As many of you already know, my browser of preference is Mozilla Firefox. Although Internet Explorer 9 has come a long way and is a fantastic browser, the customization available to Firefox through it’s thousands of Add-ons always has me returning to it as my primary browser.
What do Add-ons do?
They add additional features to your browser and allow you to customize your browsing experience.
Firefox has plenty of add-ons, grouped into 14 Categories, available at the Mozilla Add-ons website.
These are my favorites:
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AdblockPlus: To block pesky Ads.
Note: In order to block ads you will need a free filter subscription, which can be easily added via Filter Preferences. I use Easylist but there are many that you can choose from depending on your needs.
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Flagfox: To see where the website I’m visiting is located (see below for example).
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NoScript: To prevent javascript from automatically running on websites.
Note: This add-on is not install and forget about it. It takes some time to configure. The user adds trusted websites to a whitelist and can also temporarily allow sites that need javascript to work properly.
- Cookie Monster: To limit what cookies are stored on my PC because I deny all cookies by default in my Firefox settings.
If you install an add-on and later on decide you don’t want to continue using it, the add-on can easily be removed by clicking the orange Firefox button, and choosing Add-ons (or Ctrl, Shift and the letter A on your keyboard).
On the left side of the window, click Extensions, then click the Remove button for any add-on you wish to uninstall. Firefox will need to restart to complete the removal. You can choose the restart now link or just close Firefox and the add-on will no longer be there when you use Firefox again.
With thousands of add-ons to choose from, I recommend you visit the Mozilla Add-ons website when you’re not short on time.