Entry tags:

firefox, software recs

Firefox
I've recently upgraded to a new browser and I just have to share!
I'm now using Firefox 1.5, and I love it! It's fast, simple, intuitive, and highly customizable! In fact, it's so customizable that it makes IE look stiff and restrictive. I can rearrange and remove individual buttons on the toolbar, dock several toolbars in the same row, etc. Plus, there are hundreds of user-created extensions to add even more features to Firefox.
Also, Firefox is extremely secure. Popups have become a thing of the past with Firefox's built-in popup blocking, and there is an excellent extension that offers in-page ad-blocking, so those bandwidth-consuming ads are also a thing of the past.
Firefox also offers several convenient features such as tabbed browsing, integrated search bar for many search engines, and customizable skins or "themes" for the shell.
Click on the button below to download the most recent version and try it for yourself.

If you need help with Firefox you can find it at Firefox Tutor. Also, check out the online Wikibook called Using Firefox for a complete, comprehensive introduction to all of Firefox's features and step-by-step instructions for downloading and using Firefox.
And, if you're feeling brave, the ultimate tweaking guide  can be found here.
After you've downloaded the browser, you'll want to download some extensions to customize your experience even further. You can find official themes, plug-ins, and extensions here.

Here is a list of my favorites:

• Tab Saver! 1.1 - This extension keeps track of the last tabs open before you close Firefox and allows you to restore them when you restart Firefox, essentially allowing you to resume your browsing where you left off.
• Full Screen 0.3 - This extension allows you to add a "fullscreen" button to the toolbar so that you can switch to fullscreen mode and back easily.
• Story Monitor 0.92 - This extension allows you to monitor stories on sites such as fanfiction.net, Adultfanfic.net, eFiction.net, etc. A complete list of supported sites can be found at the extension's homepage. While it can be slightly awkward for first-time users, it is a wonderful and time saving program for anyone who reads a lot of Fan Fiction from any of the supported sites. I love it!
• Adblock Plus 0.6.1.1 - This is a wonderful extension that blocks in-page ads. Fully customizable, I wouldn't browse without it. You will also want the Adblock Filterset.G Updater 0.3.0.1 to go with it so that you can receive regularly updated filtersets for Adblock Plus.
• Colorful Tabs 0.3 - A wonderful little extension that makes each of your tabs a different color. Beautiful, pastel shades that really enhance the browsing experience.
• Disable Targets For Downloads 1.0.1 - A simple extension to prevent sites like Gmail, Download.com, etc. from opening a blank window during the download process. This is an extension that you will probably never notice working, but you will notice the results.
• Fission 0.7.5 - This combines the address bar and the progress bar, adding a neat little effect. You can customize the color of the progress bar. Especially useful if you prefer not to use the status bar when browsing but still want to see page loading progress.
• Crash Recovery 0.5.3 - Restores your browsing session exactly as it was if Firefox (or your computer) crashes.
• Clear Cache Button 0.2 - Adds a button for clearing the cache to the toolbar. Useful if you need to clear the cache often.
• FLST 0.8.5 - This extension focuses on the last selected tab when you close the active tab. Handy.
• TargetAlert 0.8.9.7 - This adds a visual indicator to the end of links, showing what type of file they lead too (email, pdf, doc, etc.). No more clicking on a link thinking it will lead you to the author profile only to discover it's the author's email address. :)
• NoScript 1.1.3.9 - Allows Javascript only for trusted sites which you choose. This really speeds browsing and eases the stress of dealing with those irritating, seemingly purposeless scripts that litter the the web. It's easy to turn the script on and off for individual sites via a button on the toolbar or the right-click context menu.
• StumbleUpon 2.4 - Lets you "channel-surf" the web. Sends you to random web pages in your category preferences. I was skeptical at first, but once I tried it, I loved it! Perfect for when you're bored or you want to see something new. Puts the fun back into Internet browsing.
• Google Safe Browsing 1.1 - This extensions warns you of spoofed websites, phishing scams, etc., as you browse.
• Gmail Manager 0.4.3.2 - An extension for managing your Gmail accounts, receiving new mail notices, etc. Simple, useful, and easy to use.
• FireFoxMenuButtons 1.1.2 - Adds over 30 new buttons to your toolbar. Adds several menu functions to the toolbar, and is fully customizable. Very useful if you spend a lot of time in FullScreen mode.
• SpellBound Development 0.9.8.20060108 - A spell checker for Foxfire. Installation is a bit complicated. Read the instructions found at the link above and you should have no trouble. The extension works beautifully, with no compatibility issues so far. In fact, I have to give it a higher rating than my previous standard: the Spell checker in Google Toolbar! :)
• Deepest Sender 0.7.6 - A blogging client for posting to Livejournal or Wordpress from Firefox. I'm using it right now! Runs directly in Firefox. Allows you to see/edit in WYSIWYG mode, or from the source code, or a preview mode without saving or losing data. Wonderful. Easy to download and use. Integrated with Spellbound spell checker.
• MR Tech Link Wrapper 1.0 - This extension wraps long links so you don't have to scroll across.
• Searchbar Autosizer 1.0.6 - Auto expands/shrinks the search bar according to the contents. Great if you spend a lot of time in FullScreen mode and stuff your navigation bar full of buttons.
• SearchPluginHacks 0.1.3 - Allows you to remove unneeded search engines from the Firefox search box.
• Autofill 0.3 - Modeled after Google Toolbar's AutoFill, this extension allows you to fill forms with one click.
• SearchWP 0.6.6 - Adds Highlight and WordFind functionality to the Firefox Search box.
• Google Images Re-Linker 0.3 - Allows you to jump straight to the large image in Google Image Search, bypassing the image source and thumbnail frames entirely.
• ListZilla 0.7 - Generates a text or HTML list of all the extensions you are running. Great for keeping track of what you have, or for generating a list of extensions to share with others.
• Menu Editor 1.2 - If you have a lot of extensions, your right-click context menu is going to get a bit cluttered. With this extension, you can choose which commands are offered on the context menu & even arrange their order. I use it to make my right-click menu more intuitive. Love it.
• Open Source in Tab 1.5 - If you view the source code of web pages, this is a handy extension. By default, Firefox opens source code in a new window, but with this, you can force it to open in a new tab instead.
• PDF Download 0.6 - This allows you to choose whether to download, open, or view as html when you are working with pdf files. Very useful and easy to use.
• Sage 1.3.6 - This is a RSS/Atom feed viewer. It is simple and easy to use, and it allows you to use feeds in a way that makes sense. I use it all the time to monitor feeds & I love it. Before I got this extension, I wasn't really sure how to use feeds in a meaningful way, but this made it really easy.
• Tabbrowser Preferences 1.2.8.8 - This adds a new menu to the "options" menu, allowing more control over tabbed browsing functions.

And this is just a small sampling of the extensions available for Firefox. And it's all free and Open Source! Why use slow, security-hole ridden IE for another minute? Switch today!

Want to see what extensions I'm using right now? Click here.