Things to Make Firefox go Vroom....

News Type: Other — Tue May 29, 2007 4:38 PM EDT

technology, internet, firefox, mozilla, extensions, add-ons, web-browing

In this decade's version of "The Browser Wars," the clear winner is Firefox, if for no other reason than the myriad of extensions available to customize and enhance one's browsing experience.

Because I am a bit of an add-ons Junkie, I'm listing my favorites below: the add-ons and extensions I use on a daily basis without which I would not be as happy as I am. Many of these are handy because if the nature of my job (managing and developing web-based content), but many are simply handy and wonderful additions that save me time navigating to other sites, opening other applications, etc.

Adblock Plus blocks annoying ads and banners on most web sites. You'll also want the You should use this in conjunction with the Adblock Filterset.G Updater, which is a weekly updated definition file of nasty ads. Note that this extension CAN cause some pages to load oddly, and if you are using it and see oddness when a page loads, you can disable it for the domain you are on using the ABP Button it installs on your Firefox Toolbar
All-in-One-Sidebar adds a configurable toolbar to the right or left of the browser window, giving you more real estate for the various buttons and other doodads you want to add to the browser.
Autocomplete Manager is an extension that supercharges the address autocomplete component in Firefox.
BugMeNot lets you use.. ummm... 'recycled' usernames/passwords for those pesky "Free (compulsory) Registration" sites like imdb, washingtonpost, etc.
Codetch is an inline code editing program that opens in a new browser tab. It is very similar to Dreamweaver, only free.
ColorfulTabs turns all the Firefox tabs a different color, making them a lot easier to see and differentiate between
Ctrl Tab Preview pops a thumbnail of each tab you have open as you use Ctrl+Tab (Cmd+Option+Tab on Mac) to cycle through them, sorta Vista style
DOM Inspector shows you all elements of the web page you are looking at
Dummy Lipsum is an add on that allows you to generate "lorem ipsum" filler text and specify how much you want in paragraphs, words, bytes, or lists. Really handy for testing minimum and maximum field lengths in applications
DownThemAll! lets you download all the links or images on a web page and adds an accelerator to make things much mas rapido
Firebug is an editor/debugger for CSS, HTML, and JavaScript and really handy for spotting issues with host-based projects you're working on.
FireFTP is an embedded FTP client that openes in a new browser tab. The tinfoil hat crowd will be convinced it sends your password to phishers in Romania.
Foxmarks lets you synchronize bookmarksbetween browsers on multiple machines
FoxyTunes adds controls for more than 30 media players (iTunes, WinAmp, Windows Media Player, etc.) to the Firefox interface, allowing you to do all your music listening and browsing within one application.
Forecastfox Enhanced is a weather forecaster that includes live animated doppler radar and a buncha other coolness.
Google Browser Sync syncs your browser settings across multiple computers
Googlepedia shows Wikipedia articles alongside search results
Google Preview inserts thumbs of site results into Google and Yahoo searches
HTML Validator is a priceless tool for web developers that validates pages' code, pointing out errors in syntax, deprecated code, etc.
IE Tab lets you open any page using the IE rendering engine on your machine without having to load the internet Explorer application (Windows only)
Inline Google Definitions show definitions for selected words
Link Alert changes your cursor to indicate the target type of a link (e.g., script, doc, new window, etc.)
MR Tech Local install allows you to manage extensions and add-ons locally as well as overriding the install countdown, bypassing version compatibility checks, etc.
PopupSound plays a sound when a pop-up window is blocked or any other event you want to define
ReminderFox displays and manages a list of date-based reminders and to-do lists that can be shared between multiple browsers
ScribeFire is billed as a blog editor, and it works great in that capacity. What I use it for, though, is a text/html editor that lives within the browser form which you can copy and paste nicely formated HTML (I am using ScribeFire to write this post)
Server Switcher lets you switch between staging and production (e.g., between mysite.com and stagingarea.myusername.mysite.com) domains in a single click
StumbleUpon is a toolbar lets you discover new sites based on user ratings, including your own
UnPlug lets you save audio and video embedded on web sites
Web Developer adds a toolbar that lets you browse and manipulate almost all aspects of a web page: CSS, forms, images, scripts, etc.
User Agent Switcher lets you switch the user agent of your browser (handy for bypassing detects/redirects based on user agent)

25 Votes
Enjoy this article? Help vote it up the 'Vine.

Published to:

Josh of Arc's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: Firefox Users
Regions: none

What's this?

Who's leading the conversation?

