How to disable the splash screen of Firefox portable 3.5

I have recently upgraded the installation of Firefox portable that I use at work from version 2.0.18 to the brand new version 3.5. I am very happy with the increase in performance, but this created an issue: the Firefox portable splash screen that I had disabled previously was back!

It was easy to disable the splash screen of old versions of Firefox portable: just start Firefoxportable.exe with the "- nosplashscreen" argument. Well, that does not work with Firefox portable 3.5 anymore! After some research I finally found out how to remove the splash screen on new versions of Firefox portable, it is just a bit more complicated:

1) On the drive where you installed firefox portable, go to the folder "FirefoxPortable\Other\Source"

2) In that folder you will find a file called "FirefoxPortable.ini", open that file with notepad

3) Locate the line with "DisableSplashScreen=false" and replace it by "DisableSplashScreen=true" like on the screenshot below.


4) Save the file and copy "FirefoxPortable.ini" to the "FirefoxPortable" directory (where you should find "FirefoxPortable.exe"


5) Restart Firefox portable 3.5, the splash screen should have been disabled!

Note that this is explained in the readme file in the same folder as "Firefoxportable.ini", but that file is not easy to find! For me it is important to disable the splash screen of Firefox portable because I don't want everybody around me to notice that I use that instead of the "company approved" browser (IE 6.0). I also wanted to upgrade Firefox to version 3.5 because it is much faster than Firefox 2 when rendering Javascript heavy pages like Gmail or iGoogle. Now my problem is solved!

How to buy a good keyboard: 5 things to check

The keyboard is often one of the most overlooked components in a computer. For a desktop most people tend to buy the cheapest model and be done with it, for a laptop the keyboard is usually not an important factor in buying decisions. I think that this is a grave mistake however as he keyboard is a very important interface to the computer and plays a critical part in ensuring a comfortable and safe computing experience. If possible, purchase your keyboard or laptop from a shop that has demo models available for you to "test type". When choosing your keyboard there are several things to pay attention to:

1: Key resistance

When trying to type, pay attention to the keys resistance: is the key resistance increasing as the key gets down or do you get a big impact at the end of the key's course? A good keyboard's key should have some resistance, as otherwise the impacts caused by typing could damage your finger's joints after years of typing.

2: Silence

Is the keyboard silent when you type on it? This is quite important if you work in a shared office, as the typing noise can annoy the people around you. This is also a good way to judge a keyboard overall quality, as higher end keyboard are usually quieter than cheap ones.

3: Keyboard size

some netbooks feature a reduced size keyboard. This means that the keys are physically smaller, making them harder to hit. Often the keys are not well separated, meaning that it is very easy to type on the wrong key by accident. If the keyboard is connect to a computer or that the netbook is switched on, start a text editor (notepad will do nicely) and try to type a few sentences at your normal speed. look if you often happened to hit two keys instead of one.

4: Wrist rests

Beside the keyboard itself, the place where your wrist will rest is also important. Do the keyboard have an integrated wrist rest? Is it possible to add one? Wrist rest are important for typing comfort and can help avoid RSI. In the case of a laptop also check that it is easy to keep your wrists clear of the touchpad when typing.

5: Wireless or Wired

Do you want a wireless keyboard? These are nice if used from the couch with a home theater PC but for desktop use they provide few advantages. Remember that wireless keyboards require that you keep batteries around, while wired keyboards don't. Using wireless keyboard with NiMH batteries is not a good idea because these batteries self discharge after 2 to 3 months, meaning that you need a freshly charged batteries when the ones in your keyboard run out. If you use a laptop pay attention to the size of the USB receiver: it must either be small enough to stay permanently in your laptop's USB port or it must be big enough to ensure you won't lose it. Some wireless keyboards provide a space to store the receiver, this is definitely a plus.

Keyboard recommendations

I would suggest that you stick with well known brands like Logitec or Microsoft. If you would like me to suggest a specific model, I would recommend the Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000if you want a cheap wired keyboard. This is the model I am using myself and it costs under $20. If you prefer a wireless solution I would advise that you look at the Logitech S520 Cordless Desktop. The wrist rest give this wireless keyboard a definite advantage over the competition.

