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Author Topic: 10 Firefox extensions to avoid  (Read 4675 times)

Offline krissel

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10 Firefox extensions to avoid
« on: April 10, 2007, 09:00:58 PM »
I know this article will tick off a few TSers....  whistling.gif


http://www.computerworld.com/action/articl...urce=rss_news50
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Offline Bruce_F

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« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2007, 10:57:15 PM »
The only extension that I have on that list is PDF download. So I can't comment on the others.

I like PDF download and the way it works for me.
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Offline krissel

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« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2007, 01:35:24 AM »
He has another interesting 3 session article on his switch from Windows to Mac.  Worth a read. smile.gif

http://computerworld.com/action/article.do...ticleId=9004803
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Offline tacit

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« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2007, 03:41:35 AM »
Wow, "FasterFox" and "TrackMeNot" are bad news.

"FasterFox" is bad news for Webmasters. Anyone who owns a popular Web site has to pay for bandwidth. FasterFox radically, dramatically increases the amount of bandwidth a particular user consumes, because essentially it downloads the entire site whenever a user visits a Web page, even if he doesn't go to every site on the page. I fugure that if 50% of the browsers out there installed this plug-in, it would end up costing me about $2,400 a month in excess bandwidth charges if I were still on my old Web host. (I just moved my Web site to a new host that provides more bandwidth, but still...)

I may look into blocking Firefox users who use this plugin on my Web sites.

"TrackMeNot" attempts to confuse the demographic data collected by search engines by constantly sending nonsense random search queries to all the major search engines whenever you're online. This uses up your bandwidth, slows your computer down, increases the load on the search engines...but doesn't actually accomplish anything useful I can see.

The other plugins are things I don't especially care about, but these two are legitimate problems. Thanks!
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Offline sandyman

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« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2007, 04:16:15 AM »
QUOTE(tacit @ Apr 11 2007, 09:41 AM) [snapback]124255[/snapback]
Wow, "FasterFox" and "TrackMeNot" are bad news.

"FasterFox" is bad news for Webmasters. Anyone who owns a popular Web site has to pay for bandwidth. FasterFox radically, dramatically increases the amount of bandwidth a particular user consumes, because essentially it downloads the entire site whenever a user visits a Web page, even if he doesn't go to every site on the page. I fugure that if 50% of the browsers out there installed this plug-in, it would end up costing me about $2,400 a month in excess bandwidth charges if I were still on my old Web host. (I just moved my Web site to a new host that provides more bandwidth, but still...)

I may look into blocking Firefox users who use this plugin on my Web sites.


Tacit,
How will you go about blocking FasterFox?  

I only ask because there are other ways of getting the same speed increase but without the need to install FasterFox.

Sandy
« Last Edit: April 11, 2007, 04:16:41 AM by sandyman »
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Offline Jack W

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« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2007, 11:09:20 AM »
I use AdBlock and NoScript — love them both.

I added Nuke Anything Enhanced & will give it a try.

QUOTE(sandyman @ Apr 11 2007, 02:16 AM) [snapback]124258[/snapback]
I only ask because there are other ways of getting the same speed increase but without the need to install FasterFox.

Sandy


Sandy.

Will you share what the "other ways" are?

- Jack
« Last Edit: April 11, 2007, 11:22:13 AM by Jack W »
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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10 Firefox extensions to avoid
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2007, 11:52:46 AM »
As one of the comments said, I quit reading after the "recommendation" that we should delete AdBlocker. Obviously a self-serving article. Have to agree with most of the comments ( of which I read more of than the original article! ). So, I don't know what other add-ons I may be using that they say are "bad" other than PDF Downloader, NoScript and AdBlock. Those all work fine for me. What am I missing? dntknw.gif Besides ads, Flash, annoyances, that is.

When I find a site that has useful info, I start allowing more scripts, temporarily. If the ads are reasonable, I'll allow them permanently. So far, I don't worry about trojans or other malware, of course. But as long as I'm paying to access the internet, I'll continue to limit what comes onto my screen. I don't usually open junk mail, either. Does that mean I'm causing 'pain' to those companies? I hope so. But I do occasionally mail their stuff back to them, especially when they provide a postage paid envelope! Helps keep the USPS fully employed, also! wink.gif

Later...
Went back and checked the other "don't use" add-ons. Didn't have any of them. Noticed a "20 Essential Add-ons" link. Amazingly, they included GreaseMonkey in that list, even though they also listed it as one to avoid! May be one of those "left hand/right hand" things? laugh.gif Anyway, of the 20 "must haves" I have only one ( WebDeveloper ). Most of the others either didn't work on a  Mac or were already covered by others I have installed or simply didn't do anything useful, IMHO.

All in all, I have 3 of their "Avoids" and one of their "Must haves", seems a fair match from what I've seen in that publication in the past. I'm happy! smile.gif
« Last Edit: April 11, 2007, 12:02:58 PM by Xairbusdriver »
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Offline tacit

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« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2007, 02:48:42 PM »
QUOTE(sandyman @ Apr 11 2007, 09:16 AM) [snapback]124258[/snapback]
Tacit,
How will you go about blocking FasterFox?  

