because more and more people are reading about how Firefox is a more flexible and user friendly web browser in the way it
operates and therefore want to try it out. Its ability to download and manage ADD-ONs (Extension programs/tools) is one example and more precisely its ability to
pick out ADD-ONs that cater for the user's needs. There are many extensions that cater for the website designer and book authors for example - Extensions that
allow them to check their coding/writing, do word counts and so on. There are extensions for different Audio/Video formats and Languages. You can also switch off
a web page's element (i.e. block flash movies) and view world clocks. And I've only scratched the surface.
In this example I have assumed you have already downloaded the Firefox Setup file (Installation Wizard) by clicking on its website's FREE DOWNLOAD button (not shown here), either by visiting its website directly http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/, via a search (i.e. search Google for firefox download) or by clicking on the above link. In this example I have downloaded the Firefox Setup file into my Downloads folder. If you need to see an example of saving (downloading and saving) a file from a website see the beginning of the previous, QuickTime, section.
To install Firefox begin by double clicking on the Firefox Setup 10.0.2 exe file, which contains both Firefox and the files needed to install it - the Installation Wizard. Doing so will bring up a standard security requester (Fig 1.1 below) that asks you if it is okay to RUN (execute/launch) the set up file. If you trust the Mozilla Corporation click on the RUN button to continue, otherwise cancel everything by clicking on the CANCEL button.
The installation wizard in this example is a whole download, which means the software (firefox) and the installation wizard (set up files/instructions)
have been built side-by-side, as one file, for downloading. This is because Mozilla can afford the bandwidth (download units) needed for each download.
Many companies these days have decided it is best to download the installation wizard separately so that it can carry out eligibility checks first - Is
your computer running Windows? Do you have enough Memory and so on. Therefore avoiding a whole download (bandwidth costs to them and you).
Normally you RUN an installation wizard because you want to download the software straight away. However. There may be times when you want the software downloaded
later and only want the installation wizard saved now (i.e. you might only want to carry out the eligibility checks, perhaps on your computer and a
friend's computer - Remember though. Eligibility checks may need an internet connection and therefore may not be possible otherwise. Hence why it is best
to RUN the installation wizard at the time and not later. In other words, the SAVEd installation wizard file might not work as mentioned if it needs a
constant internet connection to the software's server throughout the installation process for example). With Mozilla allowing you to download firefox as
one file (a whole download) you have the benefit of installing it on multiple computers, with the same downloaded file (i.e. you could download it from
an internet cafe onto your flash drive and then install it on your friend's computer later).
After clicking on the RUN button (above) the set up file extracts the installation instructions/components for the installation wizard and firefox (Fig 1.2 below). So the set up file in this case is really a compressed (shrunk) file that needs to be decompressed (expanded), like a .zip file. Once it has decompressed the UAC (User Account Control) security requester appears (Fig 1.3) - Click on its CONTINUE button to continue.
User Account Control (UAC) is a feature of Windows 7 that helps to prevent unauthorized changes to the computer, such as deleting a system file or installing software. When attempting to install Firefox the UAC security requester above appears and automatically blocks you off, because it wants to know if you are the one attempting to install Firefox and not a piece of malicious software for example. In the above case simply click on the CONTINUE button to continue, or on the CANCEL button to cancel the installation process.
The next window to appear is the first Installation Wizard window - its Welcome message. Simply click on its NEXT button to begin the actual installation of Firefox.
At any time throughout the installation process you can click on the Cancel button, if a Cancel button
is available of course. However. One thing to bare in mind is that even if you click on a Cancel button
the installation process might have gone too far for it to be stopped, cancelled and/or reversed. So
think very carefully before deciding to install any thing onto your computer.
After the Welcome message you might see the above License Agreement, depending on your setup and firefox version. For example. At this time I did
not see the License Agreement in this version of firefox (10.0.2) but this does not mean it will not appear in future versions of firefox, because it might.
With some, general software, installations for example you only need to agree to the Terms & Conditions of a license once. Future installations of
that software then ignore displaying the license agreement window because they know you have previously agreed. Anyway. If you do see a firefox License
Agreement displayed simply agree to its Terms & Conditions before continuing.
Read the License Agreement carefully. Although these tend to contain useless information, they usually explain Copyright issues or Usage issues that clarify who can use the software and who cannot. So if, for example, you are told that a certain piece of software is Free and/or Free To Use you may want to clarify this by reading the agreement. Some installation wizards do not allow you to continue, by fading out the CONTINUE button, until you have read (scrolled down) the license agreement. With Firefox, when you have read the agreement, if you agree with it simply put a tick next to I ACCEPT THE TERMS IN THE LICENCE AGREEMENT before clicking on the NEXT button to continue.
