WebRunner can help you focus your web browsing...

WebRunner is Mozilla (Firefox, Thunderbird, etc.) software based on the concept of Site Specific Browsers (SSB). SSB is "an application with an embedded browser designed to work exclusively with a single web application." Just a browser window, one website, no toolbars, nothing fancy.

It has been called a "distraction free browser". So, if you are one of those people who opens up a browser either at home or at work and can get lost with the vast universe that is the world wide web (I can be one of those people), this might help.

After downloading and installing WebRunner (for Windows, Linux, or Mac OS X), you then download different "webapps" (under the previous link) for specific web sites.

That was probably a bad explanation, so I will give an example. I use the previously mentioned Todoist for task management. I downloaded the Distraction Free GTD pack for WebRunner from internetducttape.com (here is the actual download link).

In Windows, the .webapp files automatically associate with WebRunner. So, to run Todoist, I double-click on todoist.webapp and that is all I see in my browser. I don't have any other options, which can keep me focused. You can create shortcuts to your .webapp files for your desktop or quick launch bar and have multiple WebRunner windows open. An example of my todoist window is to the right. Click on it for a bigger view (my task management isn't totally efficient at this point).

A few notes...

There are webapp pages for many other sites (including sites that will not promote efficiency like Facebook and Twitter).

If you like to proxy everything, you will need to edit the config file.

I don't group windows in my taskbar and personally like Firefox to minimize to the system tray instead of the taskbar (Firefox extension: Minimize to Tray). So, to get my WebRunner windows to minimize to the system tray, I installed TaskSwitchXP. It seems to be free, but only works in XP/2003. It will also replace your default Alt+Tab and give give preview windows.


Lifehacker link

UPDATE: engtech, the creator of internetducttape.com, left a comment informing me the Distraction Free GTD pack has been enhanced, so I changed the link.