Month: June 2004

Check out F3ll0wsh1p of teh R1ng, a hilarious “leet speak” version of The Fellowship Of The Ring. You may need to consult some translation references… 😉

PC World has a nice feature that “busts the biggest PC myths,” including ones about hardware devices, Windows software, and a lot more. Most of them are common knowledge to savvy computer users, but there were a couple that I wasn’t sure about until now.

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.

Color In Motion is “an animated and interactive experience of color communication and color symbolism,” but that cold description doesn’t do it justice at all. Visit the site and experience the many wonders for yourself…

Visit the House Of Ugoff for scintillating, sexy, “Ugoffian” pouches, as well as “the ultimate lunch accessory.” In case you couldn’t tell, the site is obviously a viral, albeit pretty funny, campaign for Burger King…

Check out this awesome rendition of Van Halen’s “Eruption” on violin (links to Flash video).

CNN reports on Barbie’s new beau, an “Australian surfer named Blaine.” In case you missed it, “after 43 years as one of the world’s best-looking couples, Mattel announced the breakup of Barbie and Ken in February.” But don’t worry: “Despite their highly publicized breakup, Mattel said Barbie and Ken remain friends and will make an appearance in an upcoming film.” Right, I’ve heard that one before…

“G.I. Joe! A real [insert country name here] hero!”   I had no idea that they made “G.I. Joe” figures for a bunch of other countries, although I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised. Still, I feel a little betrayed…

Check out the Icelandic QuickTime video “Muu” (slightly NSFW). Now why do I want some milk all of a sudden? 😉

Pacers, Gremlins, and Matadors, oh my! Retrocrush presents AMC’s seminal 1976 lineup, chock full of ‘70s nostalgia. Wow, I had forgotten how ugly these cars were…