AUGUST 2004 MAXIMUMPC 3
it our favorite software application of
2003— Firefox is Mozilla’s ongoing next-
generation web browser project. Rather
than trying to be a Jack-of-all-trades
and loading the browser with features
most people won’t ever use, Firefox pro-
vides a strong core with useful touches
like tabbed browsing—which allows
you to scan through multiple web sites
within the same browsing window—a
pop-up blocker, and immunity to mali-
cious VBScripts and ActiveX controls.
Add an extremely flexible extension
system that allows users to pick and
choose their own add-ons, and you’ve
got a very attractive browser. And still
you’re at just the tip of Firefox ’s iceberg
of goodness.
Through plugin-like extensions,
independent developers have created a
slew of browser tweaks, web develop-
ment tools, and even games that inte-
grate with Firefox. These extensions let
you edit a site’s CSS on the fly, search
Amazon’s product database with a kiosk-
like interface, or even browse by simply
swishing your mouse back and forth.
Here are our favorite Firefox exten-
sions. Some are handy, some are funny,
and some are absolutely essential. Note:
The following extensions were origi-
nally tested with Firefox v0.8. As of press
time, Mozilla had just released v0.9 of
the browser. It’s almost certain that the
extensions mentioned here (or facsimi-
les thereof) will be ported to the new
browser in little time. We have indi-
cated the extensions we
know for a fact to be v0.9-
compatible as of this writ-
ing. To download Firefox ,
go to
http://www.mozilla.org.
ALL-IN-ONE
GESTURES
Control your browser
with gestures, not
clicks
Mouse gestures are the
latest craze to hit web
browsers. Instead of click-
ing toolbar buttons, you
control your browser with
elegant swipes of the
mouse. By holding down
the right mouse button
and drawing symbols with
the cursor, you can com-
mand the browser to go back a page,
open a new tab, or any one of a number
of commands.
All-in-One Gestures is the Firefox exten-
sion that enables these handy little
mouse gestures. It’s completely custom-
izable, and lets you assign almost any
gesture to almost any browser function.
After a bit of practice you’ll be laughing
at the clunky, snail-like browsing of your
old-school colleagues.
AUTHOR: MARC BOULLET
VERSION 0.9 COMPATIBLEFIRESOMETHING
Give Firefox a new name every
time you open it
Remember when Firefox was called
Firebird? How about when it was named
Phoenix? Who can guess what other
names Mozilla’s next-gen browser will be
forced to adopt because of trademark con-
siderations before it reaches the big v1.0?
Firesquid? How about Lightning
Pony? Or maybe Moonstarfish? Thanks
to Firesomething , you no longer have to
lie awake at night wondering what your
browser’s next name will be—you can find
out every time you open a new window.
Firesomething randomly generates a
name in your browser’s title bar every
time you load Firefox. Instead of Mozilla
Firefox, your browser might say Mozilla
Wateryak, or Mozilla Moonkangaroo.
It’s not the most useful extension, but itdoes lend a nice bit of variety to the web
browsing experience.
AUTHOR: MICHAEL O’ROURKE
VERSION 0.9 COMPATIBLETABBROWSER
EXTENSIONS
Enhance tabbed browsing
It’s hard to improve on an already
great feature, but Tabbrowser Extensions
does just that. It takes Firefox ’s beloved
tabbed browsing feature—which allows
you to scan through multiple web sites
within the same browsing window—and
gives it a nice big shot of what we like
to call usefulcillin. With Tabbrowser
Extensions , you can highlight, duplicate,
and even drag and drop your tabs. It
supports automatic refreshing for spe-
cific tabs, and can even bring a tab back
to life after you’ve accidentally closed it.
It’s a great addition to Firefox ’s already
excellent tabbed browsing functionality.
AUTHOR: SHIMODA HIROSHIADBLOCK
Block all web ads
Firefox comes with a capable pop-up block-
er, but it won’t protect you from every ad.
Sure, you might not see another annoying,
unwanted pop-up, but that won’t stop the
minivans driving across your home page,Maybe Mozilla should have named its next-gen browser Project: Element-Animal.ËFiresomething