Don't Click on the Blue E!: Switching to Firefox (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: bookmarks toolbar, live bookmarks, page style, Internet Explorer, The Problem, Getting Started (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Readers who are dissatisfied with Internet Explorer will find this book an extremely useful guide to one of the best web browsers around." - John Bryant, BJHC&IM, September 2005

Product Description

For all those surfers who have slowly grown disenchanted with Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser, "Don't Click on the Blue E!" from O'Reilly is here to help. It offers non-technical users a convenient roadmap for switching to a better web browser--Firefox.

The only book that covers the switch to Firefox, "Don't Click on the Blue E!" is a must for anyone who wants to browse faster, more securely, and more efficiently. It takes readers through the process step-by-step, so it's easy to understand. Schools, non-profits, businesses, and individuals can all benefit from this how-to guide.

Firefox includes most of the features that browser users are familiar with, along with several new features other browsers don't have, such as a bookmarks toolbar and window tabs that allow users to quickly switch among several web sites. There is also the likelihood of better security with Firefox.

All indications say that Firefox is more than just a passing fad. With the USA Today and Forbes Magazine hailing it as superior to Internet Explorer, Firefox is clearly the web browser of the future. In fact, as it stands today, already 22% of the market currently employs Firefox for their browsing purposes.

"Don't Click on the Blue E!" has been written exclusively for this growing audience. With its straightforward approach, it helps people harness this emerging technology so they can enjoy a superior--and safer--browsing experience.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 267 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; illustrated edition edition (May 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596009399
• ISBN-13: 978-0596009397
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #484,658 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #86 in

  Books > Computers & Internet > Home Computing > Internet > Web Browsers

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Look Out Bill, May 9, 2005

By	Todd Hawley (San Francisco CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Firefox is a growing phenomenon, a Web browser alternative to Internet Explorer that the book argues in many ways is superior to IE (hence the book's title). This book talks about why switching to Firefox is a good idea and also discusses in detail its many features. It's also an enjoyable and fast read. Some sections you can skim over (if you have experience using Web browsers as most of us do), and throughout the book you can refer back to a specific section. In fact, I did just that to find out how to install ForecastFox, a Firefox extension which forecasts the weather in whatever location you specify over the next several days.

And yes extensions, themes (aka "skins"), and tabs are just three of many features that makes Firefox much more fun than IE, and are features discussed in this book. It starts off with a brief history of the web browser origins, goes through the "epic browser wars" of the mid to late 1990s and brings us to today. Next up is a chapter about installing and configuring Firefox (reasonably easy to do). And then is a chapter about Firefox's features, everything from how various menu choices work to customizing your toolbar. Chapter Four discusses Firefox "Extensions" (or plug ins) and themes which let you customize your version of Firefox even more. The book's last chapter is devoted to items "power users" might enjoy, although clearly most users with a little practice could quickly learn. There's also back matter describing other browsers available. It's nice to know there are alternatives to the "dreaded" IE.

I regret not "switching" to Firefox sooner than I have, but better late than never. I'm glad a book like this is available for those of us choosing to join the trend towards Firefox. And with Microsoft reportedly planning to charge users for the next version of IE, I suspect more and more people will be using Firefox in the future.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A basic primer on Firefox and why you would want to use it, June 12, 2005

By	Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This book is basically a primer on making the switch to Firefox as your web browser of choice. While Firefox is a better browser in many ways, it is not without its problems. For example, occasionally you run across a website that is poorly written and has sections that are specific to Microsoft Explorer and Microsoft update will only allow Explorer to use the update feature.

So, why change from Internet Explorer? Even with the newer versions it always seems to be a step or two behind other Internet browsers. Firefox is wonderfully convenient with tabbed browsing, better support for web standards, greater user control, and security that is so much better than Explorer as to make Explorer security appear to be non-existent. It has better pop-up blocking and far fewer infections from spyware and other malicious code. Since switching two years ago and adding GhostSurf I have not had any spyware or other infections. I spend a lot of time on the Internet and would become infested on an almost daily basis, but not anymore.

This book is designed for the person who wants to make the switch or wants to try out Firefox. Firefox can run alongside with Internet Explorer so you can learn how to use it while still having the ability to use Internet Explorer's update service and similar Microsoft only items. The authors do a good job of explaining how to setup Firefox, how to use it effectively and even how to tweak it with extensions so it works the way you want it to work. "Don't Click on the Blue e!" is highly recommended and an excellent resource for people looking to improve their browsing experience.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun Firefox read with some very nice features..., May 24, 2005

By	Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Since I've already read and reviewed a couple of books on the Firefox browser, I didn't expect much new material in the latest title to hit the shelves... Don't Click On The Blue E! - Switching To Firefox by Scott Granneman (O'Reilly). But to my pleasant surprise, this actually was better than I initially thought...

Chapter List: The Problem With The Blue E; Installing And Configuring Firefox; Firefox Features; Killer Firefox Add-ons; Advanced Firefox; Other Web Browsers; Firefox Options; Index

First off, it doesn't look like a typical O'Reilly book. It's a multicolored cover with a full color wolf on the front (there just *has* to be an animal on the front!). It also doesn't spend a lot of time in the purely technical arena, either. The tone is much lighter than what you'd normally see in an O'Reilly title. The author is unabashedly a Firefox fan (and an Internet Explorer basher), so you'll get plenty of opinion interspersed with the facts and details of Firefox. If you're looking for an unbiased comparison, look elsewhere. Granneman doesn't have much nice to say about IE. But it does make for a fun read.

As for content, there's the typical coverage on features, security, flexibility, and all the "selling points" you've heard about Firefox. But there's also some material that wasn't in every other book. In the first chapter, he covers the history of browser development from the beginning up until now. You've probably heard and read all of this before, but having the story all in one place gives you an appreciation for where we've been and how far we've come. I also liked his coverage of Firefox extensions. Every author has his own favorite ones that make the browsing experience special. Reading about how others use Firefox is always useful in that it gives me ideas on how I can alter my browsing experience. Finally, Granneman does an *excellent* job of referencing all his information at the end of each chapter. You'll find an abundance of links to additional sites and white papers that will add to your understanding. Those references are almost worth the price of the book by themselves...

Even if you've already picked up a Firefox book, you might want to consider getting this one also. It's a fun read that will definitely add to your Firefox knowledge and experience...