Software fixes/tips

[Stupify]

I am dedicating this thread to short of capture some of the standard applications, their issues, fixes and tips.

[Stupify]

Firefox 17 slow scrolling:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/943070

Basically, I had to force FF to enable all the acceleration options. It should have been working out of the box, but it wasn't (maybe some kind of old settings?). So you need to set the following three options in about:config (type it into the address bar) to "true":

gfx.direct2d.force-enabled
layers.acceleration.force-enabled
webgl.force-enabled

Restart and it all seems to be fine, at least on my machine. It's worth looking at about:support in the Graphics table to see if things are enabled.

Edit: Apparently the newer Firefox(es) [since they brought in Hardware Acceleration] seem to have a bug. If you change the mouse the scrolling goes back to abysmal speed that's slower than snails competing in the slowest mover. To resolve this you just have to restart Firefox and voila the new mouse will slow at comfortable speeds.

[Stupify]

VLC:

Do not install Firefox plug-in as it will try to play the .mp4 files. I find the Adobe Flash/WebGL to be more appropriate to use, especially since they allow in-line video playing instead of new tab.

[Stupify]

Microsoft Office

Backing up Quick Access Toolbar buttons (the buttons on the top, above the Ribbion):
Copy the file the <Office Application>.qat, example Word.qat, from
C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Office

[Stupify]

Added firefox and new mouse issue.

[Silver]

Here is a way to restore the classic menues in Ms Office 2010 if you do not like the ribbon.

Classic Menu for Office Home and Student 2010
http://www.downloadcrew.com/article/22633-classic_menu_for_office_home_and_student

Classic Menu is an Office add-in that brings back the old-style menus and toolbars for Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote 2010. (Despite the name, it works with any edition of Office 2010.)

The program doesn't hack or alter your existing Office installation. Rather, it adds a new Menus tab to your ribbon, which includes all the old menus, shortcuts and toolbar icons, which some find much easier to navigate.

If this isn't enough, though, you can also use the bundled Classic Menu Manager to configure precisely how the program works. If you hate the ribbon, for instance, then you're able to hide any of all of its tabs so there's only the menu left. But you can also turn off Classic Menu Manager for some applications, so, maybe, they're available in Word and Excel, but not in PowerPoint and OneNote.

Edit: I have not tried this one since Im not using office that much, but it might be of use to someone.

[Silver]

WinZip
Getting rid of the ribbon interface:
Settings -> Options -> Start Winzip with -> Legacy menus/toolbar

I never liked the ribbon in this program the first thing I do when installing it is removing the ribbon