Firefox Extension Guide and More

Anonymous Coward writes "A comprehensive list of Firefox extensions geared for the average power user and web developer includes description and screenshots of featured extensions. Plus Firefox Hacks and keyboard command guide. Always updated with the latest Firefox extensions, and tweaks."

Comments

Are extensions the only advantage of Firefox?

[justthinkit]

I've heard that Firefox is a memory hog. I use Opera and like its lightweight design -- pages load fast, ads are blocked and ram usage is low. Does Firefox trump this?

Re:Are extensions the only advantage of Firefox?

[Overzeetop]

So how come it won't just render a "back" gesture instaed of trying repost the !$%% data to have the server regenerate the page? That's what the !@#$#@$ reload button is for.

Sorry 'bout that. Its just that the "instant" back (w/o re-post) is one of the things I miss from opera. I'm sure all of my other annoyances could be fixed with plugins in ff, but I don't have time to find them (mozilla.org is terribly unorganized, imho).

Are there any extensions...

[ZSpade]

To make it stop crashing? I mean I like firefox and all, and I use it on every computer I have, but I've also seen it crash on every computer I've had... Especially when it comes time to open the dreaded PDF...

So I ask, are there any extensions or hacks to help with this?

Re:Slashdot Extension

[Damek]

I was trying to read the TFA on my mobile cell phone while automatically getting cash from an ATM machine but the text of the TFA was too small small.

Re:Mirrors

[Anonymous Coward]

WTF is a cashe?

Firefox is the most unstable program in common use

[Futurepower(R)]

Note 5 things:

1) There is complete agreement from Firefox developers that Firefox often becomes unstable due to extensions.

2) There are numerous pages devoted to telling users hours of highly technical things they can do when Firefix is unstable.

3) Firefox is the most unstable program in common use.

4) Anyone who has made any negative comment above in this story (as of 2006-04-09, 10:08 PST) has been modded down.

5) Firefox developers become angry and disrespectful when people try to report instability and CPU hogging to Firefox Bugzilla.

The Firefox CPU hogging bug makes a computer unusable until all Firefox windows and tabs are closed. Basically, Firefox uses first maybe 10%, then maybe 20% of the CPU, and, as Firefox windows and tabs are opened and closed, continues taking more of the CPU time until Firefox is closed. This CPU usage is with NO Firefox activity, or any activity of any program.

This bug is more than 3 years old. It is extremely difficult to characterize; no one has succeeded yet. Here are some clues:

Somehow Thunderbird and Mozilla share this bug. Sometimes when Firefox is taking say, 94% of the CPU, and Firefox is closed completely, Thunderbird or Mozilla will begin using a lot of CPU time. Very weird, but it often happens.

Firefox 1.5.0.1 is much worse than 1.5, which is worse than earlier versions. This suggests that there is some resource in Firefox that is being more overused as features are added.

The CPU hogging bug continues unchanged when Firefox 1.5.0.1 is installed with a clean profile and no extensions.

Too many mouse clicks too closely spaced will often increase Firefox's CPU usage, or sometimes cause it to crash.

--
Some of those who believe they are superior are merely angry.

You don't seem to disagree.

[Futurepower(R)]

You said: "... you're validly pointing out that extensions make FF even more unstable."

You are apparently not disagreeing with the idea that it is unfriendly to encourage people to use extensions when everyone agrees that extensions often make Firefox unstable.

You also apparently are not disagreeing with the idea that Firefox is the most unstable program in common use.

Also you have apparently not read the linked material which explains and supports the issues intensively.

Encourage extensions that cause instability?

[Futurepower(R)]

I think it is unfriendly to encourage people to use extensions when everyone agrees that extensions often make Firefox unstable.

This is an excerpt from the first link in the above Google search, and it describes my experience exactly: "Firefox has been trying to get me to update to version 1.5.0.1, for a while now so I finally did today. The new version has crashed 3 times already today."

Seeking mature, sensible moderator...

[TFGeditor]

...to correct the injustice of the parent being modded "Troll." The poster asked a legitimate question, but it seems to have rankled a Firefox fanboy with mod points.

There is a lack of intellectual honesty.

[Futurepower(R)]

The problem with Firefox extensions is a lack of intellectual honesty:

1. Mozilla Foundation actively promotes extensions.

2. When there are problems, users are told "Do hours of work to discover which extensions are unstable with your usage patterns."

3. Many, many people have suggested that maybe Firefox should not be so vulnerable to problems with extensions, OR maybe extensions should not be encouraged. That issue is consistently avoided. Mozilla Foundation takes NO responsibility for extensions, but that is not made clear to new users. There is no official system of approval for extensions.

4. Firefox is sometimes unstable with a clean profile and no extensions. The issue of fundamental Firefox instability is often avoided by blaming extensions.

5. So, the intellectual dishonesty has an angry purpose; it allows Firefox developers to hide the instabilities in Firefox.

6. Many Firefox users experience problems with instability. It is intellectually dishonest to try to draw attention away from that fact by directing attention elsewhere.

See the following comment. I don't know who wrote it, but in my experience everything that is said is correct: I've been seriously thinking of starting up a "FirefoxWatch" blog.