Mozilla has released
Firefox 0.9.1, a minor (but recommended) update to the release of Firefox 0.9 a couple of weeks ago. The main difference appears to be some new icons and slightly better handling of extensions. Before you install this update, make sure to back up your plugins directory and delete the Firefox directory (this means you, czar! ;-P). Extensions installed in Firefox 0.9 as well as your bookmarks are
not affected.
Speaking of extensions, I thought it was time for an updated list of my favorite extensions. There are some repeats from my
previous post, many new ones, and some that are no longer necessary because they were incorporated into newer versions of Firefox. Some extensions are not yet updated for 0.9, but you should be able to count on this list for Firefox 0.9.1, and if all else fails, try the extension uninstaller I mention below:
- Dictionary Search - allows you to highlight a term and conduct a dictionary search by right-clicking.
- Adblock - complements Firefox's already extensive ad-blocking capabilities by allowing you to precisely block ad graphics, Flash animations, and more.
- Tabbrowser Extensions - an indispensable update to the way tabs are handled and organized; myriads of options include the ability to move tabs around in the toolbar.
- Web Developer Toolbar - an invaluable toolbar extension that allows you to quickly view almost any attribute of the current page, including the source code, CSS structure, image dimensions, and much more.
- Magpie - allows you to quickly bulk download files of a particular type. It's particularly useful for image and sound file libraries, although it can be customized for any extension.
- Linky - can be used in concert with Magpie to bulk save images (or other types of files) that had to be loaded into separate tabs because of the way the library structure was set up.
- Image Zoomer - instantly zoom in or out on an image via the right-click menu.
- Reload Every - allows you to reload the page at specified intervals; very handy for stock quotes.
- Extension Uninstaller - not every extension is a winner; this one is particularly helpful in uninstalling legacy extensions that aren't playing well with the new version.
- Mycroft - choose among hundreds of different search engine sites to add to the default search options.
- Translate Page - quickly translates the current page into English via Google's translation service.
- X - adds some privacy features (clear cache, cookies, etc.) to a toolbar button.
- Download Manager Extension - makes the graphic interface of the download manager a little more intuitive and attractive.
- User Agent Switcher - fools some sites that require M$ Internet Explorer into thinking that Firefox is IE (or several other browsers); it doesn't always work but is pretty handy when it does.
- Plugindoc - this isn't really an extension, more of a resource to help install some pesky application plug-ins, like Java, Shockwave, and ActiveX. I haven't had to use it lately because of improvements in newer versions of Firefox, but it is still helpful in isolated instances.
As I mentioned last time (and as the installation instructions for all extensions stress), make sure and restart Firefox after installing each extension. For more Mozilla extensions, projects, and themes, check out the new
Mozilla Update Page,
mozdev.org,
Firefox Help: extensions, or the
Extension Room.