Firefox Hacks

Chapter 9. Work More Closely with Firefox

Hacks 91-100

This chapter describes all the other Firefox browsers that are out there. The standard installation of Firefox is based on something called the default build, which is the safest thing for most people to use. It’s a version for users who don’t care about programming or software design.

If you do care about programming or design, there are many other Firefox variants that you can play with. Large corporations, hobbyists, volunteers, and entrepreneurs are the main kinds of people who might want to do so. This kind of hacking is intensive and time-consuming, though, so it’s a matter of continual gratification rather than instant gratification.

Building and improving Firefox is a big job. There’s a horde of people all hammering away on it. They’re ensuring that the development, distribution and promotion processes get as much attention as possible. You too can be one of those people, and if you’re technically minded or promotionally minded, it can be a satisfying, enjoyable, and social experience. It’s nice to develop a special bit of expertise that you can own for yourself. Here’s how to proceed.

Handle Cross-Platform Differences

Manage the differences among standard Firefox installs on different platforms.

Firefox works hard to provide the same user interface and web page displays on all platforms: Windows, Unix/Linux, and Macintosh. A great deal of effort has gone into this, especially with respect to the Gecko layout engine. Where ...