Tech: Hints for Firefox users

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: danensis
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 09:39 AM

It may just be me, but I find trying to set up JRE a bore everytime a new version comes out.

There again I never really did understand symbolic links.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: Bill D
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 08:59 AM

Yep...keep Adobe somewhere for those rare needs, but use Foxit for default or, even better, PDF Xchange Viewer. (Foxit is still a bit faster to load, but PDF Xchange does more tricks)

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 08:29 AM

"What's the problem with Adobe? It's free and it works!"

It's a huge resource hog, and it can be VERY slow...

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: treewind
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 08:26 AM

Thanks for posting those - the webdev tools look very useful to me.

Re PDFs: I always use Adobe Reader for them - the problem with other PDF viewers is that sooner or later you come across a PDF that they can't handle. What's the problem with Adobe? It's free and it works!

Anahata

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 05:29 AM

I've just added a couple of the web development ones that look as if the could be useful to me. Linkchecker and View Source Tab.

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: Newport Boy
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 04:59 AM

Yes, that can be a problem - a lot of writers of extensions don't have English as the first language.

Having said that, I suspect JiK may find the quote easier to understand than current Microsoft babytalk!!

Phil

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: Folkiedave
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 04:40 AM

I use Firefox - though I have had to re-install twice which was a nuisance since each time I lost my patiently built up bookmarks.

But I went to one of the recommended sites and found this:

"To do this the extension provides multi-extension installation support, hacking capabilities to the Extension/Theme manager windows, features to find and troubleshoot Extensions/Themes Build, GUID and Profile information".

Sorry - you lost me after "extension".

But I agree about "anything over Microsloth".

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: Newport Boy
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 04:16 AM

As a user, rather than a developer, I have 4 extensions which I wouldn't be without.

Adblock Plus does what it says, and is easy to customise.

IE Tab is so easy for those badly written sites that display correctly only in IE. One click switches the page rendering engine for that page only.

I use Real Player, and the Real Player Browser Record plugin identifies all recordable content on a page, and a single click downloads it. Works fine with YouTube and many other sites.

Finally, I use SnagIt for screen capture, and the SnagIt Extension puts a toolbar in Firefox which accesses all the basic functions of SnagIt.

As far as pdf viewer is concerned, I haven't found a Firefox extension other than Acrobat yet. I use FoxIt for most pdf reading, but have to suffer the slower Acrobat within Firefox.

Phil

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: Andrez
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 07:59 PM

Is there a good Non Adobe 3rd party pdf viewer extension for Firefox? The link from JohninKansas doesnt seem to have such a reader extension. I have had a brief look at the FF extensions site with little success either. All I found there was Adobe reader.
Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 07:04 PM

I do find the "Web Developer" extension handy. In the top 10 that's in, I also have GreaseMonkey installed but I only use that as it's needed for a script I use when on the the BBC message boards (see here for this javascript. I find it it does help when using their boards).

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 06:43 PM

"tweak till it smokes" ,,,*grin*...I like that one!

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: astro
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 06:06 PM

One thing that is annoying with Firefox recently (and I have used it for a long time) is that there are constant updates. I would like to see fewer. It seems a bit more sluggish than it was at one time too.

Of course, it still is my preference over explorer....or anything over Microsoft....

Astro computin' in LA....

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 05:57 PM

ExtremeTech is the Ziff Davis magazine for the "build your own" and "tweak till it smokes" crowd. Needless to say they like "gadgets" - a lot, and "isagadget" seems to be one of their favorite terms. "Isausefulgadget" appears to be less of a concern.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 05:34 PM

"tab mix plus" and "down them all" are excellent. As is AdBlock..

some of their recommendations are a bit ...ummm ...narrow and pop-cultural. Coupon notifier? Sports toolbar?...ah, well.

Subject: Tech: Hints for Firefox users
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 05:19 PM

We do have a number of Firefox users here, and the following article may be of interest. I found the section for webmeisters particularly interesting; but as I'm not a "Foxy" it may be old-hat to those who are.

Magazine editors sometimes do have strange taste in toys, so comment on any of the suggestions that our own people know about (and use?) might be appropriate.

The Best Extensions to Enhance Firefox

February 11, 2008
By Jeremy Atkinson
(ExtremeTech Magazine)

[quote]
For this feature, I want to share with you the latest, greatest extensions Firefox has to offer. I chunked the best of the best in four categories:
10 Best Firefox Web Developer Extensions (same as above link)
10 Ways for Better Surfing
10 Useful Information and Reference Extensions
10 Best Media Extensions

These extensions were used and are compatible with Firefox 2.0. Firefox 3 is still in Beta and won't play nice with many of them. I do have to admit, having over 40 extensions will bog down Firefox a bit (though not too much), so I recommend downloading and installing MR Tech Local Install to manage your library. It will make life a lot easier. Oh, and if you don't have Firefox, download it.
[end quote]

John