I only ask because there are other ways of getting the same speed increase but without the need to install FasterFox.

Sandy


The easiest way is to monitor for a large number of simultaneous HTTP GET requests from the same IP address, and filter them out. I'll have to look into what other people are doing to deal with this problem.
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Offline sandyman

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« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2007, 03:00:19 PM »
For Jack W and Tacit

The "other ways" basically do the same as FasterFox, but are, "allegedly" better

1. Type "about:config" into the address bar and hit return. Scroll down and look for the following entries:

network.http.pipelining

network.http.proxy.pipelining

network.http.pipelining.maxrequests

Normally the browser will make one request to a web page at a time. When you enable pipelining it will make several at once, which really speeds up page loading.

2. Alter the entries as follows:

Set "network.http.pipelining" to "true"

Set "network.http.proxy.pipelining" to "true"

Set "network.http.pipelining.maxrequests" to some number like 9.

This means it will make 9 requests at once.

3. Lastly right-click any where on the white background and select New-> Integer.

Name it "nglayout.initialpaint.delay" and set its value to "0".

This value is the amount of time the browser waits before it acts on information it receives.

Now close the browser window(s) and then re-open it and now your browser.

These "hacks" have been mentioned on the 'Net for quite some time now.  IIRC I first saw them on The Register.

Sandy
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2007, 03:09:54 PM »
QUOTE
I'll have to look into what other people are doing to deal with this problem.
Just link to the ComputerWorld article, surely they'll understand why those add-ons are so bad! tongue.gif

Seriously, FasterFox sounds similar to something I remember back in pre-X days, never thought about the bandwidth problems it would cause. But TrackMeNot sounds like a DoS attack, in reverse! eek2.gif I don't blame you for wanting to limit it.

How do search bots avoid creating bandwidth problems? They do have to 'view' the html, don't they? dntknw.gif I suppose they may limit themselves to the base/index page, however... Thinking.gif
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Offline jcarter

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« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2007, 03:14:49 PM »
Hi Sandyman,
Do you recommend changing the pipelining like you have in your instructions, for someone like me, who is not particularily technical?  
Firefox sure seems fast as lightning on my Macs, so would this speed things up even more?  Or could it just confuse me and perhaps create problems?

Thank you,
Jane
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Offline Epaminondas

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« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2007, 06:21:51 PM »
QUOTE
Adblock and Adblock Plus

Obviously, we have some bias when it comes to ad-blocking extensions, as Computerworld is an ad-supported site. We also understand that these are very popular extensions. But if everyone blocked ads, how would sites such as ours continue to offer content free of charge?

We'll be the first to admit that there are some horribly annoying ads out there. (Buzzing bee, anyone?) But we prefer using Nuke Anything Enhanced to zap the annoying ads while continuing to support the sites we love by allowing most ads to appear.

Adblock or Adblock Plus - along with the accompanying Adblock Filterset.G Updater - are the first extensions that I add when setting up a new installation of Firefox.

Along with Flashblock and Image Zoom.

Then just tweak the security settings (turn off Java and Javascript and cookies, referer (sic) broadcasting and IDN and such) - set up a good master password - and things are good to go.

QUOTE
NoScript

This extension is hugely popular and works as advertised, giving you control over which JavaScript, Java and other executable content on a page can run, depending on that content's source domain. You whitelist the sites you consider safe and blacklist the sites you don't.

XABD speaks highly of NoScript.


Computerworld's approach makes me interested in learning more about actually adding more extensions from their avoid list, rather than following their recommendations.


Best regards,

Epaminondas
« Last Edit: April 11, 2007, 06:22:57 PM by Epaminondas »
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Offline sandyman

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« Reply #12 on: April 12, 2007, 12:00:28 AM »
QUOTE(jcarter @ Apr 11 2007, 09:14 PM) [snapback]124301[/snapback]
Hi Sandyman,
Do you recommend changing the pipelining like you have in your instructions, for someone like me, who is not particularily technical?  
Firefox sure seems fast as lightning on my Macs, so would this speed things up even more?  Or could it just confuse me and perhaps create problems?

Thank you,
Jane

Jane
None of these "hacks" are particularly difficult to do, however, as they say "if it ain't broke don't fix it".  

If you find FF fast enough, just leave it the way it is. Or as I am  frequently heard to say, KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid.  That ususally works for me wink.gif

I just do it as a matter of course whenever I install FF either for myself or other people.

Sandy
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Offline jcarter

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« Reply #13 on: April 12, 2007, 07:08:52 AM »
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for explaining, I shall leave FF the way it is.  Its amazingly fast anyway.

Is there a site where a lot of these hacks are listed?  Just for curiosity?
Jane
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Offline sandyman

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« Reply #14 on: April 12, 2007, 08:34:02 AM »
QUOTE(jcarter @ Apr 12 2007, 01:08 PM) [snapback]124342[/snapback]
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for explaining, I shall leave FF the way it is.  Its amazingly fast anyway.

Is there a site where a lot of these hacks are listed?  Just for curiosity?
Jane

Jane
Not that I know of. I found this one on The Register a while ago. It's a UK based Tech News site that I visit daily and it does tend to turn up little nuggets like this quite often.

Sandy
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