Google Chrome
This browser conceals interesting configuration options in
the settings page 'about:flags'. For example, activate the in-built Flash
stopper and use different profiles simultaneously.
Even Google's own browser can be adjusted
to a large extent. Chrome hides a huge number of additional config options in a
total of 15 hidden pages, and allows experienced users to change numerous
minute settings.
Google Chrome
Play Flash Only On Request
[+] about:flags
[-]
Click-to-Play
VALUE: Enable
The first thing that you get to see on many
websites is an irritating Flash advertising banner. These increase the download
time and make even newer computers sweat. It is better if you yourself control
what Flash content you want to see. For this, the browser has a function called
'Click-to-Play' which you can activate on the 'about:flags' page. To bring the
changes into effect, you have to re-start the browser. Now open the page
'chrome://settings/content' through the address bar and activate the option
'Click-to-Play' under 'Plug-ins'. Chrome then immediately makes the necessary
changes.
Determine Tab Focus
[+] about:flags
[-] Focus
existing tab on open
VALUE: Enable
When several tabs are open, you often lose
sight of things. Many a times, you type in a web address and open it just to
find it is already open in another tab. Now, instead of opening a new tab.
Chrome can recognize the double entry and simply jump to the available tab. For
this, in the 'about:flags' page, navigate to the option 'While opening, focus
on available tabs' and click on the link 'Activate'.
Use Other PDF Readers
As a standard setting, Chrome opens files
in the widely popular Adobe PDF format with the help of its integrated PDF
reader, even if Acrobat Reader or even Acrobat are installed. It is not a
problem, since the Chrome Viewer loads the documents at lightening fast speed.
But it does have one disadvantage: its functionality does not compare to that
of the Acrobat Reader, for example it does not display a table of contents.
That can be irritating with large PDF documents. This problem can be easily
solved: search for the entry 'Chrome PDF Viewer' in the 'chrome:// plugins'
page and there click under 'Deactivate'. Now, without having to restart, PDF
files opened on the Web will directly be opened in the default external Reader.
Use More Profiles
[+] about:flags
[-] More
profiles
VALUE: Enable
There is no dedicated provision for using
several website profiles at the same time. However it would be useful to be
able to do so: this way you can open different Google accounts at the same time
and use the respective features the way you need them.
For turning on this function, click on the
settings page 'about:flags' under 'More profiles' on 'Enable'. Now you can
determine which profile to use for every single tab. The change takes place on
the website google.com through the button 'Sign in'.
Block Suspicious Links
[+] about:flags
[-] Disable
hyperlink auditing
After clicking, some hyperlinks do not just
open the target webpage, but also inform an additional server about the link
being clicked. Scripts, for example, can be hidden behind them which collect
user tracking information—that is, information about your activities on the
web. That is not how it should be. Scroll on the page 'about:flags' to the
point 'Disable hyperlink auditing' and click on 'Activate'. In the future, your
privacy is better protected.
Use Incognito Lightly
[+] chrome://extensions
[-] Allow in
incognito mode
VALUE: Activate
In the incognito mode in Chrome, you can
surf without leaving behind traces. You can separately define whether each
plug-in should also be available in incognito mode. For this, open 'chrome://
extensions'. Under every plug-in, there is the option 'Allow in incognito
mode'. According to your need, mark the add-ons that you want. These functions
will immediately become available to you in the private surfing mode.
NOTE: Chrome cannot supervise the function
of the add-ons. If a plug-in collects your web history or similar data, it will
also be visible in the normal surfing mode. That is why this feature is
disabled by default, and you should be careful with it.
Rebuffed Activate 'Click to Play' so
that Chrome blocks all Flash videos till you approve of them.
Incognito power With one tick, you
can use add-ons in the incognito mode.