The next window gives you a choice on whether or not you want to customize the installation with regards to picking which Folder firefox uses for its installation files and future updated files and which icons to create (Desktop icon, Quick Launch Toolbar icon and/or Start Menu folder). If you want the installation wizard to decide these things for you simply leave the STANDARD option set and then click on the NEXT button to continue (continue to Fig 1.10 below). In this example I will go through the two custom stages.
In Fig 1.7 below, you don't have to BROWSE for a different folder for the installation files just because you chose to use the CUSTOM option. The BROWSE option is simply giving you the choice. If there are any custom options you do not want to change simply leave them as they are, on their default settings.
By default the options in Fig 1.8 above are all set (switched on/ticked). They are to do with where you want the firefox shortcut links putting, if anywhere. You can have a shortcut link put on the Desktop and/or in the Start Menu (ALL PROGRAMS), and/or on the Quick Launch Toolbar if you are using Windows XP for example. If you do not want a shortcut link creating in one of those places simply untick its option before clicking on the NEXT button to continue.
Windows 7 Note: Any option that may include placing an icon in the Quick Launch Toolbar (depending on the version of firefox you are installing) does not
appear to work (even though it does) because no icon is placed on the new Quick Launch Toolbar - The new quick launch toolbar of Windows 7 is technically
made up of the three programs on the left-side of the START Menu button.
The original Windows XP and Windows Vista type of quick launch toolbar has been purposely disabled in Windows 7 (see
here for more information).
Therefore you will either have to create a desktop icon for firefox and then drag it onto the taskbar or simply use the PIN TO TASKBAR menu-item of
the icon. I tend to go into the Program Files folder, look for a program's folder (i.e. Mozilla Firefox) and then use its program icon (i.e. Firefox) to
PIN TO TASKBAR.....as exampled below.
If you choose to make Firefox your default web browser (see below) the above said will not be applicable as Firefox 10.0.2 pins its icon to the Windows 7
taskbar in this case.
Regardless if you chose the CUSTOM install or STANDARD install you will end up on the actual install window, below. Simply click on the INSTALL button to begin the actual installation of Firefox.
In Fig 1.10 above you are given a summary of the destination folder for the installation files, on the Install window. Also on that window is the option
to have Firefox as the default web browser. Leave the option USE FIREFOX AS MY DEFAULT WEB BROWSER ticked if you want firefox to become your normally-used
(default) web browser, otherwise untick that option to leave your current web browser (i.e. Internet Explorer) as your normally-used (default) web browser.
When firefox has finished installing click on the FINISH button (Fig 1.12 above) to complete the installation process. If you leave the LAUNCH FIREFOX
NOW option ticked Firefox will be launched after clicking on the FINISH button.
| THE IMPORT WIZARD |
When firefox is launched for the first time you are greeted by the Import Wizard. This is a wizard launched
by Firefox, and not from the now completed Installation Wizard (set up file) which closed when you clicked
on the FINISH button in Fig 1.12 above. Therefore. Any options you change/apply or do not change/apply
using this import wizard cannot affect the firefox installation, because firefox is now installed.
The first option of the import wizard is the option to import settings from Internet Explorer. In this example I chose to import my Internet Explorer
settings - Bookmarks (Favorites), History, Passwords and so on. If I did not want to import any settings at all I would of clicked on the DON'T IMPORT
ANYTHING radio (circle) button before clicking on the NEXT button to continue.
The next option asks you what Home Page you want to use with firefox. The home page is the first web page that is downloaded and displayed when you open firefox. You can choose between the Firefox home page and the home page of the web browser (i.e. Internet Explorer) you are importing from. In this I am importing from Internet Explorer and will therefore be importing www.google.com as my home page, because that is the home page (web page) I use (have set up) in internet explorer. When you have selected your home page option click on the NEXT button to begin the Import process.
When the import process has completed click on the FINISH button to close the Import Wizard window. Now firefox is ready for use without any more set up. Or is it? If you want to use WMV (Windows Video) files, for example, with firefox you will need to download and install the Windows Media Player firefox ADD-ON (Extension) first. ADD-ONs are explained and exampled in the next section along with other general usage examples.
Above is an example of firefox displaying my Click Wise Computer Services web page, with a HTML Code Validator ADD-ON installed. The ADD-ON displays a green tick mark in the bottom-right corner of the firefox web browser whenever a website's code has passed the W3Schools (Internet) HTML Standard, which is a useful add-on that can be found on the firefox website. Another useful ADD-ON is the FoxClocks add-on, also displayed at the bottom of firefox, that allows you to see the time in many different countries.
Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation. As stated here by the Microsoft Corporation.
