Yeah, yeah, I know, this is another list. What can I say, nerds like things in neatly ordered lists. That being said, many of you have gotten on the FireFox train lately, but haven’t looked into many add-ons that give it the extra bit of awesome you’re looking for. Here are a few that I’ve found to be irreplaceable.

Xmarks (formerly FoxMarks)

Maybe you’re only of the few folks remaining that only using 1 computer in your entire day. But for everyone else, Xmarks is a lifesaver. After you’ve installed it (you have to create an account for it), Xmarks will sync your bookmarks (favorites for you IE people) on-line. Install it on a second computer, and it’ll sync there too. Now, here’s where the magic happens. Save a site on computer A, and viiola! it saves on computer B. It also has the ability to sync passwords if you so choose. You’re also able to view them online, if you happen to be away from any of your computers and just need to find that link. (Download here)

Adblock Plus

Do you want the option to refinance your mortgage every 30 seconds? How about the secrets of the credit card companies? No? How about just, you know, the information on the page you’re actually going to then, perhaps? As the name implies, Adblock Plus filters out ads, leaving just empty space in it’s place. So refreshing. (Download here)

Google Redesigned

This extension doesn’t really ‘do’ anything, but it makes the world a better place. This add-on changes the general appearance of GMail, Google Contact, Google Reader, and Google Calendar and gives them a much, MUCH, cleaner UI. Makes the buttons easier to access, and gives the whole thing a general makeover. (Download here)

Greasemonkey + Greasefire

This is a 2 for 1. Greasemonkey is an add-on that allows for simple and site-specific scripts to run. Don’t like the new “People Liked” link on Google Reader? There’s a script for that. What Greasefire does is let you know WHAT scripts are available for any given site, with descriptions and user ratings to go along with it. (Download here and here)

Zotero

For folks in school, or otherwise have to research things that, you know, require actual facts, this add-on can be a lifesaver. Zotero collects, stores, and organizes various sources on-line as you research, and gives you the ability to cite them as needed. Esp. great for when you’ve gone 15 links away from where you started, and need to remember what link #7 was (Download here)

So how about you? What other add-ons have become a must-have in your web-based world?

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Before I even begin, I wanted to mention that this isn’t another “Top-10” list. There are thousands of different plug-ins out there, and there is bound to be one that works well for your needs. However, these 7 may be a bit under the radar and perhaps deserve a place in your blog. Mind you, these aren’t in any particular order.

Google XML Sitemaps

Google, Yahoo! Ask.com, and Bing all like to see a sitemap when they crawl your site. It’s all SEO’y and whatnot. Now, you could go through the effort of making your own XML file. Or, this plug-in can do it for you. Automatically. As you update. So what’s not to like? (Download here)

Exclude Pages From Navigation

Many themes now automatically include static pages in a navigation bar somewhere. That’s all well and good, but what if you have pages you don’t WANT to be in there? You could hand-code your theme to exclude them (look it up in the codex if you’re so inclined), or you can use this. This plug-in adds a checkbox to the page that’ll allow you to either include it or exclude it. (Download here)

WordPress Mobile Pack

Do you have a swanky internet-capable phone? So do I. (and no, it isn’t a damn iPhone). Now have you tried to look at some sites on the mobile browser? Let’s just say they weren’t meant for 4 inch screens. This plug will automatically detect the incoming browser and converts the layout on the fly, without having to change anything about your “main” theme. (Download here)

Contact Form 7

A contact form. I believe you all are familiar with them. If not, then…well…I can’t help you. This plugin allows for multiple forms to be embedded using shortcode, without the need for any third-party mailing systems. Simple and straight forward. (Download here)

WP No Category Base

Do you want the ability for people to focus on one portion of your blog? Do you use the posts section as a “news and events” location? Well, as I am sure you’ve notices, WordPress adds in the /category/ to each one. It’s ugly. This fixes that. One bit of advice, though, you don’t want to have a category and a page named the same thing. Confusion will occur. (Download here)

Gigs Calendar

While this is intended for musicians, I’ve found that it has a lot of uses outside of that. Great for a business that has numerous events during the week, or someone that does a lot of appearances. Links to the specific venues, complete with maps. Even gives you the option to sort by “tour”, for all you rockin types. (Download here)

NextGEN Gallery

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve found the built-in image / video gallery in WordPress to be a bit…lacking. NextGEN does everything…and lets you use shortcode to embed images, slideshows, and much more. There are add-ons for it that include video players, sidebar galleries, and I think there is even one for that pony you always wanted. (Download here)

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To be honest, I’m not one for traveling. I tend to enjoy doing this locally, and rarely leave town for any other reason besides work. The last two months, however, I’ve been in 3 different time zones, 3 different hotels, slept in the bed of my truck, and logged a total of about 6000 miles in the air and on the ground. Throughout all of that, I maintained as much (or as little) connection with my office, my home, and my life. Whether it’s on the road or in the air, you can always keep in tune with your life back home. Here’s a few things to think about when you’re traveling.

