Why is Firefox not moving? PREFERENCES may be the answer!

We've all been there. Our computer and internet server is sailing along at the speed of light. We become smug and start collecting all those cool add on even though the server is saying think about this again because you might just sink that ship. But we are really GOOD and nothing can happen to us. Our firewall, virus scanner, Apple computer is bullet proof!!! Yeah right!

Then on that fatal day we push our internet server too far and it simply refuses to open...at all...ever. Sigh!

Don't let this happen to you.

I am a Firefox user and have been for quite some time. I had added blogger tools, an SEO tool that appeared at the bottom of my internet page and had subscribed to Alphainventions.com. Over a period of time I had tried out so many things...without even realizing the load I was putting on my computer and Firefox! It was only after my computer refused to do anything that I began to search for the cause. Honestly, I did not go to my preference page under the Firefox name at the top of the page unless I absolutely needed to. Now I have learned a lesson or two...so I will share with you.

We need to be aware of what we are adding on to our Firefox account. Those warnings we get that said "This material come from the internet. Are you sure you want to download it?" is a warning we should pay very close attention to. The size of add on can cause some very real problems. SEOQuake was the one that pushed me over the edge. I had installed it at the recommendation of a fellow hubber without actually knowing why or if I should do that. It turns out that, for me, it was a very bad idea. Others were not good but this was the straw that broke the camel's back.

ADD ONS

I did finally get Firefox to come back up and began looking at the preference page where I found the added functions I had tried to use. The list was long...very long. And when I went to the recommended functions none of those that I was using were on their list. I began uninstalling everything that was not absolutely essential. The download time was fast immediately. I feel now that not only the SEO Quake function and the Alphinventions.com were just over the top space users. I could be wrong but I just didn't even use or need either one.  They both were sent packing.

As my internet connection went south on me I began looking for better ways to use my internet server. I have become a leaner meaner user and my life is once again zooming along.

COOKIES

I had read just recently that the load of cookies can slow us to a crawl and we need to be sure that they are deleted. An Apple Educator told me that deleting these weekly is not only a good idea but maybe even essential. We can set our preferences so that these are deleted every time the server is turned off. I am now using that setting.

CACHED

The cache is a wonderful thing in it's own way but leaving it unattended for long periods of time is really not a good idea. HelpwithPCS.com listed the following:

There are several reasons why you may want to delete the cached files that Firefox stores, including privacy concerns and technical problems.

Privacy issues will relate to the fact that the files are stored locally, which means the files can be accessed and the images viewed by someone other than yourself.

Technical issues can arise with cached files. For example, if you experience difficulties with certain websites, sometimes clearing the cached files can solve it.

I cleared my caches.

At the suggestion of Lincoln Armstrong in a hub called Why Is My Browser So Slow I have also blocked those pop up windows.  I was happy to do that because I find them very annoying...don't you?

The list of problems we were having goes on and on.  It seems that Murphy's Law is applicable even on the internet and in our computers.  In recent weeks I have reloaded my Snow Leopard OSX and replaced our wireless device.  Are all of these things related?  I don't know...I am just one of those people that keeps fixing things until the motor begins running again.  The next step, of course, will be a visit to my Apple genius bar.  But hopefully that won't be necessary.

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