Browser Automation

Using The Internet is an Skill to be Feared and Respected - Like

competitive eating but more useful professionally

@ehrenfoss | 512-673-7254 | http://www.preludeinteractive.com

Overview

Why Browser Automation?

Shortcuts, Quickness, and Ubiquity with the Keyboard

Self Control with LeechBlock, RescueTime, and your hosts file.

Macros with iMacros

Finally, I'm Going to Re-Read This Slide 

Why Browser Automation?

• Because you use it all the time!

• Eventually, Browser == Computer

Keyboard Vs. Mouse

Moving the mouse is a motor skills problem in 2 dimensions.

Moving the mouse requires moving your hand a lot.  Keys require smaller, quicker movements. 

3 keystrokes = 185k possibilities

Mobile interfaces are too small and our fingers are too big.

Touch screens are too new (and we'retoo clumsy)

On the other hand…“We’ve done a cool $50 million of R & D on the Apple Human Interface. We discovered,

among other things, two pertinent facts: Test subjects consistently report that keyboarding is faster than mousing. The stopwatch consistently proves mousing is faster than keyboarding.

This contradiction between user-experience and reality apparently forms the basis for many user/developers’ belief that the keyboard is faster.”

- Bruce “Tog” Tognazzini

http://www.asktog.com/TOI/toi06KeyboardVMouse1.htmlhttp://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/001088.htmlhttp://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000825.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MPJZ6M52dIhttp://www.ted.com/talks/pattie_maes_demos_the_sixth_sense.html

Browser Shortcuts and "Hotkeys"

Cntl-T - new tabCntl-Tab - switch tabs.Cntl-L - go to a websiteCntl-W - close the tab I'm on.Cntl-K - search

Check out the hints in your menus too!  Like...Alt-Fthen Alt-F-V

/ search navigation - See a link?  Zing to it.

"Add a Keyword for this search...“

http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Keyboard+shortcuts

Gmail Hotkeys    

k - newerj - oldern - next messagep - previous messageo/Enter - open x - select# - deletey - de-label or archive

http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=6594

Ubiquity

Do common multi-step tasks fasterWikipediaFacebookWeatherCalculator

Search for new extensions for the websites you work with.

Control + Space

https://mozillalabs.com/ubiquity/

Self Control   

C'mon... be honest....

How to find out what’s really going on…

• Videotape yourself.• Take screenshots.• Set a timer• Rescue Time

http://www.rescuetime.com/

Self Control, Step 1

Wait, Owl Videos!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjEld1kYzOA

Block Sites in your Browser:    LeechBlock (FFox)    Allowed Sites (IE)     Right click - Block Content (Opera)

The Nuclear Option

The 'hosts' file is a file on most operating systems where you can match URLs to IPs - like a local DNS. 

Set to 127.0.0.1 (your computer) to disable the website completely:

127.0.0.1   icanhascheezburger.com 

/etc/hosts/c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

http://practice.chatserve.com/hosts.html

Macros

Well…they are neat. 

Browser Macros?

iMacrosCorny website, useful tool: • Free Version works Just Fine• http://www.iopus.com/imacros/• Available for multiple browsers

Selenium• Open Source Website Testing• http://seleniumhq.org/

Simple Stuff

Keep track of logins Navigate Deeply  Pay a Bill- Difficult to Remember/Find Login?- Hard to Navigate Website? Startup and Setup 

Stuff that Used to Take You Hours

Rolling something out and need to create 600 users? Preparing for a 10k race in 273 cities and need to create each group, folder, email  template, etc?

iMacros + CSV = LOVE

iMacros:  Extra Credit

Setup shortcuts to individual macrosSchedule tasks

http://wiki.imacros.net/Tutorials

It is a little like programming.  Don't be scared!

Internet Explorer

FireFox Chrome Safari Opera

Extensions? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Macros iMacros iMacros iMacros AppleScript Opera Macros

Self Control Approved Sites / Hosts File

LeechBlock Nope! Parental Controls - Allow List

Block Content

Convenience IE8 Web Slices?

Ubiquity Nope! QuickSilver? ?

Hotkeys Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Overview

First, I'm Going To Read This Slide Why Browser Automation?

Shortcuts, Quickness with Ubiquity (Keyboards!!)

Self Control with LeechBlock, RescueTime, and your hosts file.

Macros with iMacros and Selenium

Finally, I'm Going to Re-Read This Slide 

@ehrenfoss | 512-673-7254 | http://www.preludeinteractive.com