Brian’s Blog

So I’ve more or less switched to using only Google Apps‘ Webmail (Gmail with your own domain), making Thunderbird obsolete. To that end I’ve been trying to find a way to make mailto links launch my Google Apps composer window rather than the default Gmail composer window, and also how to make Gmail start by default in https (secure) mode rather than http (plain) mode.

In my search I’ve stumbled upon several resources, most pointing to using GreaseMonkey and a small script that re-writes all mailto links, another resource pointing to Gmail Manager saying it could handle Google Hosted Accounts (aka. Google Apps accounts), as well as some sites that explains how you fix the Gmail button for Google Toolbar to launch Gmail as https by default.

Of the resources pointed out in regards to the mailto handling, I found several GreaseMonkey scripts that did this job very well, although I didn’t really relish the idea of having that addon installed merely because I needed 1 script to handle mailto links, so I decided to try Gmail Manager instead

Gmail Manager was very easy to set up to handle Google Apps accounts in regards to checking e-mails, opening inbox and a few other minor things. All I had to do was type in my e-mail address and my password. Gmail Manager also handles mailto links, at least it opens my inbox when clicking a mailto link, but that isn’t enough for me, I want it to open the actual compose window. I decided it probably just was some hidden configuration option so I decided to muck around a bit in about:config, and behold: There I found “google.toolbar.mailto.providers.Gmail”, which contained the URL that Google Toolbar uses to open the composer window, when clicking mailto links.

So basically, all I had to do from the start was this:

Edit the Gmail button to open the Google Apps account instead of the Gmail account, and in https rather than http

1. Go into Google Toolbar Options, under the Buttons tab
2. Mark the Gmail button and click “Edit…”
3. In the dialog that opens up click the “Use the advanced editor…” link
4. There are 3 places that needs to be fixed:
   Change:
   http://mail.google.com/mail/?search=query&view=tl&start=0&init=1&fs=1&q={query}&source=navclient

   To:

   https://mail.google.com/a/MYDOMAIN.TLD?search=query&view=tl&start=0&init=1&fs=1&q={query}&source=navclient

   Change:

   http://mail.google.com/?source=navclient

   To:

   https://mail.google.com/a/MYDOMAIN.TLD?source=navclient

   Change:

   http://mail.google.com/mail?atom_browser_auth&source=navclient

   To:

   https://mail.google.com/a/MYDOMAIN.TLD?atom_browser_auth&source=navclient

   (Note: Replace MYDOMAIN.TLD with your own domain)

5. Click “Save to Google Toolbar…”
6. When/if asked to replace the Gmail button just click “Replace”.

Now the Gmail button is fixed, now to make Google Toolbar send e-mail using the Google Apps account:

1. Enable “Send with Gmail” in the Google Toolbar Options, under the More tab.
2. Open about:config and locate “google.toolbar.mailto.providers.Gmail” (filtering by “gmail” makes it easier to find).
3. Change the value
   From:
   firetool-mail:http://mail.google.com/mail/?view=cm&fs=1@to=to&subject=su&body=body&cc=cc&bcc=bcc&name=Gmail

   To:

   firetool-mail:https://mail.google.com/a/MYDOMAIN.TLD/?view=cm&fs=1&tf=1@to=to&subject=su&body=body&cc=cc&bcc=bcc&name=Gmail

   (Note: Replace MYDOMAIN.TLD with your own domain)

By adding the “&tf=1” variable to the URL the composer window will open “full screen”, without the folder list to the left and the search bar at the top.

There.. Now we have made Google Toolbar handle all aspects of our Google Apps account

So I got tired of Servage being slow as hell so I moved back to Surftown, best host for cheap amount of cash I’ve found.

There might still be a few quirks, most likely related to permissions, that I need to find and work out. If you find any, feel free to comment on them in this post

I got the urge the other day to watch some Star Trek: The Next Generation series, unfortunately for me I didn’t have the series around here so I accidentally ordered the entire series. That’s 7 seasons and a total cost of 2332 SEK at www.DVD.se. Now I’m just waiting for them to arrive so I can satisfy my urges

