Smart TSG

Mozilla Firefox is a great browser (although we are big fans of Google Chrome). One of the great features of Firefox is the ability to extend the functionality with browser add-ons. Here are some of the add-ons we use and recommend:

• Add-Art (http://add-art.org) – Replaces advertising on the web with curated art images. Not only does Add-Art speed up your web browsing experience it also improves the aesthetics.
• Xmarks (http://www.xmarks.com) – Bookmark synchronization. Xmarks synchronizes your bookmarks on multiple computers.
• Greasemonkey (http://www.greasespot.net/) – Allows you to customize the way a webpage displays using small bit of JavaScript. On its own Greasemonkey does not thing, but coupled with the hundreds of scripts available on the web (check out http://www.userscripts.org) Greasemonkey can tweak the look and feel of various websites. Users have written scripts that:
  • Auto fill forms.
  • Alter the formatting of text, borders, graphics, etc. (For example, highlight first-run programs in a TV listing.)
  • Remove specific content, such as advertising, popups, even whole sections of a page. (For example, filter specific posters from a message board site.)
  • Alter content and layout beyond that which the page author considered. (For example, add floating elements, make elements collapsible, etc.)
  • Add links, buttons, or any other type of HTML element anywhere on the page. (For example, embed Google Reader into Gmail, thus providing an RSS feed option.)
  • Enhance the content of pages by retrieving correlating information from related pages on the same site, or other sites. (For example, list the prices of competing retailers’ for the same product.)
  • In general, take advantage of extended JavaScript behavior to add previously non-existent functionality to pages. (For example, collate RSS feeds on the current page into a floating panel.)