Archive for October, 2009

Do You Use Firefox Extensions?

Oct 27

Posted by tbarbee in Computers, Software | No Comments

If you use Mozilla Firefox as an alternative web browser to Internet Explorer, Safari, and Opera; Mozilla Firefox provides the flexibility and extensibility to both non-developers and developers allowing its users to add little applications (An example of this is FireFTP that is used to upload an updated web page to the web server/web hosting using FireFTP) to enhance the functionality of the Mozilla Firefox experience which are called extensions.

In this article, the following objectives will be discussed:

  • Benefits of using Firefox Extensions
  • Types of Firefox Extensions
  • How to Install and Uninstall Firefox Extensions

Benefits of Firefox Extensions

Internet Explorer, Safari, and Opera provides the opportunity to communicate, to purchase items, to save your bookmarks for that favorite page you like and even surf the web. Firefox provides pretty much the same benefits as the other web browsers do but offer the benefit of using Firefox Extensions with Mozilla.  Below are noted some benefits to using Firefox Extensions which are:

  • Easy to install and uninstall Firefox Extensions.
  • View related news, weather, and other information when Firefox Extensions are installed.
  • Firefox browser compatibility is checked before installing Firefox Extensions.

Types of Firefox Extensions

Mozilla Firefox offers thousands of different types of extension, also known as Add-ons (this can be found at http://addons.mozilla.org) for non-developers and developers for the purpose of day to day business or general use. Mozilla Firefox Add-ons section provides various categories from web development, bookmarks, photos, music, blogging, and much more. Once you start browsing the different categories, you noticed that the page to the right will show you the type of extensions and also provide you the top downloads, top rated, and recently added within that category that you selected. From downloads, top rated, and recently added, can be one out of the many factors of choosing an extension with Firefox.

How to Install and Uninstall Firefox Extensions

After examining the various categories of extensions to use with Firefox, now it is time to install some or even uninstall the ones that you do not want anymore. If you want to install Firefox Extensions, the following can be done:

  1. Select a Firefox Extension category.
  2. A list of Firefox Extensions will appear. Select the green button which is to the right that says “Add to Firefox”
  3. Click on it to install.
  4. Before installing “A dialog box will appear indicating to install from authors whom you trust. If you feel comfortable with this then click on the “Install Now” button and it will install that add on for you to use with Firefox.
  5. Select the Restart Firefox button so that the Add-On can be included on the Standard Toolbar under “Tools” menu command.
  6. Go to the Tools menu command after Mozilla Firefox has reopened and look for Add-ons you have installed.

You have installed an extension to use with Firefox.

Now that you have installed several extensions and find no need to use these anymore, how do you uninstall them? Below are the following instructions on how to uninstall a Firefox Extension:

  1. Go to the Tools menu command and select Add-ons.
  2. Select the Extensions button at the top. It will list all of the extensions that have been installed.
  3. Select the extension in the list area that you do not want and select the “Uninstall button”. An alert box will appear and ask “Do you want to uninstall? Select the uninstall button.
  4. Select the “Restart button” to allow the uninstall changes to take effect.
  5. Go to the Tools menu command.
  6. Select Add-ons to see if the extension is uninstalled.

There you have it! The extension that was once installed is uninstalled.

In conclusion, using Mozilla Firefox as an alternative to Internet Explorer, Safari, and Opera, provides an opportunity to include functionality and features to Firefox. However, it is a good idea to spend time looking at the various categories of extensions that you might need on a day to day basis for business or general use.

If you use Firefox Extensions, which ones do you use and why?

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Older Mac Laptop Still Very Useful

Oct 13

Posted by pshapiro in Uncategorized | No Comments

I was intrigued to note that PCRetro is selling an older Mac laptop, the iBook G3 (500 MHz), for the very reasonable price of $99. This computer still has a lot of possible life in it, but you do have to do a bit of work to put it to best use. The iBook comes shipped with Mac OS 9.2, and to put it to best use you need to install Mac OS 10.3 or Mac OS 10.4. (This laptop will not run Mac OS 10.5 or higher.) The CD installs for these operating systems can be purchased on eBay and elsewhere. You also need to install more RAM (memory) to use this computer with Mac OS 10.3 or 10.4. I’d suggest adding 256 MB of RAM. One good source is the mail-order company named Data Memory Systems which sells this memory for $16.

