Firefox Extensions: StumbleUpon

One of Firefox's greatest strengths is customizability. Extensions let you shape the browser into whatever you want it to be - whatever you need it to be. Everybody has their favorite extensions, and I'm gonna give you some of mine.

As many practical extensions as there are, I'm putting up my favorite impractical one first. StumbleUpon is so damn good it will make you punch an old lady.

Basically what you get is a little toolbar added to your browser, which you can conveniently hide anytime by hitting ctrl+F11. You click the stumble button, and that's it...you're off to find the best of anything and everything the web has to offer.

You'll set up a very simple SU account to identify the kind of sites you want to see (i.e. technology, humor, cartoons, animals, etc.). The categories are pretty diverse and you'll quickly discover what you like and what you don't like.

As you discover the good and the bad, you tell SU what your tastes are. If it stumbles you to a site that you hate, click the I don't like it button. If what you see is great, and you want to see more of the like, press the (wait for it...) I like it button.

Believe me when I say that the StumbleUpon toolbar is only for when you have time to spare, because you'll be doing it for hours. But it can also be an excellent distraction at work when you need to amuse yourself for a few minutes.

Shazaam!