Labs/Ubiquity/Ubiquity 0.5 User Tutorial: Difference between revisions

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== In other languages ==

== Download ==

= Welcome =

With Ubiquity installed, you'll be able to tell Firefox <i>what you want it to do</i> by typing <b>commands</b> into a new Ubiquity input box.

The commands that come with Ubiquity are just the beginning: anyone can create new commands and share them.  Creating Ubiquity commands &mdash; and [http://www.azarask.in/blog/post/sharing-streamable-functionality/ extending the web] &mdash; should be as easy as creating a web page.

Ubiquity is still a work in progress, and we are eager for you to join our virtual team to experiment.  If, when reading this tutorial, you think of a way to make Ubiquity easier to use, or an idea for its future development, we hope you'll take a moment to [http://getsatisfaction.com/mozilla/products/mozilla_ubiquity share your thoughts].  By getting involved with Ubiquity while the project is still in its early stages, you have an opportunity to shape the direction of its growth.

You'll need to install [http://growl.info/ Growl].  This is a Mac OS X system extension that applications can use to display unobtrusive transparent messages.  Ubiquity uses Growl notifications to show you the output of commands and tell you about errors.

On Windows (XP and later), you don't need to install anything special, as Ubiquity will use the operating system's built-in "toaster"-style pop-up messaging.

On Linux, you shouldn't have to do anything special: just make sure you're updated to the latest version of Firefox.

== Starting Ubiquity ==

Once you hit the appropriate key-combo, you'll be presented with a command input box in the upper-left of your browser.

You give Ubiquity a command by typing something in here.  For the sake of brevity, we'll call this "issuing" a command.  For the rest of this tutorial, when we say to "issue 'XYZ'", we mean "hit alt-space (or ctrl-space) to bring up the Ubiquity box, then type XYZ".

While you're typing your command, you'll see two things underneath the input box:  A '''suggestion list''' and a '''preview''' of the current command.  In the picture below, the suggestion list consists of "wikipedia" and "weather", while the preview says "Searches Wikipedia".

When you finish typing "wikipedia babel fish" you should see some summaries of various Wikipedia pages about Babel Fish, like so:

It will take a moment for the above information to be gleaned from Wikipedia, but Ubiquity stays fully responsive during this time.

== Abbreviating Commands and Using the Suggestion List ==

== Doing Commands on Selections ==

Often, the thing you're interested in searching for is right in front of you, on the web page you're looking at.  Why go to the trouble of re-typing it when you can use what you've already got?

   Mountain View, California

Now summon Ubiquity, and just type the first few letters of the command name:

Or, let's say you're reading a web page and you find an unfamiliar word:

You can give it a try by selecting the address below and issuing "map":

Then click the image in the preview to get the larger map, then click the "insert map in page" link and watch what happens.  Surprised?

By now you're probably wondering, "How many commands are there?  What are they all called?  How am I supposed to know what a command could be unless I memorize them all?"

[[Image:Command-list.png]]

You can also get to the main help page by typing '''about:ubiquity''' into the Firefox URL bar.

== Teaching Ubiquity New Commands ==

It's important to understand the '''dangers''' of subscribing to Ubiquity commands from sites that you don't trust.  Since a Ubiquity command can do anything, and it has full access to your web browser, a bad person could write a Ubiquity command to steal your personal information or do malicious things to your computer.  You should not install Ubiquity commands unless you are confident that the source is trustworthy.