D
Dr. Jai Maharaj
Forwarded article:
Firefox extension modules
By J. Murali
Business
The Hindu
Monday, October 11, 2004
APART FROM being a fast and secure browser, the feature
that augments the Firefox's reputation is the
availability of several extension modules that amplify
its power and ease of use. NetSpeak takes a quick glance
at some Firefox extensions that can multiply the
comfort/productivity of its users manyfold.
Target alert extension
On a web page you may find several links pointing to a
variety of resources such as a simple HTML page, a PDF
file, an image file and so on. But on the web page, they
all look the same for a visitor. That is, there is no
visual mechanism that explicitly informs the visitor the
type of resource a link points to. The Firefox's 'Target
alert extension' has been created to address this
deficiency. Once the extension is installed/attached to
the browser, to each link pointing to a non-HTML file, it
will append an icon that represents the resource being
pointed by. For example, if a link is pointing to a PDF
file, you will find a small 'Adobe' icon along with the
link. For more details:
http://www.bolinfest.com/targetalert/
Delicious extension
The on-line social bookmark manager service, Delicious
http://del.icio.us , lets you share bookmarks with other
users. By accessing the link: http://del.icio.us/your-
user-name , you can view your bookmarks stored on the
service. If you often use Delicious' various facilities,
you may install the delicious extension
http://delicious.mozdev.org/index.html that helps you
access most of its features directly from the browser
window.
FireFTP
To upload files on to an FTP server, we use an FTP client
program like Filezilla http://filezilla.sourceforge.net
If you don't want to use a separate program for uploading
files, install the extension 'FireFTP'
http://fireftp.mozdev.org that integrates an FTP client
on to your browser.
This extension adds a toolbar, packed with tools useful,
generally, for a web page developer. The extension comes
bundled with tools for doing a variety of tasks that
include disabling cookies, viewing passwords as text,
clearing cache, viewing page source, validating HTML and
so on. For more details:
http://www.chrispederick.com/work/firefox/webdeveloper/
FlashGot
A positive feature of IE, which is not available in
Firefox, is the facility to directly invoke download
managers from the browser window. The extension
'FlashGot' is an attempt to take care of such a
deficiency.
FlashGot http://www.informaction.com/mozilla/flashgot
allows you to start download managers like LeechGet
http://www.leechget.net/en/ and Flashget
http://www.amazesoft.com/ directly from Firefox.
The extension 'Paste and Go'
http://tecwizards.de/mozilla/ automatically loads a web
page if you paste its URL from the clipboard. For this,
right-click on the address-bar and select the option
'Paste and GO'.
Another powerful extension worth a test is the one called
'Google preview' http://ackroyd.de/googlepreview/ that
helps Firefox insert small images of web sites along with
Google search results. If you want to copy text from a
web page without any formatting codes (like bold,
italics), add the extension 'copy Plain Text'
http://jgillick.nettripper.com/copyplaintext/ on to
Firefox.
The extensions described here are just a few among the
several ones available. For more information, check out
Extension Room http://extensionroom.mozdev.org/ , the
site that hosts links to a multitude of extensions. The
service provides an RSS feed that can be used to
regularly get the details of the new extension being
posted on the site.
It is likely that some of you are not satisfied with the
extensions created by others and want to create own
extensions. If you belong to that class, and would like
to learn more about Firefox extension, check out this
link: http://extensions.roachfiend.com/howto.php that
points to an easy-to-follow tutorial on 'How to write
Firefox extensions".
Open source think tank
Net has an unparalleled power to harness the resources
dispersed across the globe. But for this aspect,
innovative computing projects like distributed computing
would not have taken off. Exploiting this collaborative
potential of the Net, a few projects aimed at generating
new ideas/solutions for solving many developmental
problems have been initiated. The Thinkcycle
http://www.thinkcycle.org/project (discussed in this
column long ago) that attempts to "harness the knowledge
and expertise of skilled people to solve developmental
and governance problems" is an example of one such
experiment. The Wisdom project that aims to create an
'idea development' environment is the latest entrant in
this product segment.
A system becomes truly transparent when all its members
have some space to participate in its day to day affairs.
What we need is a mechanism that facilitates each and
every member of a community to air his views and be
heard/evaluated by others. In an open environment, where
ideas from multiple sources interact, the wisdom that
crystallises from such a rigorous interaction will be
more valuable. The Wisdom project
http://www.wisdomproject.net/ is an attempt to provide
the necessary tools for conducting on-line interactions
smoothly.
The project features tools for creating an open source
think tank that enables us to "extract wisdom from free
and open dialogue". Here, anyone can raise an issue or
start a discussion or present a solution.
The service provides the facility for others to evaluate
the wisdom of each of the proposed solutions and through
this process a natural weeding out of irrelevant
ideas/solutions takes place. That is, rather than having
a think tank with a few individuals, Wisdom project, if
progresses as expected, will result in a democratic,
'self-organising', open think tank in which all community
members can actively participate.
J. Murali
Email the author at murali27-AT-satyam-DOT-net-DOT-in
End of forwarded article from:
http://www.hindu.com/2004/10/11/stories/2004101100391600.htm
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the educational
purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may not
have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the
poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption for
fair use of copyrighted works.
o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name, current
e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others are
not necessarily those of the poster.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use of
which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is believed
that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title
17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included
information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes by
subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more information
go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of
your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
copyright owner.
