Firefox Tools

While setting up a new copy of firefox on my second computer, I realized that my web browsing setup is very dependent upon the vast array of third-party extensions for Firefox. These are things I just can’t live without, and hopefully you’ll agree. There are many other extensions, greasemonkey scripts and bookmarklets out there. Hopefully, I’ve helped you find something you’ll use.

Adblock Plus

The web has exploded into a sick mass of vanispamcruftisement. To get rid of any image using a wildcard-based search, you need Adblock or Adblock Plus.

Extension: Adblock Plus

Adblock Filterset.G Updater

Requires Adblock Plus

Automatic updater for adblock. Think of it like an antivirus update.

Extension: Adblock Filterset.G Updater

Download Statusbar

Gets rid of the clunky download manager and replaces it with a sexy bar at the bottom of your screen. Tip: It supports coloring, so that files that are downloading faster are shown in a different color, but it has to be enabled in the preferences.

Extension: Download Statusbar

Tabbrowser Extensions

Warning: does not work with Firefox 2.0

My favorite extension, sadly, does not work in Firefox 2.0. For those power users out there that haven’t upgraded, try this out. Be warned, though, for it is incompatible with everything and your mom. Cool features: undo close tab, a list of undocloseable tabs you could place on the toolbar, very specific tab preferences, such as “new tabs open to the right of current tab,” tab coloring… I could go on and on.

Extension: Tabbrowser Extensions

Greasemonkey

Greasemonkey doesn’t do anything by itself. Rather, it runs scripts that other users write that target specific features of websites. You can do some powerful stuff with Greasemonkey. If any of the following Greasemonkey scripts interest you, grab Greasemonkey first.

Extension: Greasemonkey

Greased lightbox

Requires Greasemonkey

Loads images in a cool-looking javascript popup without leaving the page.

Greasemonkey Script: Greased Lightbox

Facebook Autopoke

Requires Greasemonkey

Pokes back all of the people who have poked you. Excellent way to win a poke war.

Greasemonkey Script: Facebook Autopoke

quickSUBMIT

Requires Greasemonkey

Lets you go directly to a previously “bookmarked” category when submitting a deviation to deviantART. Has a pretty nifty interface, too.

Greasemonkey Script: quickSUBMIT

YousableTube

Requires Greasemonkey

Resizes the video window to fill up your screen, and moves all of the ads out of the way. If you use YouTube at all, you need this.

Greasemonkey Script: YousableTube

dAv5 Message Count

Requires Greasemonkey

Changes the top of the screen on DA from something like “9 deviations, 21 messages” to the more traditional/dAv4-style “30 new messages ( 9D, 15M, 6C )”

Greasemonkey Script: dAv5 Message Count

Automatic MySpace Media Remover

Requires Greasemonkey

I hate websites that automatically play music. HATE HATE HATE. ‘Nuff said.

Greasemonkey Script: Automatic Myspace Media Remover

Bookmarklets

Even IE users can play with these! They’re basically JavaScript snippets you keep in your bookmarks and run as needed. To “install” one, just drag it into your preferred toolbar, favorites, or bookmarks (whatever people call them nowadays).

Linked images

Opens a new page with all of the images linked to on the current page displayed in a list.

Bookmarklet: ‘);}z.close();})()”>Linked images

List all links

Lists all links on a page.

Bookmarklet: List all links

Hide visited

Hides links you’ve clicked on a page. Doesn’t hide images seen using Greasebox or Linked Images.

Bookmarklet: Hide visited

Increment

Increments the url of the current page by one. Useful for viewing sequential pages.

Bookmarklet: Increment

Decrement

Decrements the url of the current page by one.

Bookmarklet: Decrement

Google text

Runs a google search on the text you have selected; if you didn’t select any text, prompts you for some.

Bookmarklet: Google selected text

Google text: Site

Same as the previous one, but does a Google SiteSearch of the current website instead.

Bookmarklet: Google selected text: Site

More Resources

• Offical Firefox Extensions Website
• Userscripts.org, the repository of Greasemonkey scripts.
• Jesse’s Bookmarkets Site
• Bookmarklets Home Page