A Helpful Harvest of Web Browser Add-Ons and Other Tools
The March 2007 issue of PC World has an article titled, "Build the Perfect Browser," written by Erik Larkin. The article is online and posted here. The article is loaded with reviews of add-ons, plug-ins, and other free tools for both Firefox and Internet Explorer.
One service listed is eSnips. We posted about this service yesterday, shortly after they began offering 5GB of free online storage space. It's all about the right tool at the right time. For web trainers, you could turn this selection of resources (plus your own faves) into an entire presentation at your library.
+ Add to Searchbar
In two clicks, no coding needed, add just about any web search engine to your Firefox Searchbar. It even will work with some OPACS. It couldn't be easier. No more need to ask a developer for help. Free.
+ Loki
Loki uses wi-fi to determine your location. We've tried it in several spots and it was often right on the mark. Perfect all of the time? No. But what is? With that info, one click for maps, restaurant lookups, traffic, etc. Works with both FF and IE. Free.
+ BookmarkSync
All of your bookmarks, dupes removed, in one place. Even a mobile interface. You can also use the service to check for dead URL's and undelete previous deleted links. Social sharing tools also available. Free trial, free for students and educators, about $20/year.
+ FireFTP
This tool makes using FTP from your Firefox browser a breeze.
+ PDF Download
One click to save the file, open without saving, convert to text and more.
+ NVU
An excellent (and free) WYSIWYG web page creator and editor. If you like Firefox you'll love NVU.
+ Colorful Tabs
If you're like the RS team, you're likely to have many tabs open. This tool makes identification a bit easier. Looks nice too!
+ HTTRACK
Two clicks to download and archive specific web pages or an entire site. If HTTRACK doesn't work for you, try Local Website Archive (also free).
+ Tab Mix Plus
An absolute must with a ton of features including the ability to quickly reopen tabs on the screen if your system crashes.
From the Firefox site:
It includes such features as duplicating tabs, controlling tab focus, tab clicking options, undo closed tabs and windows, plus much more. It also includes a full-featured session manager with crash recovery that can save and restore combinations of opened tabs and windows.
Want More? Stay tuned, we will continue to add to this post.
A Few Fave Web-Based Tools:
+ The Zoho line of resources.
+ Meebo
Easy to use, web-based IM service.
+ Inbox.com
Feature filled service including a 5GB of space for your email inbox.
+ PageFlakes
+ NoodleTools
Create bibliographies online. Developed by librarian Debbie Abilock.
A family of resources to help information workers be more effective, raise the value of information in their organisations and contribute to success. Read more »
Recently I have found myself cooing over visualisation maps (and heat maps) of health and well being resources. The content rich data is overlayed with mapping technologies, and some interesting themes and patterns are emerging.
A lot of the talk around social media in the last year has been around information overload. Social media has provided us with new and exciting ways to create content. But it has also meant learning new ways to manage and engage with social media tools. Are we teetering on the edge of an information overload precipice?
Information overload is a figment of your imagination. Or a failure of your filter. Or a symptom of your technological submissiveness. Depends on who you ask.
What if you had to sort through 3.5 million articles and social media posts a day and try to pull out the most relevant items for your organisation? What if you then had to cobble it all together into something readable for your top groups and executives in your organisation?
Alacra Compliance saves time by aggregating information from both free and fee-based sources and enabling users to conduct an accurate federated search across these sources (coined “simultaneous search” by Alacra).
FreePint Family
Quilting big data threads
The fallacy of information overload
Information overload: fact, fantasy or filter failure? 