Firefox extension modules
By J. Murali
Business
The Hindu
Monday, October 11, 2004
APART FROM being a fast and secure browser, the feature
that augments the Firefox's reputation is the
availability of several extension modules that amplify
its power and ease of use. NetSpeak takes a quick glance
at some Firefox extensions that can multiply the
comfort/productivity of its users manyfold.
Target alert extension
On a web page you may find several links pointing to a
variety of resources such as a simple HTML page, a PDF
file, an image file and so on. But on the web page, they
all look the same for a visitor. That is, there is no
visual mechanism that explicitly informs the visitor the
type of resource a link points to. The Firefox's 'Target
alert extension' has been created to address this
deficiency. Once the extension is installed/attached to
the browser, to each link pointing to a non-HTML file, it
will append an icon that represents the resource being
pointed by. For example, if a link is pointing to a PDF
file, you will find a small 'Adobe' icon along with the
link. For more details:
http://www.bolinfest.com/targetalert/
Delicious extension
The on-line social bookmark manager service, Delicious
http://del.icio.us , lets you share bookmarks with other
users. By accessing the link: http://del.icio.us/your-
user-name , you can view your bookmarks stored on the
service. If you often use Delicious' various facilities,
you may install the delicious extension
http://delicious.mozdev.org/index.html that helps you
access most of its features directly from the browser
window.
FireFTP
To upload files on to an FTP server, we use an FTP client
program like Filezilla http://filezilla.sourceforge.net
If you don't want to use a separate program for uploading
files, install the extension 'FireFTP'
http://fireftp.mozdev.org that integrates an FTP client
on to your browser.
This extension adds a toolbar, packed with tools useful,
generally, for a web page developer. The extension comes
bundled with tools for doing a variety of tasks that
include disabling cookies, viewing passwords as text,
clearing cache, viewing page source, validating HTML and
so on. For more details:
http://www.chrispederick.com/work/firefox/webdeveloper/
FlashGot
A positive feature of IE, which is not available in
Firefox, is the facility to directly invoke download
managers from the browser window. The extension
'FlashGot' is an attempt to take care of such a
deficiency.
FlashGot http://www.informaction.com/mozilla/flashgot
allows you to start download managers like LeechGet
http://www.leechget.net/en/ and Flashget
http://www.amazesoft.com/ directly from Firefox.
The extension 'Paste and Go'
http://tecwizards.de/mozilla/ automatically loads a web
page if you paste its URL from the clipboard. For this,
right-click on the address-bar and select the option
'Paste and GO'.
Another powerful extension worth a test is the one called
'Google preview' http://ackroyd.de/googlepreview/ that
helps Firefox insert small images of web sites along with
Google search results. If you want to copy text from a
web page without any formatting codes (like bold,
italics), add the extension 'copy Plain Text'
http://jgillick.nettripper.com/copyplaintext/ on to
Firefox.
The extensions described here are just a few among the
several ones available. For more information, check out
Extension Room http://extensionroom.mozdev.org/ , the
site that hosts links to a multitude of extensions. The
service provides an RSS feed that can be used to
regularly get the details of the new extension being
posted on the site.
It is likely that some of you are not satisfied with the
extensions created by others and want to create own
extensions. If you belong to that class, and would like
to learn more about Firefox extension, check out this
link: http://extensions.roachfiend.com/howto.php that
points to an easy-to-follow tutorial on 'How to write
Firefox extensions".
Open source think tank
Net has an unparalleled power to harness the resources
dispersed across the globe. But for this aspect,
innovative computing projects like distributed computing
would not have taken off. Exploiting this collaborative
potential of the Net, a few projects aimed at generating
new ideas/solutions for solving many developmental
problems have been initiated. The Thinkcycle
http://www.thinkcycle.org/project (discussed in this
column long ago) that attempts to "harness the knowledge
and expertise of skilled people to solve developmental
and governance problems" is an example of one such
experiment. The Wisdom project that aims to create an
'idea development' environment is the latest entrant in
this product segment.
A system becomes truly transparent when all its members
have some space to participate in its day to day affairs.
What we need is a mechanism that facilitates each and
every member of a community to air his views and be
heard/evaluated by others. In an open environment, where
ideas from multiple sources interact, the wisdom that
crystallises from such a rigorous interaction will be
more valuable. The Wisdom project
http://www.wisdomproject.net/ is an attempt to provide
the necessary tools for conducting on-line interactions
smoothly.
The project features tools for creating an open source
think tank that enables us to "extract wisdom from free
and open dialogue". Here, anyone can raise an issue or
start a discussion or present a solution.
The service provides the facility for others to evaluate
the wisdom of each of the proposed solutions and through
this process a natural weeding out of irrelevant
ideas/solutions takes place. That is, rather than having
a think tank with a few individuals, Wisdom project, if
progresses as expected, will result in a democratic,
'self-organising', open think tank in which all community
members can actively participate.
J. Murali
Email the author at murali27-AT-satyam-DOT-net-DOT-in
End of forwarded article from:
http://www.hindu.com/2004/10/11/stories/2004101100391600.htm
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the educational
purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of this post may not
have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the
poster. The contents are protected by copyright law and the exemption for
fair use of copyrighted works.
o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name, current
e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others are
not necessarily those of the poster.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This article may contain copyrighted material the use of
which may or may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This material is being made available in efforts to advance the
understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic,
democratic, scientific, social, and cultural, etc., issues. It is believed
that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title
17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without
profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included
information for research, comment, discussion and educational purposes by
subscribing to USENET newsgroups or visiting web sites. For more information
go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this article for purposes of
your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the
copyright owner.
