Beautifying Firefox in 3 steps

Beautifying Firefox in 3 steps

I have been using Firefox 3.x for quite a while on my KDE 4.2,and I simply can’t use any other browser.KDE 4.2 has all these splendid effects which are just a delight to watch,but when it comes to the look of Firefox on linux,I’m not that impressed.The default icon-set(on linux) looks a bit odd when used with KDE.I saw the screenshots of the upcoming Firefox 3.7 and I was really impressed, but still not quite satisfied with the current plain look of Firefox;I started looking for some suitable addons.All I wanted was to give Firefox a totally new look with cool effects et al and to blend with my KDE 4.3.If you don’t like having 3d effects and you just want Firefox to look better in KDE4 see this post.

Step 1

Install the ifox Smooth theme from here

This will give firefox a macish look,but I’m not complaining since it makes Firefox looks way nicer in linux than with the default theme.There is no need to use personas with this theme as it may not look that good.If you don’t prefer ifox smooth then there are other variants of ifox too,though I haven’t tried them yet.Ifox smooth has NO scrollbar problems or any other problems on linux as well as windows.

Step 2

Install the foxtab addon from here

Well if switching between windows has so many effects then, why not some for tab switching? Foxtab as the description says “FoxTab brings innovative 3D functionality to your Firefox”.Using foxtab is a cakewalk and visually it is a sheer delight.The 3D effects not just add to the beauty of Firefox’s tab switcher,but also add a lot of functionality to it.Tab switching is easier,organised and fun.

Step 3

Install the cooliris addon from here

This adds a 3D functionality to search in the web browser.A full guided tour can be found on their website.

And you’re done!

Some Screenshots after installing the three addons

With Foxtab

With Cooliris

And finally,

All the mentioned addons work on Firefox 3.5.And on linux they just work like charm!

For making it look like Firefox 3.7 see this article by Lifehacker.Please comment if you have any suggestions on this post.