This visualization below allows you to see the impact that each user has on the current conversation. The top row contains the group of users who have had the most impact, the 2nd row the group of users who have had the 2nd most impact (et cetera). Users with similar impact are grouped together, and the average score of the group is shown to the left of the group. The author of the article is also shown on the left, in their corresponding group. Each user's score is based on the number of comments the user has made plus the number of votes their comments have received. The scores are calculated relative one another, so while their absolute value is not particularly important, their relative difference does indicate a larger difference in impact on the conversation.

9.9

2.4

{"commentId":742138,"authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

Josh of Arc

Of course, if you have any cool add-ons you wish to share, post away!

{"commentId":742138,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

1 vote

#1 - Tue May 29, 2007 4:39 PM EDT

{"commentId":742186,"authorDomain":"stevetherobot"}

stevetherobot

Split Browser This splits the content area of the browser window as you like.

Let's you have multiple web pages open in one tab.

{"commentId":742186,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"stevetherobot"}

1 vote

#2 - Tue May 29, 2007 4:54 PM EDT

{"commentId":743385,"authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

Josh of Arc

Good add-on, actually. I'll use it at work (big monitor -- high resolution). On the laptop I am already hurting for screen space, and even using the Littlefox theme, Split Browser is a bit too crowded.

Thanks for the tip!
- J

{"commentId":743385,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

3 votes

#2.1 - Wed May 30, 2007 8:56 AM EDT

{"commentId":742269,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}

Andy Min

NoScript is a great security must-have. As is SiteAdvisor.

I was also surprised not to see Greasemonkey on here.

All in all though, a great list.

Oh yeah, there's one other invaluable extension:
http://www.newsvine.com/firevine

{"commentId":742269,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}

3 votes

#3 - Tue May 29, 2007 5:27 PM EDT

{"commentId":743405,"authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

Josh of Arc

Oh yeah, there's one other invaluable extension:
http://www.newsvine.com/firevine

Ya know, I played with this. And, don't get me wrong, I admire the time and effort.

However, tool bars and Firefox just don't mix; especially with the limited real estate of a laptop screen (I say that despite being involved in the dev process of two Firefox tool bars). For the Newsvine tool bar I would find it much more usable if its four elements were presented as separate, positionable elements so that I could use the three I would use (search, watchlist, and seed) placed in separate places on the browser's UI.

The same goes for the StumbleUpon tool bar, which I use but which is turned off most of the time.

But in general tool bars are suited much more for IE; they seem counter to the modular nature of add-ons that characterize Firefox.

-J

{"commentId":743405,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

2 votes

#3.1 - Wed May 30, 2007 9:08 AM EDT

{"commentId":743962,"authorDomain":"divbyzero"}

Division by Zero

NoScript is good but it can also be an irritation. I wish there was a quick way to temporarily whitelist an entire domain until I close my browser.

{"commentId":743962,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"divbyzero"}

2 votes

#3.2 - Wed May 30, 2007 12:06 PM EDT

{"commentId":742841,"authorDomain":"emix"}

Evan Mix

I just started using Cooliris and I like it quite a bit.

{"commentId":742841,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"emix"}

3 votes

#4 - Tue May 29, 2007 10:50 PM EDT

{"commentId":743418,"authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

Josh of Arc

Ooooooohhhhh...... Cooliris is pretty!

{"commentId":743418,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

2 votes

#4.1 - Wed May 30, 2007 9:13 AM EDT

{"commentId":742872,"authorDomain":"snick-hill"}

snick-hill

Well, there's this truly amazingly fast browser called opera...does not have as many users as firefox or internet explorer has but a truly great browser packed with so many features. many of the features of firefox like tabbed browsing and session saver were available long before in opera. I bet you to use opera for two days and come back to firefox...

{"commentId":742872,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"snick-hill"}

#5 - Tue May 29, 2007 11:15 PM EDT

{"commentId":742880,"authorDomain":"timstown"}

Tim.

Thanks for this list, I'm bookmarking this article for future referance!

{"commentId":742880,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"timstown"}

2 votes

#6 - Tue May 29, 2007 11:20 PM EDT

{"commentId":742887,"authorDomain":"snick-hill"}

snick-hill

I bet you havent use this browser called opera...it's got so many features packed into it...some of the features of firefox like tabbed browsing and session saver were present in opera long before they came into firefox...i bet you to use it for a couple of days and get back to firefox.

{"commentId":742887,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"snick-hill"}

#7 - Tue May 29, 2007 11:22 PM EDT

{"commentId":743476,"authorDomain":"daweb"}

DAWeb

undo close tab. couldn't surf without it!

