17 replies to this topic

[deicidist]

Here's the steps I've taken to give me the maximum viewing capabilities in Firefox:

Theme: 'Minifox'. Minifox is a theme that uses very small, but still usable icons.

Extensions: 'Compact Menu 2'. Takes the Menu Bar's contents and creates a drop-down button instead to minimize the area used by the Menu Bar.
'Full Fullscreen'. Allows you to remove the scroll bar, tab bar and status bar in full-screen view so you see nothing but the content of a web page on screen.
'Searchbar Autosizer'. Makes your searchbar grow as you type information into it. Customizable so that you can determine the smallest and longest the bar can grow to.
'Smart Bookmarks Bar'. Takes away the text from your Favourites' icons and then minimizes the space between them to maximize how many are viewable at anytime. Also has the ability to automatically 'hide' your bookmarks bar and show it again when you hover your mouse over the bookmarks toolbar area.

I also do the following:
1. Right-click on the Menu Bar and select 'Customize...'
2. Select 'Use Small Icons'
3. Click-and-drag any icons you don't need off of the toolbar(s). I removed the stop, refresh and home buttons. (Instead of stop, press 'esc'; instead of refresh, press 'F5' or 'Ctrl-F5'; and instead of home, press 'Alt-Home')
4. Click-and-drag the Compact Menu to the upper left corner.
5. Click-and-drag the back and forward buttons to the right side of the compact menu button.
6. Click-and-drag the Address Bar and Search bar to the right of the back and forward buttons.
7. Add a '+Tab' button to the Bookmarks Toolbar.
8. Click 'Done'.
9. Right click the now empty Navigation Toolbar and uncheck 'Navigation Toolbar'.

Here's a preview of how mine looks:



Also remember that you can press the arrow on the bottom right of your screen (if you're using the default Xandros install as well as other linux distros) to hide the task bar. In XP you can use the 'Autohide task bar' feature too.

And for those of you new to the F11 button. Try it. It will put you into full-screen mode and back again the easy way!

If anyone else has any other tips let me know!

[mrmot]

If you think this builds on and enhances this wiki article, will you consider editing it so it's more easily accessible? (If you have not registered for wiki yet, please do so with the same screen name as in the forum -- makes things nicer.)

[deicidist]

I'm having some trouble accessing the Wiki at the moment (seems to be down - again), but once it returns, I'll register and add what I think needs to be added! Thanks for the tip!

[mrmot]

Oh, you're welcome. It just seemed a waste to have this disappear into the depths of the forum if it really adds value to what's already in the wiki.

[elmo]

maybe its just me but for making as much space as possible seems a bit odd when u keep ur favorites bar. Then again i dont even have them on, on my desktop. Seem very pointless as i get use to knowing when i hit "G" "down" "enter" it will go to google and same for all my other most used websites

The compact 2 is a nice idea but this is my layout. as you can see everything fits on one line apart from the tabs. No google search. As if you just type in the url bar it uses google ( and againi rarely use it on my desktop at home)

[eitreach]

When I want to maximize a maximizable window, I just ordered Compiz to do so with Super+F - covers panels as well, so to make it truly fullscreen.

[mrmot]

I like to have one line with menu, buttons and address bar, and another with Google search box and my favourite bookmarks. Plus the tabs, of course. Degustibus... I guess. ;)

EDIT: Oh, and when I need more screen space I hit F11...

Edited by mrmot, 10 March 2008 - 06:17 PM.

[boatworker]

Another handy key combo after you have F11 ed into a full screen is Alt back arrow or forward arrow to navigate between pages on a site.

Jim

[deicidist]

@ elmo: I don't keep the fav's on my screen, they 'autohide' using the "Smart Bookmarks Bar" that I mentioned above... I just displayed them so others could see how it looked when it is on screen.

[deicidist]

@ boatworker: Good call on the 'Alt-Arrow' keys, I always forget about those!

[fy789]

Good info. !

[winotree]

Those are good points that you have made to help maximize the minimum screen size on our Eees. May I mention two other ways that you can save even more space by further removing icons? (Or should I say removing further icons). :)

In about:config change browser.backspace_action from 1 to 0: this allows you to use the back space key to move back in pages, instead of just back spacing.

Just right click anywhere on the page to get a swell menu including back, forward, reload and stop (that's four buttons removed right there!!) and some more options, too...

Little things like this help make this a big device. :P

[dalum]

I just added another thing to help with our screen area. I added the info to the wiki article on the Fission addon too.

[gtisingh]

hit F11 ? :D

[peregrino]

You could install some mouse gestures add-on, but I think it'll be tough to use with the touchpad :S Also, most of the mouse gestures add-ons enable "mouse rockers" that are quick actios with mouse cliks, i.e. : right click an then left click is the same as hitting "back" ;) Bout, again..., it'll be a pain with that "one bar button" that have the EEE's touchpad >_<

[ce_sera]

Quote

Here's the steps I've taken to give me the maximum viewing capabilities in Firefox:

Theme: 'Minifox

Extensions: 'Compact Menu 2
'Full Fullscreen
'Searchbar Autosizer.
'Smart Bookmarks Bar

If anyone else has any other tips let me know!

At first I was messing with extentions and themes like these, but it didn't look very nice and it was a pain. And then I came across the autohide extension, which made me uninstall all the other extensions and made browsing on the eee pc a much better experience. It autohides menu bar, tool bars, status bar, etc. in fullscreen mode and means that I have just the web page on the screen (my kde taskbar also autohides), as far as I can see it is impossible to get more more viewing capabilities.

[gmich]

Just installed autohide -- excellent -- thanks for the tip.

[Gusj]

Thanks for sharing these extensions. I already used a variaton of Full Fullscreen, so that wasn't a problem. I found the Minifox skin and the Smart Bookmarks addon really useful though. My favorites tab looks way cooler now when it's composed of small icons.

Another tip for Firefoxers out there
Colourful tabs: This one gives a colour to every tab you make. This sounds a little weird, but it makes the tabs easier to differ from each other.