For more Posts like this subscribe to Tech-no-Media

How to choose the best netbook computer?

Choosing the best netbook computer based on your intended usage is very different from choosing the best notebook computer. In the notebook world there are many screen sizes, price points and processor speeds. If judged by notebook standards all netbooks look the same: same 9 to 10 inch screen, same 1.6 GHz Atom processors, same $300 to $500 price point.

How do you choose best netbook computer when at first glance all products look the same?

Well, they look the same from a notebook buyer's point of view, but from the netbook buyer's perspective they are very different! To find the best netbook computer for your intended usage you need to take several new factors into account. Forget screen size or processor speed, here is what you need to pay attention to:

HDD or SSD?

Unlike notebooks, netbooks are not supposed to store huge amount of data locally but are expected to be more resistant and shock proof than their bigger brothers. As a result some netbook computers use an SSD instead of a mechanical HDD. Ask yourself: How do I intend to use my netbook? do I plan on storing a lot of data on it or just to use it to access the web? If for you mobility is more important than local storage then the best netbook computer for you is one fitted with an SSD. If local storage is more important for you then a mechanical HDD is better.

Linux, Windows XP or Windows 7?

Notebooks usually come installed with some flavor of Windows because they are full multi purpose machines that are expected to run most available commercial software, and they have enough processing power to accommodate Windows demands anyway. On a netbook computer that will perform a limited number of tasks however I think that Linux is the best solution: it does not requires an antivirus and requires less resources to run than Windows, which is great on netbooks with low power processors like the Atom. Some Linux distributions like Ubuntu netbook remix also offer interfaces optimized for a netbook's small screen and a good selection of internet and media related software. Windows XP on the other hand is compatible with most commercial software but requires an antivirus and uses more resources. Windows 7 is only recommended for netbooks with a mechanical HDD and more than 1 GB of memory (this post explains why you shouldn't use Windows 7 on SSD netbooks). On the flip side Windows 7 manages the computer energy consumption better than Linux, which may improve battery life.
Conclusion: if you want a netbook mainly to access the internet or want a netbook with an SSD, the best netbook computer for you uses Linux as it's OS. If you want a true multi purpose machine to replace a notebook you may want to choose Windows as your netbook's OS.

Keyboad size?

unlike a notebook, a netbook usually has a reduced size keyboard. Not all netbooks are created equal in this respect however. The first EEE PC netbooks had very small, poor quality keys that were very unpleasant to use. Later models like the MSI Wind U100 that I currently use have keyboards similar to most notebooks, only the keys are slightly smaller. Some newer netbook prototypes have keys that seems to be raised from the surface of the computer, like on some mac notebooks, and these are supposed to be even better. If you intend to use the computer to type a lot the best netbook computer for you must have a decent mac-like or notebook-like keyboard! The following article should help you choose a good keyboard if you don't know what to look for.

Extras?

Some netbook computers have special features that may make them more interesting to some peoples. For example the Dell Inspiron mini 9 has a fanless cooling system, which means that the computer is completely silent if fitted with an SSD. The disadvantage is that the computer keyboard can get warm, something that you may consider unpleasant. The MSI Wind U100 has a BIOS feature that allows the Atom processor to be overclocked to 2GHz when running on mains power. This makes this netbook the best netbook computer for those who need a fast machine. These extras can have a big impact on your choice if they fulfill a specific requirement that you have.

Conclusion?

As you can see there are many factors that can influence your choice of what is the best netbook computer. These factors depend a lot on the usage you intend to make of the computer, so that point should be clear from the start. If you mainly intend to surf a netbook with an SSD and running Linux like the dell Inspiron Mini, the Acer Aspire One 110 or the EEE PC 901 are good contenders for the title of best netbook computer. If you want more of a notebook replacement machine with lots of storage the Acer Aspire One 250, the MSI Wind or the Samsung NC10 are good choices.
image cc www.zieak.com

Read more in the Netbook Category.