Once you have downloaded the Firebird zip file, use WinZip or another zip utility to install Firebird onto your computer. Then browse to the main Firebird directory and start the program by clicking on the executable MozillaFirebird.exe. This will launch the Firebird browser into its default configuration. Now, we can begin the process of converting Firebird from a general use web browser into a secure kiosk web browser.
In its default configuration, Firebird highlights several elements that are unnecessary for a kiosk browser. These include the Bookmarks toolbar, the URL Address field, the Search field as well as several menu elements. Additionally, as we explore Firebird further, we will discover additional potential problems. These include options like "Open File" which can be accessed from either the File menu or by using CTRL+O as well as the Options option under the Tools menu where Firebird preferences can be changed. There are also various context-sensitive menus that appear that include options like "Save Page As" and "View Page Info". We'll want to remove access to all of these menus and functionality as well as others that we'll discover through testing.
While we can disable all of these elements by editing XUL files, we can make our life easier by removing as many of the unnecessary elements as possible using the interface options. Use the Firebird interface to turn off the following options:
Bookmarks Toolbar: View - Toolbars - Uncheck the Bookmarks Toolbar
URL/Address Box and Search Box: Right-click on the toolbar and select "Customize". You can also access it by selecting View - Toolbars - Customize. To remove an element, Click once on it and while holding down the mouse button, drag it over to the gray box that includes the various toolbar elements. Let go of the mouse button to drop the element into the Customize box, removing it from the interface.
We can also use the "Customize" interface to add toolbar elements that we want included in the interface but are not part of the default configuration. Click and drag items from the gray box to the toolbar to add them into the interface. Add the following options:
Print icon: If you want to provide printer support from the toolbar
I also want to change the appearance of some of the toolbar elements so I uncheck "Use Small Icons" to provide larger toolbar icons. I also switch from showing just icons to "Icons and Text". Modify these to suit your own needs. Click on "Done" to close the interface.
Now that we have made all of the interface changes that we can through the interface, select Tools - Options. If you have used old versions of Netscape or other flavors of Mozilla browsers, you'll notice that Firebird has moved the preferences from Edit - Preferences. Use the Options panel to define your home page, fonts and colors as well as image and javascript behavior. If you are limiting the access of the browser to a select set of web sites, explore how to limit the web addresses using the proxy settings as a way to accomplish that. Make as many changes as necessary. We will be locking out access to the Options later in the tutorial.
Last updated: December 31, 2003
Created: December 1, 2002
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