Replace URL with local page in Firefox?


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I'm in the process of converting my company over from Internet Explorer to Firefox. I have not exactly told them that I've done this, because the majority of them are technophobes who are terrified of changing what they already know.

I've setup Firefox to look almost exactly like Internet Explorer, even changed the titlebar from Mozilla Firefox to Microsoft Internet Explorer. Changed the toolbar icons, the desktop icon, installed all the needed plugins, etc.

The problem is, one of the tools that we login to from our major supplier requires Java and just simply will not work with Java2, which is the only thing I can get Firefox to install. So I have the Microsoft VM installed and running for IE, and Java2 running for FX. The tool is usually accessed by logging into the intranet of the supplier, navigating through a few menus, and launching it from a special page. What I've done is create a desktop icon that will launch the link in IE, and then stripped down the IE interface so they can't do anything except launch the Java applet.

However, what I'd like to do is prevent anyone from launching the page in FX, because it'll come up with error messages and then I get called to come fix it. If I can page a local page that FX will access instead of the URL that tells them to use the desktop icon, problem solved.

So, does anyone have any idea how I would do such a thing?

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You could edit the hosts file to point to a different ip address for that url, one that has a page you set up to give them the error message. But seriously, why are you going to all this trouble to make them think it is still internet explorer. I could see this cause some problems down the road. Just tell them that firefox is more secure, and you are switching to it as a result of a security upgrade. Then tell everyone that part of the security upgrade requires them to log on to that page using the desktop shortcut. Otherwise you put your colleagues at the risk of seeming like idiots when they keep telling some other tech support person they are running Internet explorer when they are really running firefox.

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It's not that kind of office it's a grocery store, I am the only computer guy who deals will all the problems everyone has, if needed, I make the phone calls. I have explained it to the other managers who are semi-computer savvy whats going on, I just labeled it IE so its easier for anyone who sits down to find.

We only have three computers that people used to access the Internet, two of them are mine and they already run FX. This is the shared computer that I've had to transition it on.

Like I said, they don't adapt to change well. Eventually the IE icon will be converted to a FX icon, then the titlebar and the icon description will change. They already know they have to use the shortcut on the desktop now, but I'd like to make it so that if they try and do it the old way they get directed to use it the new way.

The hosts file wont work because that'll change the page in IE too.

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Maybe you can use userContent.css to block the specific java link and then use the same userContent.css to inject a message into the webpage.

e.g., If the situation is:

<html>
<a href="foo.htm">Open Java Applet</a>
</html>

then use the following userContent.css:

a[href="foo.htm"] {
  visibility: hidden;
}

a[href="foo.htm"]:after {
  content: "Hey man! Stop slacking off and click on the java icon in your desktop!";
  font-size:2em;
}

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