#browser customization

[foolishfera]

How to block most website elements with uBlock Origin

A lot of people are already familiar with uBlock Origin (if you aren't it's a pretty robust and customizable ad blocker addon available for most common browsers), but there's a great and simple-to-use feature that goes underlooked by a lot of users: the element picker.

The element picker lets users block specific parts of a website without needing to manually write a filter list. It simply works by selecting the tool (with a pippette icon), highlighting a website element, and then clicking the "create" button to make a blocker for it.

Let's go through an example. Say I'm browsing this website and it decides to put a picture of a clown in the bottom right. Maybe I don't like this clown. So let's get rid of it!

First, select the element picker tool by clicking on the icon for uBlock Origin to open the addon's panel and then selecting the pippette icon:

This tool changes your cursor to a selection tool which highlights web elements. Click the element you want to be rid of, and a panel will open. You can press "Preview" to see what it would look like when blocked, and the "Create" button adds the web element to your blocklist.

Your blocklist can be found in the options of uBlock Origin under "My Filters". Your latest filter applied will be at the very bottom of that list, so if you accidentally block something you didn't want to, just delete it from there.

This method isn't perfect, as it depends on how the website in question has designed its web elements. Sometimes elements need blocking a few times if the site has a few different types of webpages, and sometimes elements are reused and the picker will select some false positives.

This is a great way however to make the web more customizable for you with minimal effort. For example, maybe you find various number stats on social media (such as likes, views, ratings etc.) to be annoying or stressful. Maybe a website has some buttons you keep clicking by mistake or are otherwise not useful to you. Maybe your adblocker just missed a couple adverts. Well, you can just block them all with this.

Make the web more like how you want it to be, get creative with web element blocking!

[howtological]

How to Choose the Right Browser for Your Windows PC

Discover the best browsers for Windows in 2023! Learn about compatibility, security, UI, performance, customization, and privacy to enhance your browsing experience.

In today’s digital age, browsing the internet has become an essential part of our daily lives. Whether it’s for work or leisure, we spend a significant amount of time online, and choosing the right browser for our Windows PC can have a significant impact on our online experience. With so many browsers available in the market, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, it can be challenging to…

[is-it-a-mainline-mario-game]

the paper mario web browser (not browser game)

[x-v4mp3y3lin3r-x]

Yesterday I finished moving to Firefox so here's some extensions. First, the serious ones:

AdBlocker Ultimate: Your run-of-the-mill adblock. I chose this one instead of uBlock since I'm fairly sure uBlock was giving me problems on Chrome and I don't wanna repeat the experience. You can use the "Block Element" feature to get rid of all the new annoying Tumblr features, it's easy.

ClearURLS: Removes tracking from URLs.

Decentraleyes: Protects from tracking & targeted ads.

DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials: More tracking, cookies, etc etc protection.

Privacy Badger: More tracking protection.

Shinigami Eyes: Marks transphobic blogs/accounts/profiles red.

Alright now some less serious, more fun ones:

Enhancer For Youtube: Gives you a highly customizable utility bar with features like simple screenshotting, pop-up players, volume enhancement, & other things. Also has the ability to alter your YouTube theme and toggle settings that'll stop pesky YouTube tabs from automatically starting.

Firefox Color: Custom themes for dummies! It doesn't customize everything but it gets pretty close. I think this would be a good tool for folks who need high contrast themes and can't find pre-made ones suited to their needs. Also comes with a few pre-made themes you can either use or use as bases.

LanguageTool: A spelling and grammar checking program that works in many languages and on all websites!

OneTab: Turns tabs into lists. Fantastic for when you're knee-deep in hyperfixation/special interest territory, or even for research.

Turbo Download Manager: Helps with frustrating downloads.

Video DownloadHelper: Gives you options to download any video from your tabs in multiple formats. Also has the option to download and convert to another format. [Update: This one requires a paid subscription AND externally downloaded program for these features. Nevermind.]

XKit Rewritten: Most Tumblr users already know of xKit but I'm including the link nonetheless! This kit makes Tumblr on PC enjoyable.

Custom Scrollbars: Makes your scrollbar pretty :)

Also, Firefox has their own page of useful add-ons, like Facebook containers and note-taking extensions. There's also a ton of themes. I don't think any of these are advertised on the main add-ons page? So I might as well mention it.

cheers :)

[deadfish-dol]

def not set in stone, but! 3d pixel fish room 😮

[puppyeared]

I CANT USE CSS ON ARTFIGHT...............

[realsafari]

i cant decide if i like this or not someone help me

i filled up all the layers in cant tell if i like it </3

[sempiternical]

New Lioden custom decor!- Rock guitar [Red]

Yay!! Made my first custom decor today, between university work and private Lioden commissions!

This will be mainly for personal use, for designing my emo-themed heir! Unfortunately it seems I can't upload it to Lioden right now because it keeps giving me an error when trying to do so ://// (Update: Removed the whole CD image and left only the item and a preview one; I plan uploading it to another site where it doesn't give me said error trying to submit it.)