{"commentId":743476,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"daweb"}

3 votes

#8 - Wed May 30, 2007 9:35 AM EDT

{"commentId":744065,"authorDomain":"finalcut"}

finalcut

firefox 2 has that basically built in..

just go to "history" -> "recently closed tabs"

{"commentId":744065,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"finalcut"}

2 votes

#8.1 - Wed May 30, 2007 12:30 PM EDT

{"commentId":744230,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}

Andy Min

Or Ctrl-Shift-T to bring back the last opened tab.

{"commentId":744230,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}

2 votes

#8.2 - Wed May 30, 2007 1:15 PM EDT

{"commentId":744259,"authorDomain":"daweb"}

DAWeb

See, now Ctrl-Shift-T I will use, but forget history - recently closed tabs. too much work. That is why I like undo close tab. just a rightclick on the tool bar followed by a left click. :-)
How many tabs can you recover using the Ctrl-Shift-T command?

{"commentId":744259,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"daweb"}

2 votes

#8.3 - Wed May 30, 2007 1:27 PM EDT

{"commentId":744780,"authorDomain":"finalcut"}

finalcut

Its funny you say too much work when both involve 2 clicks.

one just involves moving the mouse a bit.

I don't actually use either. The only times I ever seem to accidentally close tabs is when firefox crashes and then it restores it's session on reload.

{"commentId":744780,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"finalcut"}

2 votes

#8.4 - Wed May 30, 2007 4:01 PM EDT

{"commentId":744898,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}

Andy Min

Undo Close Tab (extension) is actually better than the History menu, since I use Tiny Menu (so it's really, Menu>History>Recently Closed Tabs>ITEM).

{"commentId":744898,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}

2 votes

#8.5 - Wed May 30, 2007 4:31 PM EDT

{"commentId":743726,"authorDomain":"trevoke"}

Trevoke

Awesome pre-chewed selection!

{"commentId":743726,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"trevoke"}

1 vote

#9 - Wed May 30, 2007 10:56 AM EDT

{"commentId":744308,"authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

Josh of Arc

"Cud-o-licious" if you will...

{"commentId":744308,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

#9.1 - Wed May 30, 2007 1:43 PM EDT

{"commentId":744211,"authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}

FDBryant3

Tab Mix Plus is a must have in my opinion

{"commentId":744211,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}

1 vote

#10 - Wed May 30, 2007 1:10 PM EDT

{"commentId":744215,"authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}

FDBryant3

Here are the ones I have saved in del.icio.us as must haves

{"commentId":744215,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"fdbryant3"}

1 vote

#10.1 - Wed May 30, 2007 1:11 PM EDT

{"commentId":744774,"authorDomain":"callumscott"}

callumscott

Aging tabs is better than colourful tabs, the oldest ones go the darkest of a colour you choose. I have green so right now my tabs in the background vary from mint to forest green depending on age.

{"commentId":744774,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"callumscott"}

3 votes

#11 - Wed May 30, 2007 3:59 PM EDT

{"commentId":745167,"authorDomain":"emix"}

Evan Mix

Speaking of Firefox extensions, this just came to my attention. Probably important to read.

{"commentId":745167,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"emix"}

3 votes

#12 - Wed May 30, 2007 5:57 PM EDT

{"commentId":747231,"authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

Josh of Arc

I posted this on your article's page as well, but I am not too concerned. From the Wired Article discussing the potential security risk in Firefox add-ons not distributed via an https site:

That means that users who open their browsers when using an open wireless connection are vulnerable to a hacker being able to intercept these third-party extensions' checks for updates at a plain http:// site and then pretend to be the update server. At lesser risk are users who haven't changed the default password on home routers, which could allow an attacker to take over the router and mess with internet packets.

Emphasis in the quote above is mine. Unless I am misreading this, I think the scare is a bit exaggerated and essentially boils down to not updating add-ons while connected via an unsecured wireless connection.

{"commentId":747231,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"josh-of-arc"}

5 votes

#12.1 - Thu May 31, 2007 12:41 PM EDT

{"commentId":941245,"authorDomain":"DrCrock"}

John Cocke

Josh, thanks for the interesting info! The number and quality of Firefox add-ons is truly astonishing!

{"commentId":941245,"threadId":"108329","contentId":"745286","authorDomain":"DrCrock"}

1 vote

#13 - Sun Aug 12, 2007 12:24 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"108329","isPrivate":false}

JOSH OF ARC

Backyard

Things to Make Firefox go Vroom....

Published to:

FUN STUFF:

COMPANY STUFF:

LEGAL STUFF: