Top 10 Firefox Extensions to Improve your Productivity
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/produc ... ivity.html
Firefox is the browser of dreams for many people (myself included). One of
the great perks of Firefox is that there are tons of extensions that enhance
the functionality of the browser. With over 1500 extensions in existence,
there are many that can be used to improve your productivity. The following
is my take on the top 10 extensions that will keep you focused, reduce
distractions, streamline your daily work flow, and *improve your
productivity*.
*1. Customize Google
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/743/
Customize Google is a very robust extension that lets you customize many
features of the services provided by Google. Customize Google lets you block
advertisements on pretty much any Google page (including Gmail). It remaps
Google Images search results to point directly at the images (no longer will
you need to click through the originating site). Customize Google lets you
add links from other search engines directly into your search results. It
can also block Google click tracking and allows you to connect to Google
Calendar and Gmail securely (https). Give it a try, you won't be sorry.
*2. Gspace
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1593/
Gspace is a content management extension that lets you turn your Gmail
account into an online mass storage device. Gspace integrates nicely into
your browser and lets you drag and drop files into Gmail for backup or
storage purposes without interrupting your work flow. If you use Gspace, I
recommend adding a tag in Gmail to your files so they can be filtered and
accessed quickly. The following is the description of Gspace from its
homepage: "Gspace turns the 2GB of your Gmail account into free online
storage. With Gspace you can manage unlimited Gmail accounts to store all
type of files within its simple, user friendly interface. Listen to your
favorite stored music directly from your Gspace, view your collections of
pictures and manage your Gdrive files as well. Download Gspace now and
transfer files between your computer and Gspace at anytime, from
everywhere!"
*3. Flashgot
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/220/
The default download manager built into Firefox is very handy; however,
there are many occasions that you'll find that you need more flexibility
with your downloads. This is where Flashgot or DownThemAll comes in handy.
The features of Flashgot and DownThemAll have their differences; however,
they generally provide finer-grained control of your downloads. My personal
preference is Flashgot. I recommend trying at least one of them.
*4. Greasemonkey
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/748/
Stylish<
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2108/
+ Adblocking per Gozer
https://userstyles.org/style/show/629
Greasemonkey is an extension that lets you add scripts that alter the web
pages you visit. Using Greasemonkey and Stylish and Ad blocking per Gozer
together will block pretty much every advertisement from any Web site you
visit.
*5. Flashblock
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/433/
The Flashblock extension by default blocks flash from playing when a Web
page is first opened. Most (distracting) advertisements are written using
flash. Flashblock is particularly useful because it replaces the flash from
a Web site with a "play" button so you can watch the flash if it something
useful (like a video at Youtube) and leave it blocked if it is an
advertisement.
*6. Download Statusbar
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/26/
Download Statusbar manages your downloads in the status bar instead of the
Firefox Download Manager. I find that the download manager that comes with
Firefox to be very intrusive. Download manager tucks your download progress
bars into the generally unused status bar of Firefox. This lets you download
care-free without the Firefox Download Manager popping up and interrupting
you.
*7. URL Fixer
https://www.efinke.com/addons/url-fixer/
URL fixer will replace the common typos you enter when typing a Web site
into the URL bar (i.e.,
https://www.lifehack.rog/. The
auto correct feature of URL fixer is very helpful. "[URL Fixer] will correct
common misspellings of .com, .net, .org, .edu, .gov, and .mil, as well as
the protocol (
https:, https:). It will also correct errors in country code
TLDS such as .com.XX, .net.XX, and .org.XX."
*8. Tab Mix Plus
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1122/
Many of the features of Tab Mix Plus were incorporated into the release of
Firefox 2. However, Tab Mix Plus allows you to add finer-grained control of
your tabs. The following is a description of Tab Mix Plus: "Tab Mix Plus
enhances Firefox's tab browsing capabilities. It includes such features as
duplicating tabs, controlling tab focus, tab clicking options, undo closed
tabs and windows, plus much more. It also includes a full-featured session
manager with crash recovery that can save and restore combinations of opened
tabs and windows."
*9. Scrapbook
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/427/
Scrapbook is extremely useful for researchers and students. Scrapbook saves
blurbs from Web pages to your hard drive along with the URL of the
originating Web site. It allows you to organize and categorize your blurbs
in a format similar to your bookmarks so that when it comes to creating a
bibliography or works cited, you won't waste any time.
*10. IE Tab
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1419/
I find myself using this extension less and less as more Web developers code
their Web sites following standards. However, occasionally you will find it
necessary to open a Web site using Internet Explorer in order for it to
render correctly. Rather than taking the time to launch a separate browser,
just choose "View Page in IE tab" and an Internet Explorer tab opens in
Firefox. This is very useful if you like to have multiple Gmail accounts
open and active on one computer.
