Google ToolBar for Flock

I recently tried to install Google ToolBar for Firefox into Flock, but received an error message, “Incompatible Extension Detected” and goes on to state that it is not designed for Flock and if installed could damage the application. Neither of which is true. If you decide to install it anyway, you will get the next error message: “Incompatible Extension – Google Toolbar for Firefox 2.120060807M could not be installed because it is not compatible with Flock.” Which – again – is not true. I am not sure why Google is doing this other than to keep users from switching to Flock, or perhaps go BACK to Firefox if they switched to Flock previously. But why should they care?

Seeing as how I want to stick with Flock, I decided to find a way to make it work, damage or no damage to the Flock browser. Plus I figured I could reinstall Flock if I had problems and delete the Google Toolbar for Firefox extension. So if you like Flock and want to use Google Toolbar, here is what to do:

Google ToolbarBar for Firefox
(available on the web from Google, but only as a web install, NOT a stand-alone installer):

1. Install the GoogleBar into Firefox.
2. Quit Firefox.
3. Locate your Firefox extensions directory (inside ~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/profiles default directory).
4. Locate the Google ToolBar directory (Trial and error: keep opening directories and using TextEdit to read install.rdf files until you find the one with Google in the text.)
5. Copy the Google ToolBar directory to Desktop.
Open install.rdf file inside that directory.
7. Add the following code in the target applications section (also available from Flock developer wiki):

<!– Target Application – Flock –>
<em:targetApplication>
<Description>
<em:id>{a463f10c-3994-11da-9945-000d60ca027b}</em:id>
<em:minVersion>0.7</em:minVersion>
<em:maxVersion>1.0</em:maxVersion>
</Description>
</em:targetApplication>
8. Move this directory into the Flock extensions directory (inside ~/Library/Application Support/Flock/profiles default directory).
9 Launch Flock.

Click to zoom into Google Toolbar for Flock.

Voila! Now just set up the preferences you would like for Google Toolbar and you are ready to use Google Toolbar for Flock.

Why the World Went Windows and Why It Could Happen Again

1990-1995: Why the World Went Windows
The reason Apple’s Macintosh survived into the 90’s–escaping the fate of a variety of other unique platforms that were slaughtered by commodity PCs–was largely because of the tight integration Apple could provide between its hardware and software. Apple wasn’t primarily selling RAM chips, a processor, and an OS; instead, Apple was offering a richly engineered and consistent experience. Smaller competitors, from Commodore to Atari, couldn’t match the enormous development efforts Apple was investing in its platform. Microsoft employed the same principle of integration in its software offerings. Rather than seeking to build an integrated computer solution like Apple, Microsoft assembled a series of integrated software platforms that created networks of added value for users.

1990-1995: Why the World Went Windows

Source: http://www.roughlydrafted.com/

If you read the article carefully, you will see that Microsoft is at it again. There are plenty of FUD articles out in the wild about OS X vulberabilities, security, etc., while Microsoft is working feverishly on their competitor to OS X, Vista, which has been vaporware for a couple years now while they try to keep Apple at bay until its release. Vista will be an inferior product, but Apple can gain significant marketshare if there are more migrations to OS X prior to Windows Vista being released.

This series is excellent, and I would recommend that everyone read the series to help understand the history and politics of computing. Thanks, Roughly, for this in depth look at the computing landscape.

technorati tags:Apple, Microsoft, Windows, Computing, FUD, Vaporware

Blogged with Flock

Slick Willie: ‘Zelig’ for Hire?

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Apple Patent Alert: Networked Media Station

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