Location bar tricks

Option 1: Make Microb use your preferred search engine
Just like with Firefox you can use the browser location bar to search Google. By default if you enter more than one word in the Microb location bar you will be taken to the Google's first search result (i.e. 'i feel lucky'). To see the normal results page instead do the following:

- type about:config in the location bar (this may take some time to load, be patient)

- type in 'Name' field (case sensitive): keyword.URL

- type or paste in the 'Value' field:

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=

- click 'Set preference'

- restart the browser

Alternatively, use this link (one line)

about:config?prefname=keyword.URL&prefvalue=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com %2Fsearch%3Fie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26sourceid%3Dnavclient%26gfns%3D1%26q%3D

which will make the change in about:config.

Instead of Google you could use any search-engine as long as you know the right url.

Option 2: Yubnub shortcuts
If instead you change the default search engine from Google's I'm Feeling Lucky to Yubnub, you can search almost any web site directly from the address line. So, you can for example do the following searches:

g abc def : Searches google for abc def

am abc: Searches abc on amazon.com

wi abc: Searches abc on Wikipedia

imdb abc: Searches abc on IMDB etc.

A list of most used commands can be found here.

This functionality is similar to that of Opera and Firefox, but with Yubnub, you don't need to tweak it. The shortcuts are already there. (Though this has the disadvantage that you can't tweak them to your preferences. For example, I usually use w for Wikipedia; but it is reserved for weather.com on Yubnub.)

So, here is how to do it: -

1. Go to "about:config" in Microb browser.

2. Enter "keyword.URL" into the Name box at the top (above Set Preference).

3. Enter "http://yubnub.org/parser/parse?command=" as the value.

4. Restart Microb.

Alternatively, use this link (one line):

about:config?prefname=keyword.URL&prefvalue=http%3A%2F%2Fyubnub.org/parser/parse%3fcommand%3d -

The searches default to Google, so writing abc cde will search for abc def on Google; so you don't need a g at the beginning.

You can create your own searches with Yubnub provided you select an unused keyword.

Also, if you use Speed Dial, your browsing experience will be much better. (Remember to use iamthewalrus' and Benson's version, not mine. That one is much improved.)

Option 3: OpenDNS shortcuts
An alternative is to use OpenDNS shortcuts. OpenDNS is free, but you have to register and make your IP address or network recognized. ( This is done only once if you have a static IP or use the dynamic IP software of OpenDNS.)

Steps:

1. Register your network on OpenDNS.

2. Define shortcuts. Shortcuts fall into two categories:

2.1 Site shortcuts: For example, typing m can you to mail.google.com

2.2 Search shortcuts: For example, typing "g asd fgh" will search for asd fgh on Google, or "w asd fgh" for Wikipedia search etc. To create such a shortcut, make a search for asd and replace the part "asd" in the resulting search result page's URL to %s. So for Google, searching for asd will be: "http://www.google.com/search?rls=en&q=asd&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8" and as a shortcut URL one needs to give "http://www.google.com/search?rls=en&q=%s&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8".

3. Make microb work with the shortcuts. Follow the instructions on this page: http://www.opendns.com/support/article/123.