I only made this CD for the Kind Female pose, but if I see if you guys like it, I'll draw it in more poses/include it on male manes & mutations or even more color versions 👀

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi Steph,

I am just wondering about your full fic rec list. When I click the link, it just brings me back to your home page. I cannot see your fic lists anymore.

Hey Nonny!

AHHHH Okay I know what the problem is as I have been asked about it before. Are you using the mobile app? Because on the app it just doesn't work. I have NO idea why. My theory is this, with what little I know about UI: I think the app can't read "sub-pages" (basically, it creates a folder on your blog that doesn't have a unique blog number code that the mobile app can read) that Desktop users are able to create on the "Customize" page of the Desktop Version (which functions essentially like a Wordpress blog), and because it's not reading it as a "real page" it gets forced into an endless link loop.

THE TUMBLR APP IS GARBAGE. It has been since implementation and they NEVER ever properly made the desktop and app versions work together.

It was only just LATE LAST YEAR that the desktop / browser version got all the style sheet stuff mobile's had for years AND the ability to edit mobile-made posts (before it used to lock you out and you had to go to the app to fix any posts even just reblogged on mobile, which is why I NEVER EVER blogged on the app). It's so bizarre that Tumblr hates their desktop/web browser users but it's the only version of the site that functions properly and is completely stable.

THAT ALL SAID, Nonny, the simple fix is to log into Tumblr on your Phone's web browser app, whether that's Safari, Firefox, Chrome, whatever... It functions just like the desktop version and all the links will work again for you.

OR you can copy-paste this web address into your web browser if you don't want to do that and the page will open as it should, since my blog isn't locked to only-Tumblr:

http://inevitably-johnlocked.tumblr.com/myficrecs

And to see the other pages just add a "2", "3", "4" or "5" at the end. I'm so sorry for the shit-show Nonny, but it IS there and the links all work on my end, and I just checked my web browser on my iPhone and it works in Safari <3

I should REALLY make a Rebloggable post since this is probably never going to be fixed on mobile (a rebloggable post will give it that unique ID number I mentioned and SHOULD fix the "fuck you mobile" issue, LOL). Let me know if y'all would like me to do that, and I'll put the pages as separate reblogs.

*HUGS*

[autumnslance]

Tumblr Cosmetic Customization Tutorial

You there! New Tumblr User with a default icon and header, no description, no custom URL, and not wanting to be mistaken for a bot--you just want to maybe figure out this weird hellsite and follow some people without being blocked, right?

Maybe you've been around for a little while, or are returning from that other hellsite, and don't know what the heck folks mean by enabling the custom URL and why are so many blogs opening on the dash instead of in a new tab?!

Let's sort this mess out below the cut with a screencap-laden tutorial, starting on mobile app (since Most new blogs start there these days, and many people use mobile more, or exclusively) and then moving to web browser for some other features that aren't available in the app (as of 1/27/23 anyway).

This is just going to be about cosmetic customization and accessing the correct blog URL and archive; Tumblr's many other settings and features for how you want to see your Dashboard and how much Privacy control you decide on are for your exploration (or another day and another tutorial, this one's long enough).

The tutorial blog itself literally took me well under 5 minutes to set up, and Tumblr guided me to customizing immediately. Taking the screenshots added a few seconds to the time; it's taken longer to write the first part of this post out. If you didn't customize the blog right away, don't fret! You can always tap the little art palette and cogwheel icons at the top of your blog to sort it out.

Now go below the link to see written instructions with image examples, including a few more with my cat:

TO BEGIN: In the mobile app, I make a new blog. For me, it's a sideblog under my main and existing sides, but otherwise this is all the same info. The following process also isn't actually all that different in web browser.

Now, you can change your URL later on if you want; a lot of folks do over time. Just be aware: changing your URL breaks any and all previous links to your blog, including any posts others have reblogged under "Read More" cuts, with the same result as if the blog was deactivated; the URL no longer exists, so Tumblr doesn't count it as "there" anymore.

Now that's out of the way, once I make a blog it immediately takes me to the Customization screen:

I can--and should!--give my blog a name and a description. Doesn't have to be long or fancy, and can always be changed later with no risk to your links.

I can tap the "Background" and "Accent" buttons to change the default colors, too. Let's go for something easy on the eyes by tapping on the colored circles to find some default options, or the wheel to grab a random custom one. I'm going to go to purple and find a nice shade there.

Next I will tap on the little default icon to choose an avatar photo. I can choose not to show it on my blog, and if I do, whether I want it to be square or circle.

I can also tap to choose a header image if I like. I'm just grabbing some images from my phone. I did have to redo the avatar as it didn't want to stay after selecting a header pic for some reason.

And then I made a quick post and pinned it, to let folks know that I am human and what the purpose of this blog is (lurking for now? A main blog for following while sideblogs get the content? In this case, a tutorial).

OK, so my cat for an icon, my copy of the fanzine I worked on as a header, a quick title and description, and a short post. Even if I post nothing else to this blog (and if it were a main blog; sideblogs can't follow others, nor send asks or replies), people will be fairly certain I am not a bot, hooray! And if I want to change anything, I can tap on the icons at the top of the blog and get back to these customization screens.

