Love is in the air

[_jems_]

I haven't posted in over two weeks, and I feel less and less inclined to do so with each day that passes, so right now I'm forcing myself to post something. Might as well be something useful, right? So here's an update on my Extensions=love post, which I have reposted in full, with new extensions in burgundy.

• Adblock Plus. Ever been annoyed by all those ads and banners on the internet that often take longer to download than everything else on the page? Install Adblock Plus now and get rid of them.
• Addictive Typing Lessons. Learn touch typing, or improve your typing. (Had no inclination to reinstall when I got a new computer.)
• Better GCal. Installed mainly for the "week numbers" feature, since people in this country often use the week number as a reference and I hardly ever know what the hell they're talking about.
• Bookmark Duplicate Detector. Recognizes if you have the same bookmark in any other folder and asks you if you really want a duplicate, which, let's face it, with 2000+ bookmarks, I'm probably going to say no to.
• Bookmarks LinkChecker. Detects broken links in your bookmarks. I usually only use this when I go on an organizational kick and try to wrestle my bookmarks into shape.
• Calculator. My favorite things about this calculator: History. Saves all my past calculations. Conversions. Converts temperature, mass, volume, length, etc. Invaluable in my line of work.
• Clippings. Save frequently-entered text for pasting later. This is one of those extensions I feel like I should be using more than I do. I just seem to forget that it's there. *makes concerted effort to use it more*
• ColorZilla. You select a color on any web page and get the hex code for use in other programs.
• CoLT. CoLT makes it easy to copy either a hyperlink's text or both the link and the link's text. Used to link every item on this list!
• Diigo: Web Highlighter and Sticky Notes. Add persistent highlights and sticky notes to anywhere on any webpage... I'm a little iffy on it, because it doesn't work exactly how I want it, but I think nothing will probably ever work that way, and it's miles better than MyStickies, which I tried first and basically doesn't work AT ALL. This will probably also replace Dog Ears.
• Dog Ears. Mark important parts of a webpage to easily relocate them. Good for not only finding important items fast, but because of the saved history, it's a great way to temporarily bookmark fanfics that you're currently reading.
• Download Statusbar. Is there anyone who can do without this at this point? It should be integrated into Firefox in my opinion.
• ErrorZilla Mod. Replaces the regular error page with a page with links to Try Again, Try Google Cache, Try Wayback Machine, etc.
• Extended Copy Menu. Provides the option to copy selection as plain text or html. Not quite the same as CoLT. Installed to provide an easy way to include images in the copied material. I hate linking images by hand, and thanks to this, Semagic and LiveJournal Hook, I never do.
• Favicon Picker 2. This really helps organize your bookmarks, especially when you use the Smart Bookmarks Bar.
• FireFTP. FireFTP is a free, secure, cross-platform FTP client for Mozilla Firefox which provides easy and intuitive access to FTP servers. Because why NOT have an ftp client in your browser?
• FireShot FireShot is a Firefox extension that creates screenshots of web pages. Unlike other extensions, this plugin provides a set of editing and annotation tools.
• Fission. Fission combines address bar and progress bar (Safari style). This is probably the one I'm closest to uninstalling because it keeps trying to update with corrupt versions and I'm sick of always skipping it.
• Forecastfox. Since I hardly ever watch TV, I need to get my weather forecasts from somewhere.
• FoxClocks. I actually use this mostly because my ancient computer isn't compatible with my TV, so the screen resolution has to be set so that I can't quite see the clock down in the corner. However, it's also great for keeping track of what time it is where my flisters are at. Especially Brazil, since the time zone/south of the equator Daylight Savings thing always screws me up.
• Foxmarks Bookmark Synchronizer. LOVE THIS. Love the tree-like structure that you can't get from bookmarking sites like delicious and Simpy, love being able to access them online, love the ease of transfer when getting a new computer.
• FoxyTunes. Anything that'll help me keep only my browser open is a-okay with me. This one handles all my music needs.
• GButts. Display all of your Google Services as buttons just next to your addressbar or anywhere you like it... I like to put it on the menu bar, where there's LOTS of unused space perfect for buttons.
• Gmail Notifier. I also use the WebMail Notifier on my laptop, but that's mostly so I don't forget to check my hotmail and lose the account - something that's happened repeatedly. Luckily, no one else ever wants my user name there.
• Google Calendar Notifier. I adore all of Google services, and this not only serves as a reminder tool, it also provides a quick link to the site.
• Google Calendar Quick Add. A shortcut to add calendar entries quickly without having to open a Google Calendar.
• Google Icon. Adds favicon to google search results. Helps you get an easy overview of the search results and is also great for use with Favicon Picker.
• Google Images Re-linker. Skips the frames version and goes directly to the image.
• GooglePreview. Inserts preview images (thumbnails) of web sites into the Google and Yahoo search results pages.
• Greasemonkey. Allows you to customize the way a webpage displays using small bits of JavaScript. Absolutely essential for the modern surfer. Here and here are some LJ-specific scripts to get you started. Or see the links further down.
