This article maybe a little boring, but I do believe it is important. Everyday I find myself writing articles, filling in forms, preparing documents, or researching real estate agent and portal websites.
One thing I do notice is that property listings on the Internet have many spelling mistakes. Firefox has many features that I think make life easier for front office staff. Not the least being the ability to edit multiple pages in one window through tabs, but my favourite is the spell checker (English Australia version of course).
[Firefox is a web browser just like Internet Explorer]
Here is an example of how it works:
Basically it underlines everything it thinks is spelt in-correctly with a red line. It is not perfect but you can quickly build your database. All you need to do is right click over each red line and choose from the various word options.
Now this product (English Australian Dictionary) is what Firefox calls an add-on. You download Firefox and then you can choose from thousands of free add ons to suit your needs.
The add ons I have installed are:
Web developer (checks all sorts of code on sites)
Forecast Fox (gives me up to date weather for today and forward forecasts)
Firebug (tool box for developers)
Linky (allows me to open multiple links in tabs at once)
Password Exporter (great for travelling – and taking all links and user names and passwords)
Google Toolbar (search and tools from Google)
Bookmark Extensions (an extension to normal book marking- adding to favourites – saving to pc etc)
This is not to say that Internet Explorer 7 is not a fine product, it is I think Firefox is just so much better for what we do. IE7 also has add-ons but I do not find them as useful at this stage.
7 Comments
Paul Krayven
Whilst I don’t share your sentiments with firefox (I dislike the way it renders pages) the spelling issue is a problem. It amazes me though that articles are not proofed first in Word or something similar. We have a system here that the copy is written, proofed and then approved by vendor and sales agent then proofed again by our advertising department and this approved copy is what is used on the internet.
I understand that not all agencies work or can work this way though but perhaps its the systems in place that are to blame.
That aside we make mistakes too and firefox spell check is definately a good idea and should be embraced by all the browser formats.
P.S. I despise those google and yahoo toolbars as well, but perhaps that’s just me 🙂
Peter
Paul, I know that on some systems it renders a little slow. But I can tell you as a developer you get it right in Firefox you get it right on nearly all browsers – except of course IE6 & 7. IE is getting better but as far as standards go – it has a long ladder to climb.
Simon Baker
Peter
Perhaps it is just serendipity but as i read this article in IE 7 – it crashed!
I love firefox but it is just still a little too clunky around the edges.
Simon Baker
MD REA Group
Peter
Yes, IE7 still has many bugs…. 🙂
I rarely have problems with Firefox, but so many agents sites do not work properly with it
Glen Barnes
Hi Peter,
You might also want to try out the Foxmarks extension which syncs Foxmarks up the web and back down to any other FF browser. Great for having a laptop and a desktop and also for travelling.
Aslo try Portable Firefox (and the other portable apps) – http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable
I keep a copy of this on a USB memory card and plug it in whenever I need to use FF on a foreign computer. You can install all your extensions and also sync your bookmarks (with Foxmarks).
I wouldn’t go back to IE if someone paid me. Firefox is by far the best browser on any platform.
Glen
Peter
Thanks Glen
I actually do use the portable firefox – and yes I should have included that!
Regards Peter
Guy
Fasterfox is a definate too:
http://fasterfox.mozdev.org/