PREFS.JS Hacks 

Submitted Kris Steenhaut 

Below are custom entries that you can add to your prefs.js file which is located in the root of your user directory.  To edit the file just open it up with notepad or your favorite text editor.

This entry hides the 'My Shopping' button:

user_pref("browser.chrome.disableMyShopping", true);


This entry removes the Netscape Radio menu item:

user_pref("browser.chrome.disableNetscapeRadio", true);


This entry replaces the 'My Netscape' button with the original 'Guide' button:

user_pref("browser.chrome.useGuideButton", true);


This entry disables the Full Circle debugging feature:

user_pref("general.fullcircle_enable", false);


This entry will cause Netscape to load images after it has loaded text.  On my end this setting doesn't seem perfect... but it does help:

user_pref("images.incremental_display", false);


This entry sets the maximum number of simultaneous connections that Communicator can have open.  The default is 4.  For 56K modem users I suggest 6 and for Cable+ users I suggest a setting of 8 or more:

user_pref("network.max_connections", 6);


This entry will give priority to updating the UI over a network connection.  Can be quite handy when a 'dead/troublesome' link in a page is making Communicator unresponsive:

user_pref("network.speed_over_ui", false);


This entry sets the size, in kilobytes, of the TCP buffer in Communicator.  The default is 32. For 56K modem users I suggest a setting of 64 and for Cable+ users I suggest a setting of 128 or more:

user_pref("network.tcpbufsize", 64);


This entry specifies the number of seconds that will elapse before Communicator automatically fails the connection:

user_pref("network.tcptimeout", 30);


This entry disables the annoying startup page in Netscape Messenger: 

user_pref("mailnews.start_page.enabled", false);


This entry, if the above is set to true, will load the specified URL as the startup page in Netscape Messenger:

user_pref("mailnews.start_page.url", "http://your.url.here");


This entry will cause Communicator to ask you again to be the default browser if it currently isn't and you had earlier told Netscape to not ask you again:

user_pref("browser.wfe.ignore_def_check", false); 


Undocumented Keyboard Tricks for Communicator 

<CTRL><ALT><S>    -  Toggles the status bar on or off.

<CTRL><ALT><T>    -  Displays a dialog showing the current connection status.

<CTRL><ALT><F>    -  The 'Fish Cam'.