• gTranslate. Curious about what your foreign flisters are really saying to each other? Just highlight, right-click and choose gTranslate. Babblefish at its finest, of course, but it does give you a sense of the conversation.
• HashColouredTabs+. Uses color coding for sites that don't have favicons. Good for FaviconizeTab and for general overview purposes. It does irk me that you can't pre-pick colors for frequently visited sites, but it's better than nothing.
• IE Tab. Embedding Internet Explorer in tabs of Mozilla/Firefox. Good for sites that absolutely positively won't work in anything but IE. Of course, I'm such a Firefox snob that reject such sites without a second's pause. However, there is this game that doesn't work anywhere else, and occasionally, it calls to me...
• Image Toolbar. I use it mainly for the Copy Image function, since that's how I transfer screencaps into Photoshop when I'm making icons/picspams.
• Image Zoom. I use this A LOT. Especially the "zoom to fit", which I use for icons that I want to take a closer look at and screencaps with higher resolution than my screen.
• IMDb Preview. Preview movie & actor posters when hovering over their IMDb links. I use this mainly on LJ. Since it's kind of annoying to have the pop-up pop up immediately when you're actually on IMDb, I set the delay to 500 ms instead of the pre-programmed 100 ms.
• Link Alert. Changes the cursor to indicate the target of a link. I never realized how much I used this until I was surfing on a friend's computer. It's basically a safety precaution, but you quickly get used to knowing just exactly what it is you're clicking on.
• LiveJournal Addons. Add some facilities to work with LiveJournal. I've had this installed before, but deleted it because it took up too much space on the status bar. With Organize Status Bar I can make anything I don't use go away.
• LiveJournal Hook. Integration of LiveJournal specific tags and text formatting into the right click context menu. The only thing I HATE is that the icon randomizer is preselected. Make sure you uncheck that box immediately unless you want it to pick your icons for you. You can use it on other LJ-compatible sites by listing the site names in the Clones tab under Options.
• My Image Here. Replace images on websites with images you select from your local computer.
• MyStickies. MyStickies allows you to place sticky notes all over the web and organize them with tags. You can view, sort and edit your notes with our free web based tool... I like the idea of having an online account, meaning (one would assume!) that notes transfer from one computer to another. We'll see... Trying Diigo instead, since the online account feature wasn't working as it should.
• NoScript. Forces you to activate scripts, which leads to safer and more personalized surfing.
• Organize Search Engines. Organize your search engines with separators and folders.
• Organize Status Bar. I'm actually thinking of replacing it with this, which allows you to have multiple status bars that you can switch between, as well as organizing them. Hmmm...
• PDF Download. Allows to choose if you want to view a PDF file inside the browser (as PDF or HTML), if you want to view it outside Firefox with your default or custom PDF reader, or if you want to download it!
• Resurrect Pages. What do we do when a page is dead but we still want to see it? Call in the clerics, and perform a resurrection.
• Save Image in Folder.
• Save Link in Folder. I couldn't live without these two handy time-savers.
• Screengrab!. Screengrab saves entire webpages as images. (FireShot has more versatility.)
• ScribeFire Blog Editor. ScribeFire is a full-featured blog editor that integrates with your browser and lets you easily post to your blog. (Works with LJ.)
• Smart Bookmarks Bar. Only shows the icons in the bookmarks bar to save space. I've elected to have folder names show since ALL my bookmarks are housed on the bookmarks bar for ease of access.
• Snap Links. Open multiple links in new tabs with right-click/drag. Though I'm more prone to using the wheel-click to open in new tab, this is a good alternative for opening several links that are placed together (such as screencaps, as Tissa rightly pointed out).
• StatusBars. Switch between multiple statusbars with different content. Customize your statusbars icon, name and arrange the icons the way you want. (Didn't work the way I had hoped.)
• Stop Autoplay. Disable the autoplay of the embedded music and movie.
• Stop-or-Reload Button. Merges the Stop and Reload buttons into one.
• Stylish. Customize the look of the application and of websites with Stylish, a user styles manager. Someone specifically mentioned using this for delicious, and since I've been trying to start using the site at least for fic and maybe for art resources I figured not having to look at the ugly-ass layout would be a good start.
• Super DragAndGo. Click and drag to save images, etc. I don't use this much, and I'm not sure I'll be keeping it for long.
• Tab Mix Plus. Includes such features as duplicating tabs, controlling tab focus, tab clicking options, undo closed tabs and windows, plus much more. Also includes a full-featured session manager. When the extension isn't updated on Mozilla's site, it can be located here, in the forum.
• Tab Scope. Preview and navigate tab contents through popup. Especially useful when you're using Favicon Picker 2.
• Undo Closed Tabs Button. I avoid right-clicking if I don't have to.
• VideoDownloader. I rarely care enough about online videos to download them, but I like knowing I can.
• Web Developer. One of these days, this extension will come in handy, I swear!
• WebMail Notifier. Supports : gmail, yahoo, hotmail, daum, naver, empas, nate and more.
• YouPlayer. YouPlayer is a video player with playlist similar to the one in Winamp.