The RAM on an iBook installs underneath the keyboard.  With Mac OS 10.4 installed, this iBook can run the very latest version of Firefox, an excellent web browser. Note, though, that the 10 GB hard drive on this particular laptop would not leave you much room for music or video files. This laptop would be ideal for a student to use for word processing and web surfing.

Another use of this laptop is as spare parts for an existing iBook G3 (12-inch screen) laptop that you already own. In case that laptop’s motherboard were to fail, you could swap the hard drive and memory into on-site replacement.

Phil Shapiro

The blogger works at the Takoma Park Maryland Library and can be reached at pshapiro@his.com

Free Domain Name Parking

Oct 13

Posted by tbarbee in Computers | No Comments

A domain name is a unique website address that businesses have for their clients to view the latest articles, products, services, or other information on their website. According to Verisign, there are over 183 million domain names registered globally. If you are interested in registering your own domain name whether you are beginning your business or working on an additional business website, you might want to purchase that domain name before someone else decides to register it. If you have registered your domain name, what do you do with that domain name if you are not ready to launch the website? Why not park it!

Domain name parking is just what it is, parking a page that is not being used at the present time. Domain name parking can display some pay per click ads on the domain name parking page. As for me, I decided to look into parking my domain name to generate a little revenue when it was time to renew my domain name that I am not using as part of my business at the moment.

Some websites will charge you to park your domain name but there are some that will allow you to park your domain name for free. I found two free domain parking websites that I use which are Traffic Parking and Sedo. By parking your domain at these sites, revenue can be generated when traffic is being directed to a search page or when a visitors clicks on a pay per click ad link that calculates a percentage and generate revenue.

Even though I listed two free domain names parking sites to check out, there are many more free ones to research. Domain name parking is a process to register, park, and leave your domain name at the parking site until you are ready to use it.

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My Top Five Favorite Facebook Applications

Oct 6

Posted by tbarbee in Computers, Software | No Comments

If you use Facebook like I do to connect with your friends, family, or for business opportunities, there are a lot of applications that FaceBook offers that are broken down into categories. When I use Facebook, here are my top five favorite Facebook Applications that I like to use.

Social RSS. This will allow you to promote your blog or business within Facebook. I like the fact that with the Social RSS you can add your blog or any RSS feeds to your wall tab or even create a new RSS/blog tab that is only for your feeds. In addition, I like that the fact that I can post latest articles automatically to my wall once and I can share it with my friends, family, or as it relates to business. To include a tab of RSS/blog, go to “Profile “ to add.

Slide Share. I just recently went to a meetup and the person that was presenting was talking about Social Media. He informed us that he would put it under “Slide Share”. This is one I also found to be great for business. If you are presenting somewhere, you might want to use “Slide Share” which is located under the category of Business. This allows you to share your presentation online whether it is in Powerpoint, OpenOffice, a .pdf file, and many more formats as well as share your ideas with others. I like the fact that if you do not go through Facebook and you created an account with them which is through www.slideshare.net, it appears as though you can sync your account.

MarketPlace. From time to time, I do take a look here. Marketplace is a great way for a person to buy, sell, give things away, or even ask for things that you might want or need from people especially if it is to support a cause or charity.

weRead. With so much do on a day to day basis, where is the time to read? With using weRead, you can list, rate, and write reviews for the books you have read as well as even start a book club. I must say that my interest really is really reading computer books but I would like to start reading other books that are purely for no benefit.

Growing Gifts. This is one where you can give your friends a gift that grows. You can send a Growing Gift to someone or even help some of your friend’s with growing their garden therefore giving and helping one another.

There are so many different applications that can a person might want to use as their favorites as they are connecting with their friends, family, or even business associates.

So it goes without question, which Facebook applications do you find worth adding?

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