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I am a very conservative computer user and am afraid that if I install
Firefox and Thunderbird, I'll do something to trash my Internet Explorer and
Outlook Express to the point where I can't access the Web or my e-mail.

I have two hard drives -- can I download Firefox and Thunderbird onto drive
D and install it on that drive, essentially leaving IE and OE untouched on
drive C? Or, does it matter -- just install Firefox and Thunderbird and let
it roll?

After I install Firefox and Thunderbird, what will I see -- two new icons on
my desktop? Can I then select Firefox and Thunderbird as my default browser
and e-mail applications?

Do I import my bookmarks and address book from IE and OE?

Thanks.

--

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Joe S.

On Sun, 26 Dec 2004 09:56:24 -0500, Joe S. wrote:

> I am a very conservative computer user and am afraid that if I install
> Firefox and Thunderbird, I'll do something to trash my Internet Explorer
> and Outlook Express to the point where I can't access the Web or my
> e-mail.

A "conservative" computer user wouldn't be using IE or OE, both of which
are riddled with unpatched security holes.

> I have two hard drives -- can I download Firefox and Thunderbird onto
> drive D and install it on that drive, essentially leaving IE and OE
> untouched on drive C? Or, does it matter -- just install Firefox and
> Thunderbird and let it roll?

No, this wouldn't accomplish anything. I don't use Windows much anymore,
but surely it provides a mechanism for setting your preferred programs? It
*can't* be so lame that it leaves out such basic functionality! I know it
used to include that capability, anyway. Failing that, if you install
Firefox and decide you don't like it, just uninstall it. If you only have
one web browser on your machine, it will automatically become your default
browser.

When you install Firefox on Linux, Firefox asks you if you want to make it
your default browser. I imagine it does this on Windows too, though I
haven't updated my browser on my Windows install in several months, so I
can't remember for sure. "Just say no" if you don't want to make Firefox
your default.

> After I install Firefox and Thunderbird, what will I see -- two new
> icons on my desktop? Can I then select Firefox and Thunderbird as my
> default browser and e-mail applications?

You should be able to make both of them your defaults during the
installation, though you may not want to do this if you're not sure how
you'll like them. IIRC, both of them will ask you if you want desktop and
quick launch icons.

--
Michael M. ~~ ~~ New York, NY USA
"No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely
under conditions of absolute reality;..." --S. Jackson

Joe S. wrote:
> I am a very conservative computer user and am afraid that if I install
> Firefox and Thunderbird, I'll do something to trash my Internet Explorer and
> Outlook Express to the point where I can't access the Web or my e-mail.
>

Shouldn't cause any problems. It installs quite happily alongside IE
and OE (and Outlook if you have it)


> I have two hard drives -- can I download Firefox and Thunderbird onto drive
> D and install it on that drive, essentially leaving IE and OE untouched on
> drive C? Or, does it matter -- just install Firefox and Thunderbird and let
> it roll?

You can do but putting it on the C drive won't do any harm.
>
> After I install Firefox and Thunderbird, what will I see -- two new icons on
> my desktop? Can I then select Firefox and Thunderbird as my default browser
> and e-mail applications?

When you start them it will ask if you want them to be your default or
not. You can choose. If you want to change later just go to Control
Panel/Internet Options/Programs/ and set the default in the relevant
drop down menus.

>
> Do I import my bookmarks and address book from IE and OE?
>


When you install you can copy all your setting over (and import e-mails
if you want) from IE and OE without affecting the OE/IE programs. I
still have both on my computer and you can run e.g OE and Tbird at the
same time without problems. Its all very easy to do.

Tony

Joe S. wrote:
> I have two hard drives -- can I download Firefox and Thunderbird onto
> drive D and install it on that drive, essentially leaving IE and OE
> untouched on drive C?

Yes, if you want. But why bother? They use different directories and
files, so there's no interaction, even if you install them both on C:


> Or, does it matter -- just install Firefox and Thunderbird and let it
> roll?

That's what I'd do.


> After I install Firefox and Thunderbird, what will I see -- two new
> icons on my desktop?

Yes.


> Can I then select Firefox and Thunderbird as my
> default browser and e-mail applications?

Yes.


> Do I import my bookmarks and address book from IE and OE?

Yes.


NOTE:

Before you set up TB as your mail reader, you may want to open OE and
uncheck the boxes:
Send and receive mail at startup -and-
Check for new messages every ...

If you do that, you can start OE to get or verify account settings after
you've installed TB, and OE won't download any new e-mail.

Once you're happy with TB, consider removing the mail account in OE. For
a week or so after I'd installed Mozilla mail, I found myself clicking
on the OE icon out of habit to get e-mail. Removing the mail account in
OE will help cure you of that. Or, if you run a firewall, you can remove
the entry for OE allowing it Internet access.

Thanks to all who replied. I downloaded and installed Firefox and
Thunderbird and am now figuring out how to use them. First thing I noticed
is the absence of pop-up ads when I am browsing the Web -- what a relief!!

--

-----
Joe S.



"Joe S." <> wrote in message
news:...
> I am a very conservative computer user and am afraid that if I install
> Firefox and Thunderbird, I'll do something to trash my Internet Explorer
and
> Outlook Express to the point where I can't access the Web or my e-mail.
>
> I have two hard drives -- can I download Firefox and Thunderbird onto
drive
> D and install it on that drive, essentially leaving IE and OE untouched on
> drive C? Or, does it matter -- just install Firefox and Thunderbird and
let
> it roll?
>
> After I install Firefox and Thunderbird, what will I see -- two new icons
on
> my desktop? Can I then select Firefox and Thunderbird as my default
browser
> and e-mail applications?
>
> Do I import my bookmarks and address book from IE and OE?
>
> Thanks.
>
> --
>
> -----
> Joe S.
>
>