Using Firefox Add-Ons

Do you employ Mozilla's "Firefox" web browser?



No? aloof stuck with Internet Explorer because it's "what you know"? I'll give you three honorable reasons to believe about changing suitable now.



One of the spacious things I accumulate about Firefox, other than its security and un-hackability, is how it's constantly being updated and bettered by "add-on" features. Unlike with the major browser in spend today, which changes only when its parent company decides to bring out an entire unusual version, Firefox is always offering unique and animated stuff.



You can sight a list of the add-ons Firefox is currently recommending by going to the browser site's "Recommended" page. In the meantime, however, I'm going to focus on honest three of them, all compatible with the latest Firefox 3 browser.



GDirections



If you're looking at a website - let's say, the website of a potential customer - and planning a paddle to leer them, how do you normally work out your route? You go to Google Maps, Multimaps or another of the online mapping sites, proper? You then input your address and ask the website to work out how to find from here to there. It's not the most time-consuming thing in the world, I'll admit, but you could do better.



GDirections will perform your life happier. Once you've downloaded and installed it, you should first spot it up so that it knows where you are. Go to the Firefox browser's "Tools" drop-down menu. Then "Add-ons", "GDirections" and "Options". Insert your home address and construct clear you have the lawful country plot selected - UK, in my case. Press "OK" and cessation the "Add-ons" box.



And that's magnificent remarkable all you have to do! From then on, whenever you behold an address you'd like to check out, you simply highlight the postcode (or the pudgy address; it's up to you, but I procure fair doing the postcode best) of the dwelling you're going, right-click, go to "GDirections" and then "home to (address you're going to) ". The Google Maps page will then begin up in another tab with all the information you need. treasure it.



This is where you'll collect it: gash and paste "addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1104" into your browser window, then press "Enter".



ColorZilla



Sometimes you'll approach across a website you really like and reflect "wow, what's that colour? " Up until now you've either had to initiate up the website's source code to try to track down the colour name (difficult if everything's hidden by style sheets), or win some graphics software and try to approximate what you've seen.



No longer.



ColorZilla has an "eyedropper" button that is incredibly simple to exercise. You objective download the add-on, install it, click on the dropper icon in the bottom corner of your veil and hey presto, the colour is yours. Easy.



This is where you'll regain it: lop and paste "addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/271" into your browser window, then press "Enter".



exiguous URL Creator



Some URLs are incredibly long. Especially if you're trying to copy the URL from, say, the results of a search engine. shrimp URL Creator will acquire your long, easy-to-cut-off-and-make-incomprehensible URL, erm, well... limited. It makes them distinguished shorter and therefore worthy less easy to score defective.



Download the add-on and achieve the frustrating hours (minutes, at least) you'd otherwise end doing more productive things.



This is where you'll win it: sever and paste "addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/126" into your browser window, then press "Enter".



All add-ons have been made by programmers not affiliated with Firefox. They unprejudiced made them (for free) because... Well, because they *could*. Yes. In other words, they're geeks. That's not a dirty word, in my book. I admire geeks. I wish I were clever enough to be one.



To paraphrase what Bill Gates is supposed to have said, be kind to geeks. One day you might extinguish up working for one.