Are You and Your Org Using Firefox Yet?

November 14, 2008 a Meyer Memorial Trust New Media article

OK, OK- I know Firefox isn't exactly "new media." But, as the tender of the connec+ipedia garden and a bunch of other sites, I can't tell you how many email & phone conversations I engage in regarding issues with other browsers. I have personally used Firefox for years, and I find it to be the best browser for fast, safe internet access no matter what type of computer or platform I'm using.

You can use Firefox with just about any operating system- be it Mac, Windows or Linux because it is free and open to everyone. This fantastic, Open Source browser is easy to download, and it is very likely the "IT guy/gal" at your organization will let you set it up or happily set it up for you if you don't have admin privileges.

Cool features such as one-click bookmarking, spell checking, full zoom, password manager, and a new smart location bar make this Firefox all the more fantastic and handy.

And, if you're feeling like diving into the geeky end...Due to it's open, friendly, just-plain-awesome nature, there are new add-ons/plug-ins for Firefox emerging constantly. Some of my all-time favorites, from least to most geeky, are:

Foxmarks is a bookmarks synchronizer that works silently in the background to keep your bookmarks and (optionally) passwords synchronized. Foxmarks also keeps your data backed up and safe from computer failures. If you're away from your computer, Foxmarks allows you to access your bookmarks online by logging into my.foxmarks.com.

Adblock is a content filtering plug-in for the Mozilla and Firebird browsers. It is both more robust and more precise than the built-in image blocker. Adblock allows the user to specify filters, which remove unwanted content based on the source-address. If this sounds complicated, don't worry: it's not.

Zotero- helps you collect, manage, and cite your research sources.

Linkification converts text links into genuine, clickable links.

Firebug Firebug integrates with Firefox to put a wealth of web development tools at your fingertips while you browse. You can edit, debug, and monitor CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live in any web page. This is so cool and functional, it kinda hurts!

GreaseMonkey allows you to customize the way a webpage displays using small bits of JavaScript. Hundreds of scripts, for a wide variety of popular sites, are already available at http://userscripts.org. You can write your own scripts, too. Check out http://wiki.greasespot.net/ to get started.

Every org and person has different relationships for the web, so go out there, download Firefox, and find the right plugins for you- it's fun!

Phoebe Owens