Continuing in my series of what I must have on a computer for it to feel like mine, I thought I might share with you my list of Firefox extensions that make a fresh install of Firefox feel alien to me now. They may not all be of use to everyone, but have a look and see if your missing out.

Firefox Extensions

HTML Validator

Check whether a site you are creating/visiting is valid HTML at a glance. HTML Validator is based on HTML Tidy, originally wriiten by the W3C. It can even tidy up your HTML at the click of a button. This little tool can also be used to visit other web developers' personal/portfolio sites and snigger at the non-compliant code they are using, hilarious.

IE Tab

Why go through the pain of opening up IE to check what a site looks like in it (or even worse, because you can only visit a site using IE). IE Tab lets you open sites in IE within Firefox. The developers particularly like to boast that they ran Windows update using IE Tab.

FoxyTunes

Listen to music while you surf? I do, and I used to hate switching from Firefox to iTunes to see what was playing, to pause, to play or any of other 1000 things that causes you to swap windows. FoxyTunes sits in Firefox and, like a remote control, lets you sort out your media without moving. Look out for version 2 (in beta now), where FoxyTunes escapes Firefox altogether.

Yellowpipe Lynx Viewer

Not an essential tool, but one I would miss; the Lynx Viewer allows you to see any website you want as if you were viewing it in text only browser Lynx. This is useful as it lets you see how your site would appear without all the graphics and layout. It is also handy for giving you an idea what a screenreader would read out to blind users.

Firesomething

Also not essential, but it gets a giggle out of me everytime. Firesomething rebrands Firefox every time you open it, one day you could be surfing with SuperPanda, the next with IceGazelle, the choice is endless.

Something I've been meaning to try: Web Developer Extension

I don't know what this extension does, but so many people use it that it must be good. Next time I think about it (I'm a little busy right now) I will be downloading it and having a play around.

Well, that's my list of (almost) essential Firefox extensions, what am I missing? Is there anything else that would make my life easier (until coming across another computer without it, where I will then spend 10 minutes moaning about the lack of functionality)?

Oh, and if you download only one of these extensions, make it Firesomething, then tell me you didn't laugh the next time you opened Firefox.