If you aren't using Firefox as your internet browser, then you're one step behind everyone else. It's that simple.
Question: Why should I use Firefox instead of IE (Internet Explorer)?
Answer 1: Here's a very good answer to that question: Firefox vs IE
Answer 2: My simple answer to this is that Firefox is: more secure than IE, faster than IE, easier to use than IE and the coup d'etat...it's open source
It's this open source element that I'd like to address. The fact that Firefox is open source allows for a vast and diverse set of "add-ons" to be created. Add-ons allow you to change, configure and expand Firefox to meet your needs.
I think the majority of people who use their browser take for granted what it does. They use the browser but never learn their browser. Question: If you use an application, have you spent a little time getting to know that application a little more in depth? If you use Word, did you ever play around with different fonts, different design layouts and formatting? If you use Excel, did you take the time to figure out how to create an addition and subtraction formula? Maybe slap a pie chart somewhere in there for fun? If so, you more often than not realize the benefits of the application. Your browser is no different. There are options and configurations that can benefit you that should be explored.
Firefox makes this process simple. Download and install Firefox (here) and then go here: Add-ons
From here, you'll see a wealth of options for you. To get you started with add-on fun, I'm going to highly recommend two add-ons. These have both changed my browsing life.
What it does: Synchronize your bookmarks
My input: If you bookmark websites (which you should be doing) and you bookmark sites using more than one machine (i.e. work/home/laptop), this tool is invaluable. This add-on is very simple to use and once it's up and running, you never have to think about managing your bookmarks between several machines.
What it does: You click on the Stumble! button on your task bar and StumbleUpon provides a random website based on your interests.
My input: StumbleUpon is the equivalent to browser cocaine. Once you start, you'll find it hard to stop. None the less, it's wonderful. You'll find so many sites that you never would have found had it not been for StumbleUpon.
There's literally hundreds of different add-ons. Go through the list and play around with different ones. As always, you can contact me and I'll walk you through any parts of the install and answer any questions.
I've been working with my company for 5+ years now and when I consider everything that I've done to benefit us, I think one of the best improvements was the introduction of Google Calendar.
I started using Google Calendar a few months ago for personal use and I quickly realized that this application would benefit my office staff. We're a very small company (8'ish office employees) and everyone is individually organized but as a group we've failed to communicate and provide updates to our schedules. Translating an individuals organization/schedule to group organization/schedule isn't easy and it's been a challenge to figure what options are best. Some of the staff use calendar software to track multiple schedules, some use Outlook, some use sticky notes. With everyone all over the place, it was important to find a solution that was easy and provided a robust set of options. Google Calendar has filled that necessity.
If you've never used Google Calendar, start up an account asap - it's free and easy. There's so many nifty features on the site that I would be wasting space in this post just listing all the options but here's what I like best and here's why Google Calendar works well for my staff:
Under "My Calendar" you can have more than one calendar that relates to your schedule. This is perfect for managing personal schedules (birthdays, anniversary dates, doctor appointments, etc...) and managing work related schedules (meetings, appointments, office holidays, nap time, etc...) Once you have a calendar created, you can share that with someone else using Google Calendar. I, for example, have two calendars. One is my personal calendar and the other is my work calendar. I have shared that work calendar with my office staff but my personal calendar remains hidden from them. They in turn have done the same thing with their calendars. The information that needs to be shared is now shared w/o compromising personal information.
If you decide to fire up Google Calendar and have questions, let me know. I'd be glad to help.
Hello to my devoted blog readers (all 4 of you). I've been meaning to do this for awhile but I've been lazy. Well today, I did it. I've moved Bxi9 to http://bxi9.blogspot.com/
I should have done that a long time ago since the title of that blog was actually "Bxi9." Bxi9 will continue but I've decided to have a second blog created for more "business/professional" related topics. I've been working on so many various projects lately that I wanna document what I'm learning. Hopefully this new blog will be an enjoyable read but I really hope to introduce everyone to what I'm learning. And hopefully I'll get feedback from you to help expand my wealth of knowledge.
I said it best when I said "In the absence of knowledge, let ignorance prevail."
Ok, this is an old quote by me and it is meant to be funny but it also represented a part of how I've actually felt for a long time. Ignorance and I go way back but now it's time for a change. I think this blog will help represent that change.
Banner Artist: Marcin Jakubowski