• Decide What You Need Before You Go

Where are you going? What are your plans? Is it for fun, business, maybe both? The purpose and length of your trip can often dictate what you bring. At a minimum, your mobile phone and probably your laptop are coming with you. You may also want to bring a digital camera.

• Decide On How To Connect

If you plan on checking your on-line life occasionally, then either your host’s computer or the hotel business center should suffice. But for those working, knowing the internet connection situation is critical. Many hotels and airports don’t offer free WiFi anymore, so you could be stuck with paying $10 – $15 dollars a day (or worse, for a few hours) if you’re not prepared. It’s a good idea to contact the hotel and determine what their policies are. If you travel a lot, you may want to invest in a mobile data card. I personally use a Sierra Wirelsss Card from Sprint, due to the fact that it works with Windows, Mac, and Linux. As always, check with your provider to see what’s available.

• Batteries, Cords, And Plugs

Much like death and taxes, it’s a given that batteries will, at some point, die. And it’s a good chance that most electronics won’t last the length of your trip. Always make sure that you have the appropriate chargers for whatever you’re bringing. If you assume that it will last, rest assured that it won’t. It’s a good idea to get a charge wherever (and whenever) you can. I find that it’s good to get a seat in the airport close to a plug, so you don’t have to worry about losing juice before you get on the plane. Why planes don’t have plugs….I can’t say.

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From time to time, I’ll get questions from people asking my opinion on whether or not a particular computer is a good deal. Usually, the answer is yes, however, I come to them with another question: do you need a new computer? The standard response is often times, “well, the computer I have now is (a) really slow, (b) crashes from time to time, or (c) doesn’t have what I want on it. Many times, the answer isn’t that they need a new computer. Sometimes, a $50 upgrade can give the machine a new lease on life, or a fresh installation of the operating system can fix most glitches that a common user experiences. Here’s a few things to consider before dropping a few hundred (or few thousand) dollars on a new machine:

• Upgrade the RAM

As a rule, I try to put the maximum amount of RAM that a computer can take. RAM is the memory chips that clip onto the motherboard (not to be confused with hard drive space). Most machines made in the last 3-4 years can take between 2 – 4 gigs of RAM, total. Depending on the amount of slots available (usually 2), replacing the existing chips with 2 new chips can increase the speed of the computer, especially when running multiple programs. Here’s a link to determine what type of RAM your computer takes, and how much of it.

• Reinstall the operating system

Over time, a Windows-based computer can get what is referred to as “registry rot”, where bits and pieces of old programs are still on the computer, even after they’ve been upgraded or uninstalled. After a while, some of these leftovers can interfere with current versions of applications you use, or worse yet cause the entire system to crash. Now, there are many programs out there that will claim to clean out your registry. Other than CCleaner, they usually do more harm than good. Even CCleaner (which is a great bit of software) can cause damage if you’re not used to doing it. If you have the original disks that came with the computer, then wiping out the current installation and starting over fresh (after you’ve backed everything up, of course) will often times get rid of just about all the conflict issues you may have. And a tip: don’t bother with all the “extras” that came with the computer the first time. By now, they’re outdated and are usually crap anyway.

• Buy a new computer

Well, you’ve decided to take the plunge and get a new machine. Well, we’ll go over a few tips in an upcoming post that’ll help you look for the machine that’s right for you. But what about the old box you have now? The best thing to do is either find someone who needs it, donate it to a charity, or repurpose it for something else in the house. You can do a lot of things with an old computer, including shared file storage on a network, a computer for the kids, or something else. However, if you’re going to get rid of it, remember to wipe the hard drive clean. It’s estimated that over 40% of people dispose of hard drives with some personal information, from photos and videos to bank account numbers and social security info. Just deleting the files aren’t enough, since there are many programs that can restore the files. However, Lifehacker has a great write-up on programs that will wipe the drive completely blank, and then do all the other things necessary to make any files irretrievable.

So what to make of it all? As always, do your research and make sure that you’re doing the right thing for your situation. Your existing computer (and wallet) will thank  you.

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When was the last time you cleaned your computer? I’m not talking about the files or old programs, but cleaning the actual machine. Can’t remember? Then it’s been too long. This goes for both desktops and laptops. Failure to clean your machine can prevent it from properly cooling itself, which is critical for the long-term viability of the computer. Many computer problems can be sourced back to the cooling system failure.

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Tags: cleaning, computer, maintenance

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Have you walked into a Best Buy lately, walked over to the laptop section, looked for a moment, then run away to the safety of the Disney DVD section? Face it, there is a lot of choice out there. You’ve got laptops, netbooks (what the hell is a netbook?), and now Macs are there, all shiny and ready to come between you and your money. So what to make of it?

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Tags: computers, laptop, netbook

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