See also:
| here | here | here | here |



User scripts

LiveJournal

• Always link to full LiveJournal userinfo.
• LJ Instant Comment. I mostly use this for downloading comms, saving me having to load each page.
• LJ Friend-Of Unhide. Nosy. Bitch. *g*
• LJ New Comments.
• LJ Thread Unfolder - Unfold All, All layouts.
• LJ Message Center: Delete Multiple Subscriptions.
• LJ Who. Puts an icon at the end of each user name that you can click and enter information about that user that is stored locally on your computer and is then visible when you hover over that icon.
• LJ Collapse Redux. I think there's a conflict with another script, or possibly with my layout, because this just Does. Not. Work for me. And I really want it to. *pout*
• Pin Messages. Never accidentally delete a message from your LJ inbox.
• LJ Show comments inline. If you want to see comments but don't want to open the entire post (because really, loading those picspams every time you want to see new comments is ANNOYING). This loads the comments directly into your friends page.
• LJ Inline Expander. Instead of LJ Show comments inline - because it also shows LJ cuts inline.)

3 Things to Love About Firefox 3

1. 
   
   Well, actually, this applies to all Firefoxes - the way you can move buttons around on a whim. The first three on my menu bar come from the Diigo tool bar, which I WILL NOT USE. I don't want toolbars taking up more space - better to just move the buttons I use up to the menu bar. (The rest of the buttons on the menu bar are: the 3 GButts applications I use the most, Clines, Calculator, ScribeFire, FireFTP, Web Developer, PDF Download, FireShot and Stop Autoplay).
2. The New Address Bar. When they first touted this as the most awesomest thing ever before the launch I thought they were full of crap, but they SOOOO weren't. I've taken to bookmarking pretty much EVERYTHING now, just so I can access it easily from the address bar.
3. Text Resizing. I love how it remembers what text size you've set a site to, and that it applies it to all links you open on that site. Whenever I read fic online, I change the text size (using Ctrl and the + sign) because I've noticed that, to me, it's more like reading a book (especially if I read in full-screen mode (F11)).

And 1 Thing to Hate


OMG, GET THAT THING AWAY FROM MY BOOKMARKS BAR! How am I supposed to drag a link to my bookmarks folders if you're in the way?!

Other than that, I've mostly been watching Australian reality shows, which are awesome right now.

Project Runway
While I'm sad to see Mark go, I really felt like it would be either this week or next. Much as I despise Helen, I really did think she should have won, especially since it means Petrova gets to come back! Yay! I hope she nails the next challenge and gets Helen sent home. Then all will be right with the world.

It cracked me up the way Helen was going on and on and ON about how the outfit was so "her", when Petrova mentioned that it was basically her design. I think Petrova probably had a lot more to do with the interesting elements of the outfit, but to me it really did seem like a blend of their two aesthetics.

Right now, for me, the three I'd most like to see in the finale are Lui, Leigh and Petrova. The rest I pretty much feel I've seen all there is to see. Although... Brent, if he doesn't lose his momentum, might actually replace Leigh. We'll see.

Sadly, I don't feel I have anything to say about the American version, but I hear PR Canada is gearing up for a second season, so that has me pretty psyched.

Make Me a Supermodel
Tyson! He's there too! And the Tyson-wannabee and him walking the runway together was freakin' priceless. I'm hoping for more of that as we get to the actual competition part of the show.

Tyson-wannabee, Billy and Shanina were the only stand-outs so far, and I think Tyson-wannabee's downfall will come from looking too much like Tyson. Billy's downfall will probably come from himself (I'm not remembering him because of his stellar job modelling, if you know what I mean), and right now I'm placing my bets on Shanina. She's young (only 17!), exotic-looking, good on the runway, and I think she'll take great photos.