Cool Google & Firefox Features

I have recently been working for a client that mandates the exclusive use of Internet Explorer. What makes it worse for me is that my desktop runs Windows 2000, which does not permit the use of IE 7. Sure, I missed tabbed browsing, but I missed some other features that surprised me. I especially missed the way Firefox and Google work together.

For example, let’s imagine that I am reading an article at Wired magazine that mentions something called a “Flickr account”. If I am unfamiliar with the term, I can highlight the term and right click my mouse. A menu pops up that gives me the option of running a Google search in another tab to help me understand the term before I continue. Isn’t that useful?You will also notice that the popup is aware of some of the Firefox plugins I have installed. I find this useful, too. Also, the popup is aware of the fact that I have used the Google notebook, and it gives me the option of making a note about Flickr and storing it using my Google Account.

At lunch, I sometimes make a blog entry, but I seem to have problems thinking and spelling at the same time. Firefox comes with a spell checker that runs in my browser as I type – it also feeds me some possible corrections if I spell something wrong. Firefox also allows me to save new words in a dictionary for later use. That is useful, too.

I know that IE 7 supports tabbed browsing, and I am sure that it has cool features I know nothing about. But, I am already happy with Firefox. I will get around to checking those new features out some day soon because I am prone to curiosity, but so many people are not.

I recently read an article that quotes Steve Balmer, of Microsoft, saying that his kids have been trained not to use Google, and not to use iPods. How cruel. How sad. And, how narrow. Still, they do not called them the browser wars for nothing. Microsoft intends to take no prisoners.