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Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird are my preferred web browser and email client due to the security, expandability, features, popularity, and cross-platform base. I like being able to use the Mozilla applications on all computers and operating systems I use. Thankfully, Mozilla has included the ability to transport profiles easily and with a few key techniques and extensions, I am able to have my Mozilla data available at any station I choose to use. It is nice to have your internet bookmarks and email with you at all times.

Depending on your setup, you may choose to use these instructions differently. For example, PortableApps is a good solution, but is for Windows only, unless you like using Wine. So, the Mozilla profiles are the places where your personalized data for each application is stored and it contains data such as bookmarks, email, address books, etc. In order to work with your Mozilla profiles, we must first discuss where to find these locations in three scenarios:

In Ubuntu:
~/.mozilla/firefox
~/.mozilla-thunderbird

In Windows:
C:\Documents and Settings\[YOUR NAME]\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles
C:\Documents and Settings\[YOUR NAME]\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles

In PortableApps:
FirefoxPortable/Data

As you can see, the profiles can be hidden in varying locations, but as long as you can find the profiles location, you will be able to move profiles. Profiles can be created or managed by using the included profile manager, but is not required for this method. The naming of the profile folders can be confusing, but is simply a random set of characters followed by a period (“.”) and then by the name (Ex: r03fbci2.default). In PortableApps, it is named “profile” for simplicity

At this point, if you only use Windows or really like using Wine, then you can copy the contents of your profile into the PortableApps profile folder and simply create a copy of the FIrefoxPortable directory. If you choose to not use that method or use Linux, then the process is different.

If you are not using PortableApps, there will be a file named “profiles.ini” in the directory listed above which keeps an inventory of the available profiles for this installation of Mozilla application. This is the file that gives us control over our profiles. I prefer, on a dual-boot system, to store a single profile on a shared partition that is used by both operating systems. This can also provide a handy way to keep your data in a place where it is easy to remember to backup. Now you must choose how you want your setup.

To replace the default profile with your profile:

• Copy your profile folder from its original location to the new location.
• Open profiles.ini in a text editor for adjustment.
• In the “[Profile0]” section, edit the last section of the “Path”, changing the folder name to your profile’s folder name.
• Save.

To make your profile an additional profile, leaving the default:

• Copy your profile folder from its original location to the new location.
• Open profiles.ini in a text editor for adjustment.
• Copy the “[Profile0]” section below itself.
• Rename “[Profile0]” to “[Profile1]“
• Change the “Name” to something more descriptive.
• Edit the last section of the “Path”, changing the folder name to your profile’s folder name.
• Save.

To keep your profile in an alternate location:

• Copy your profile folder from its original location to the alternate location.
• Open profiles.ini for the operating system that will be using it.
• Copy the “[Profile0]” section below itself.
• Rename “{Profile0]” to “[Profile1]“
• Change the “Name” to something more descriptive.
• Change “IsRelative” to “1″
• Change the “Path” to the full location of your profiles folder (Ex: /media/storage/r03fbci2.default
• Save.

If you chose to make your profile an additional or chose to use it from an alternate location, you must run the profile manager to be able to access your data. Do this by either editing the application launcher/shortcut or using a terminal/command prompt to add “-ProfileManager” as a parameter. This will allow you to choose your profile and even choose to use it as the default.

In order to synchronize your data between computers, a few simple techniques will help out. The most powerful of these is the use of IMAP for email. This will enable you to keep synchronized with the sever, which will result in profiles being synchronized and a backup available on the server. For bookmarks and address books, it is easiest to synchronize using Mozilla extensions such as Sync and Sort, Foxmarks, and Addressbooks.

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Managing wireless and wired network on a laptop has always been a hassle in both Linux and Windows. I have used many of the managers, but now I have my hassle-free network manager. Its name is Wicd.

Many of the wireless and wired managers will handle profiles for different networks but many leave networks without DHCP in the cold. With Wicd, all those features are included. It conquers all of the tasks the Gnome network manager in Ubuntu has attempted for many versions.

A handy panel icon is included that shows wireless connection strength and activity (indicated by blinking screens). By hovering over the panel icon, it will display the wireless network connected to, the signal strength, and the IP address utilized.

The managers main window has a simple interface that is easy to use and understand. There are options to use global DNS addresses, choose your network devices, and option to always show the wired connection. Any wireless networks in your current area are shown and all are in a collapsed form. Advanced features can be accessed by clicking on the arrows to show more info. Static IP addresses and DNS addresses can be specified along with an option to auto-connect. Best of all, WEP, WPA, and WPA2 are all supported.

I have enjoyed having Wicd because I connect to one wireless network that doesn’t have DHCP and after I first set the options, I am able to automatically be on the network without any manual changes.

Wicd has finally given me all of the features I want from a network manager without the crashing of Gnome network manager or the lack of wired support from the Intel manager. Instructions for installation in Ubuntu can be found on the Wicd download page. Wicd is a replacement for the Gnome network manager, so it will force an uninstall of gnome-network-manager during install.

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As soon as I had Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron on my Eee PC, I couldn’t resist trying new interfaces. I had seen the Canonical Netbook Remix on Tombuntu less than a week earlier and did some searching until I found the launchpad site and found that I could add the applets into my current installation!

I added the ppa apt repository and installed everything except the ume-config-netbook, because it is not meant to be used on all systems. The applets are:

• go-home-applet: a button that when clicked, returns to the main launcher
• window-picker-applet: a nice window switcher that shows windows opened by the application icon and the title of the current window
• maximus: forces all windows to open in fullscreen mode while leaving only the top panel
• human-netbook-them: a nice theme with dark colors
• ume-launcher: an application launcher that makes it easy to get to applications and fills the easy mode need that Xandros offers

I took a few screenshots of it in action:

Here it is in the internet category with the default appearance.

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It has a nice popup showing an application is loading.

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The window picker handles several windows nicely.

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Of course the colors, themes, and panels can still be changed.

All I can say is: Well done Canonical. Maybe this will help convince new mini-pc manufactures to choose Ubuntu instead of Xandros…

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I finally got the nerve to install Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron on my Asus EeePC. I was tired of running my broken eeeXUbuntu (which at the time was cool, but I don’t like XFCE). I was waiting on the ubuntu-eee team from TuxFamily to finish the install CD, but I realized that the tweaks were not that difficult.

I found all of the tweaks I needed for Hardy from two sites:

• EeeUser: Getting Ubuntu 8.04 to Work Perfectly
• TuxFamily: Ubuntu-Eee User Guides

I compiled all of the tweaks from both sites into one file and started the install. It is now working better than ever and I don’t need Windows XP or Xandros. Some of the tweaks are listed below:

• Ext2 Partition & No Swap
• MadWifi Patch
• Sound Fixes
• On-Screen Display Scripts
• Hotkey Configurations
• Gnome Smaller Fonts
• Shutdown Fixes
• UbuntuEeeTweak Script
• RiceeeyTweak Script
• Startup Time Improvements
• Battery Optimizations
• Compact Gnome Themes
• Temporary Directories on RAM

Gnome is so nice!

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