Some really stupid (and at the time very amusing to me) conversations

[13:49:52] [General] <Makaria>: any1 wanna help me kill a nub hunter?
[13:50:20] <70:Makaria>: Level 70 Undead Warlock <Makaria owns> - Shadowmoon Valley
[13:50:26] [General] <70:Kagmoo>: If the hunter is so “nub” then why do you need help killing him?
[13:50:34] [General] <70:Makaria>: cuz he killed me while i was afk
[13:50:46] [General] <70:Makaria>: and now i cant ress cuz of him
[13:50:49] [General] <Redmeat>: Lol kill him back then.. hehe
[13:50:55] [General] <70:Kagmoo>: Still.. Why do you need help killing him if he’s nub?
[13:50:59] [General] <70:Makaria>: i cant with half hp and mana
[13:51:12] [General] <70:Kagmoo>: rez, fly, eat/drink, fly back
[13:51:14] [General] <70:Makaria>: cuz i cantwithout pet and half hp and mana -.-
[13:51:25] [General] <70:Makaria>: i cant he is camping me -.-
[13:51:28] [General] <70:Kagmoo>: Sure
[13:51:41] [General] <70:Makaria>: tard
[13:51:43] [General] <70:Kagmoo>: Takes more time for him to find and target you due to lag etc. than it takes to mount up
[13:51:55] [General] <70:Makaria>: no it doesnt -.-
[13:51:56] [General] <70:Kagmoo>: So I guess you’re the “nub” and the “tard”
[13:52:16] [General] <70:Makaria>: i dont argue with tards so sry Kagmoo
[13:52:56] [General] <70:Kagmoo>: I love arguing with tards, hence I argue with you. Because you show how mentally incapacitated you really are
[13:53:21] [General] <70:Makaria>: yeah if its easier for u to believe in that.. if it makes u feel better
[13:54:08] [General] <70:Kagmoo>: I feel rather good, thank you for asking
[13:55:05] [General] <70:Makaria>: i bet u are a 14 year old kid that hates the whole world because he has no life
[13:56:07] [W To] <70:Makaria>: Heh, and the guild name really shows how much of a noob tard you really are, not to mention that you’re a warlock who are so noob he can’t even win against a hunter
[13:56:19] [W From] <70:Makaria>: grow up tard
[13:56:27] [W From] <70:Makaria>: this is my alt anyways
[13:56:52] [W From] <70:Makaria>: and locks is strongest and best thought class in wow so
[13:57:13] [W To] <70:Makaria>: You just keep showing just how noob you are
[13:57:30] [W From] <70:Makaria>: i played wow while u didnt even know what it is tard
[13:57:40] [W To] <70:Makaria>: You claim your class is the strongest and best, yet you can’t figure out how to mount up?
[13:57:48] [W From] <70:Makaria>: ARE U RETARDED?
[13:57:58] [W To] <70:Makaria>: Aha, that’s good for you. Means you’ve played since early beta
[13:57:59] [W From] <70:Makaria>: I CANT MOUNT UP WHEN HE HAS HIS PET ON 1 SIDE
[13:58:05] [W From] <70:Makaria>: tard
[13:58:55] [W To] <70:Makaria>: Lol, damn you are ridicilously retarded at this game then, if yoiu can’t figure out how to avoid his pet and him while mounting
[13:59:06] [W From] <70:Makaria>: get a life loser
[13:59:24] [W To] <70:Makaria>: Indeed you should, because you obviously can’t figure out how to play the game
[13:59:45] [W From] <70:Makaria>: haha i have a life ask my bf Alucardd who will probably start pwning u now
[14:00:02] [W To] <70:Makaria>: Damn I pity her
[14:00:09] [W From] <70:Makaria>: -.-
[14:00:28] [W From] <70:Makaria>: get a life moron
[14:00:32] [W To] <70:Makaria>: If someone is with a noobtard like you, I really do feel sorry for them
[14:00:44] [W From] <70:Makaria>: duel my main and then say so tard
[14:01:20] [W To] <70:Makaria>: I wouldn’t wanna embarras you in front of your “girl friend” whatever his name is
[14:01:30] [W From] <70:Makaria>: -.- tard
[14:01:39] [W From] <70:Makaria>: grow up and get a life
[14:01:42] [W To] <70:Makaria>: You sure do like that word, don’t you?
[14:01:55] [W From] <70:Makaria>: well yeah it is perfect word for u
[14:02:20] [W To] <70:Makaria>: You must hear it a lot every day in kindergarden, I guess that’s why you’re so fond of the word
[14:02:20] Makaria is ignoring you.

It takes 3 seconds to summon a mount and at level 70 everyone should have a flying mount. Due to lag (the server and client needs to synchronize) it will take about 1 second (maybe less, maybe more depending on how much lag) from you resurrect until you’ll actually be visible to the people around you. That leaves only approximately 2 seconds for the opponent to spot you, target you and get you in combat so you can’t mount up. If you’re smart you find a spot where the opponent can’t see you, or just as far from the opponent as it’s possible, then resurrect while spamming the mount button and you’re 9 out of 10 mounted and flying before the opponent can get you in combat.

I guess what I found most amusing is the fact the guy acknowledged that Warlocks are probably the strongest class in World of Warcraft, especially in PvP, yet still seeking assistance to kill the Hunter. Sure a Beastmaster Hunter could win if the cooldown is off The Beast Within (which is 2 minutes), but in many cases would still be hard pressed against a decent geared Demonoligy Warlock.

It’s so bothersome all the comment spam that occurs on blogs all around, a common denominator is that they (almost) always contain links. For this very reason I’m now blocking/blacklisting ALL comments that contain a web address.