Firefox Add-ons

Do you use Mozilla`s “Firefox” web browser? No? Still stuck with Internet Explorer because it`s “what you know”? I`ll give you three good reasons to think about changing right now. One of the great things I find about Firefox, other than its security and unhackability, is how it`s constantly being updated and bettered by “add-on” features. Unlike with the major browser in use today, which changes only when its parent company decides to bring out an entire new version, Firefox is always offering new and exciting stuff. You can see 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 just 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 trip to see them, how do you normally work out your route? You go to Google Maps, Multimaps or another of the online mapping sites, right? You then input your address and ask the website to work out how to get from here to there. It`s not the most time-consuming thing in the world, I'll admit, but there is a much better way. GDirections will make your life happier. Once you`ve downloaded and installed it, you should first set 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 make sure you have the right country location selected – UK, in my case. Press “OK” and close the “Add-ons” box. And that`s pretty much all you have to do! From then on, whenever you see an address you`d like to check out, you simply highlight the postcode (or the full address; it`s up to you, but I find just doing the postcode best) of the place you`re going, right-click, go to “GDirections” and then “home to (address you`re going to)”.

The Google Maps page will then open up in another tab with all the information you need. Love it. This is where you`ll find it: cut and paste 'addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1104' into your browser window, then press 'Enter'. ColorZilla Sometimes you`ll come across a website you really like and think “wow, what`s that colour?” Up until now you`ve either had to open up the website`s source code to try to track down the colour name (difficult if everything`s hidden by style sheets), or get some graphics software and try to approximate what you`ve seen. No longer. ColorZilla has an “eyedropper” button that is incredibly simple to use. You just download the add-on, install it, click on the dropper icon in the bottom corner of your screen and hey presto, the colour is yours. Easy. This is where you`ll find it: cut and paste 'addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/271' into your browser window, then press 'Enter'. Tiny URL Creator Some URLs are incredibly long. Especially if you`re trying to copy the URL from, say, the results of a search engine. Tiny URL Creator will take your long, easy-to-cut-off-and-make-incomprehensible URL, erm, well... tiny. It makes them much shorter and therefore much less easy to get wrong. Download the add-on and save the frustrating hours (minutes, at least) you`d otherwise waste doing more productive things. This is where you`ll find it: cut 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 just 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 love 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 end up working for one.