I CAN STOP HERE IF I WANT TO

...BUT WHAT IF I, or buddies, try to open my blog in a browser and it opens a dash panel? What if I (or others) want to access my Archive? Unfortunately, I cannot find the correct option in the mobile app at this point, so onto a web browser we go (on my phone or my tablet, or my computer).

I am using a generic default web browser where I don't have many extensions/plugins/addons enabled (though apparently I did set dark mode). When I tap/hover over my icon, it still shows my color option and everything I selected in app setup.

Here is where I am going to direct you to the side bar and the "Edit Appearance" button so I can point out some Very Important Things, even if you don't customize anything else ever.

When I open my blog's appearance tab, right away it's going to tell me some interesting things I have circled and pointed at on the below screenshot:

In RED I have circled my blog's URL: www.tumblr.com/lynmarstesting. This is why a blog opens in a dash panel instead of going to an actual blog. This is the new Default URL, I cannot access an Archive or other blog features like this.

The ORANGE arrow points to the feature we want, right below the "Blog name" and URL: "Custom Theme". When I swipe this feature to active, it tells me my URL is updated.

When I go to my blog, the URL in my browser shows the proper https://lynmarstesting.tumblr.com link.

And the blog looks...well, bare bones and empty, but a proper weblog page. And I (and anyone else) have access to my Archive! When, y'know, I have enough posts to make that a thing on this blog.

Now, if I or anyone else opens the blog by clicking my username or icon, it'll open a dash panel...but also show my actual @ and my proper URL link, so they can go to the blog itself that way if they want. Everyone wins!

I CAN STOP HERE IF I WANT TO;

there's no need from this point to keep messing around in a browser, we've done everything to 1) make ourselves look human and 2) make our blog properly linkable/accessible.

BUT WHAT IF...??

Once again, the little art palette icon at the top is our clicky-buddy, boxed below in orange:

This opens an "Edit Theme" sidebar panel where one can customize the blog. Each theme has different options, and Tumblr's default theme is honestly really modular; change colors, fonts, have multiple columns, add some pages (I've a whole other tutorial on that), etc.

There's also an "Advanced" pane, where you can mess with some other settings (the little ? icon on each line tells you what it does) and, if you're knowledgeable--or just bold--this is where you can add some Custom CSS.

Say the Default Tumblr Official isn't doing it, though; at the top of the Edit Theme pane it tells you your current theme, and there's a handy "Browse Themes" link.

This opens a drop down with multiple sorting options. I don't want to spend money on a premium blog theme at the moment, and the others are a mix, so let's check out the Free Themes options.

There's a lot of options here! Some new ones, some are sponsored, lots of variety. Even the "Accessible" theme I mainly use is there, in its barren glory, compared to what you can see I've made of it on browser (see that previous tutorial I linked above):

Again: Different Themes have Different Levels of Customization.

Some will let you change every color, the fonts, the frames, and so on. Some let you add links everywhere. Some barely let you touch anything. You can tap "Use" at the top to preview, and the "Advanced" pane will let you preview random pretend posts if you don't have many/any of your own to see how they'd look. If you don't like how something's turning out, just click back on "Free Themes" and look for another one.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND READABILITY!!

When people follow links to your blog--like a Read More cut--they will see the post on your blog's theme and in your blog's colors. Even on mobile app, especially if you override the default mobile theme, your color choices will have an impact! Aesthetic is all well and good, but frames, fonts, colors, and so on, should be legible and readable to most people, especially if you mean to share a lot of text posts.

Another thing to note: Your theme will NOT appear on mobile app. It defaults to a basic setup in the app, keeping maybe only your colors. Any custom links won't show, and cosmetic site options and access are limited in a lot of ways. The site is usable on a mobile web browser, and will have those features there. I get around the app's inability to show my theme's links by adding them all to my informative Pinned Posts on each blog, but that's me.

And there you have it! How to cosmetically customize a Tumblr, in mobile app and browser, to seem like a real person and access the correct URL and features of your blog. Whether you're new or been here awhile, hopefully this helps answer some really basic questions about how and why to do some of these things.

Have a final full-sized silly Chel pic to say goodbye.

[heckling-hydrena]

(VOLUME WARNING: he's loud) this is what my PawBorough profile looks like now 👍

[loftyanchor]

I’ve been formatting my sketches so they’d form one long line - made a page for it, too! https://sketchrope.loftyanchor.art

[chronicangel]

Wake up babes, new desktop background dropped.

[lu9]

Hello Tumblr Patio users (all 3 of them)!

Are you a former TweetDeck veteran? Wish the sidebar didn't take too much space? I have just the thing for you!

I made an interesting userstyle that you can install with the Stylus browser extension - it collapses the sidebar, and you can uncollapse it by hovering over it with the mouse (or leave it collapsed if you prefer!)

It is somewhat still kinda barebones and "not super pretty" (and if Patio updates often it might even break) but it gets the job done!

Get it here on userstyles.world!

[gothichorrorshow]

desktop moots what do we think of my theme? :3

[esleep]

i want every tech company to know i am not putting your app on my computer. if it would work fine as a website and you have chosen to make it an app instead i will simply not use your product. hope this helps