OT Browser issues

[Tim Lamb]

Opening PDFs in Firefox take an age. Any advice on workarounds?

[Jonno]

Tim Lamb scribbled

Download them or use Foxit, which is much safer than Adobe.

[Brian Gaff]

Use a proper pdf reader? Brian

[Brian Gaff]

The problem with Foxit nowadays is that the designers of the user interface have done away with all accessability completely, making it no good for us blind. To just load the text I now use a little program called pdf text reader which is on the webbie site

No pictures but the text is much faster to load. Brian

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Brian Gaff writes

I have Adobe 11 something.

The problem this morning was trying to get a PDF of my credit card account from Lloyds. I guess you don't see the whirly wheel thing but it gets boring after a few minutes.

Once displayed, the data refused to print: claiming printer error!

It seems to me that sites are being optimised for mobile devices and no longer display readily on PCs running old (XP) software:-(

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , Tim Lamb escribió:

use Foxit Reader and disable FF's built-in PDF reader. 'tis what I do.

FF/Tools/Options/Applications

type pdf into the search box and change both to "Always ask"

[The Natural Philosopher]

Time to upgade to Linux Mint Mate, mate (sic!)

[Big Les Wade]

Tim Lamb posted

I have Firefox v28.0 running on an old XP machine, and don't have problems. I have set up FF to save the files on the desktop by default (Tools-> Options-> Applications-> PDF-> Save file).

[Tim Lamb]

In message , Mike Tomlinson writes

OK Mike. I'll have a go. Ta

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[Tim Lamb]

In message , Big Les Wade writes

Hmm.. This is 44.0.2 Perhaps several steps too far!

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[Andy Burns]

type about:config in the address bar, then use the search field to find the pdfjs.disabled setting and toggle it to true

then use any it should prompt you to use your viewer of choice.

[Sangmo]

I use Pale Moon and it opens them very quickly.

Main downside is the stupid name and the fact that it has no 64 bit version.

Waterfox has a 64 bit version and it does pdfs just as well. Haven't used it much tho so it isnt clear if it has other downsides. Bit slow to start compared with Pale Moon tho.

[Tim Lamb]

I'm not sure I understand.

My issue is where the pdf is buried in a site and offered as an alternative viewing/printing facility.

[Andy Burns]

Recent firefox has a built-in pdf viewer that is implemented in javascript, it is slow and clunky, and it is used instead of any Acrobat/Foxit/Sumatra/etc viewer you might have installed.

The pdfjs setting I mentioned disables the internal viewer, and then you'll be prompted to use whichever external viewer of choice you have installed.

[Tim Lamb]

OK Andy. about:config brings up a raft of related sites. What do you mean by then *using the search field*? Please excuse ignorance:-)

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[Andy Burns]

I take it you got past the "here be dragons" warning?

Above the raft of options is a search field that filters the options down as you type into it

If you type pdfjs in there, it should be whittled down to the one setting you want to change ... if yours doesn't have a search for some reason, just scroll down until you get to pdfjs.enabled, and double click it to toggle.

[polygonum]

Another problem with it is the number of emails you get from them should you ever have to give them an email address.

[polygonum]

Hate to say it, but Microsoft Edge is actually pretty fast at opening PDFs - and most other things it does. (Not a comment on any other aspect of it.)

[Tim Lamb]

I'm not sure I managed to do as suggested but setting the *reader* to always ask and then opening the Lloyds file with Adobe has got me out of that trouble.

The next problem is MS Silverlight in an Mozilla approved version that will run on XP! Tomorrow!

[Andy Burns]

Just say "no", even Microsoft want to kill it.