Browser Add-ins that you use

[Jason]

List the browser you're using and what extensions? 1...2...3... Go!
Screenshots are acceptable, too.

I'm using Firefox with the following extensions. If it's in italics, I may not be keeping it. The rest I've been using for at least a few months, most I've been using for years!

   
• Cookie AutoDelete - deletes cookies when you leave a tab or exit the browser except for sites you've whitelisted
• Default Zoom - many pages seem to be too small, I set this to a percentage (e.g. 125%) and they all load at that size initially. Can still adjust it afterwards
• Ecosia - non-tracking search engine that donates the money it collects to planting trees - uses Bing as back-end
• Facebook Container - prevents Facebook from seeing other sites you visit and vice-versa
• Firefox Multi-Account Containers - haven't used this yet but lets you setup your own containers
• Google Container - see above
• Grammarly - makes suggestions in my grammar or spelling whenever I enter text in the browser
• HTTPS Everywhere - forces the browser to use the secure version of the website if available
• LastPass - my favorite password manager, installed on all my devices
• Owl - Lets me turn all white background pages to dark backgrounds with light text - easier on the eyes, especially at night
• Plasma Integration - lets me in see in the tray when the browser finishes downloads as well as having options to control music in Spotify
• Privacy Badger - Blocks trackers on websites
• Search by Image on Google - lets me right-click on an image and search for it elsewhere
• Weather - kind of ugly, new app but it works

Now that I'm using Firefox's Enhanced Tracking Protection in Strict mode, I may get rid of the container extensions. But to preemptively answer an expected question, no, I don't notice any browser slowdown to using this many extensions.

[ssfc72]

Thanks for sharing your info, Jason.  Some good to know extensions were brought to my attention.

I am using the Opera browser.

1. SimpleFill extension.  I use this to paste in whatever text I care to input, into login screens, Forms etc.
2. TamperMonkey. A user script manager that I was using to stop Hotmail/Outlook from bringing up their MSN page when I logged out of Hotmail. The MSN page takes a while to load up, so I find it quite easy to just click on my PlugintoLinux bookmark to stop MSN from loading.

3, I don't need a Cookie AutoDelete extension, because Opera can be set up to delete cookies and a lot more things, when you close the program down.
4. I don't need a Default Zoom extension, because Opera has a menu item to set the level of zoom and maintain that setting the next time Opera is opened.
5. I don't need a Privacy Badger extension because Opera can be set to block Trackers.

[Jason]

3, I don't need a Cookie AutoDelete extension, because Opera can be set up to delete cookies and a lot more things, when you close the program down.
4. I don't need a Default Zoom extension, because Opera has a menu item to set the level of zoom and maintain that setting the next time Opera is opened.
5. I don't need a Privacy Badger extension because Opera can be set to block Trackers.

Thanks for sharing, Bill.

1. I can see how SimpleFill can he helpful although a similar function is built into Firefox and probably Opera since it's based on Chromium now. I've seen it happen when I went to sites to enter in an address and it offers to fill it in for me. I'm not sure how extensive it is, though. Does Simple Fill have support for more forms that what the base browser does?

2. Tampermonkey sounds interesting - is this similar or evolved from Script Monkey?Regarding my choices to use extensions for 3-4, the options you refer to aren't as complete as the extensions. I know Opera has those functions because it's based on Chromium now which also has the base functions. But my extensions do much more.

3.  Cookie AutoDelete deletes cookies when close a tab not just when you close the browser. For example, if you have amazon.ca open in a tab and you close it. The cookies related to Amazon.ca are deleted right then.

4. While Firefox also has the default zoom function, it doesn't work on new sites. Default Zoom does this on every site, whether I've been there or not. I don't know if Opera does this. To test this in Firefox, I go into Preferences -> History -> Privacy & Security -> Clear History and then make sure Site Preferences is checked and then click Clear Now. Not sure where it is in Opera but there should be a search option. Then set your default zoom in your browser to a higher value, make it really huge so it's obvious. And then trying opening a site you've bookmarked or regularly use.

5. Firefox can also be set to block Trackers and I have it on as I noted. However, I use Privacy Badger to pick up anything that Firefox's tracking doesn't pick up. Privacy Badger has been around longer so I expect it's list of tracker is likely more complete.

It'd be nice if other users would share their extensions as well, or even some of them. Or heck, if you don't use extensions, let us know about that. They can be ones already listed here - at least then we'll know what is popular.

[fox]

My Firefox extensions are:
- Privacy Badger -  learns to block invisible trackers by watching which domains appear to be tracking you as you browse the Web
- NoScript - allows active content only for trusted domains of your choice to prevent exploitation
- uBlock Origin -
     More than an "ad blocker": it can also read and create filters from host files.
     Out of the box, these lists of filters are loaded and enforced:
     - EasyList
     - Peter Lowe’s Ad server list
     - EasyPrivacy
     - Malware domains
     More lists are available for you to select if you wish:

- Gnome Shell Extensions - allows you to install, uninstall or disable extensions to Gnome Shell
- GSconnect - implementation of KDE Connect for Gnome Shell

[ssfc72]

Mike, can you modify your posting to include a short description of what some of those extensions do?

[Jason]

I just noticed that I had asked about what extensions members were using a few months ago. However, it's interesting to see what has changed in that time. I know there are extensions I no longer use like NoScript.

[fox]

Mike, can you modify your posting to include a short description of what some of those extensions do?

Done

[ssfc72]

1. I very rarely need to fill in a Form, so I don't know how Simplefill would compare to the Opera browser password saver.  I am a little leery of having my passwords being recorded/stored by a browser, and sitting on their servers.  If I need to recall a password, I will open my encrypted KeePassX program, to remember the password.

2. I am guessing, but I would think TamperMonkey is similar to Script Monkey.

4. With the Opera zoom, if I open a new Tab, then that Tab is at the normal zoom of 100%.

3, I don't need a Cookie AutoDelete extension, because Opera can be set up to delete cookies and a lot more things, when you close the program down.
4. I don't need a Default Zoom extension, because Opera has a menu item to set the level of zoom and maintain that setting the next time Opera is opened.
5. I don't need a Privacy Badger extension because Opera can be set to block Trackers.

Thanks for sharing, Bill.

1. I can see how SimpleFill can he helpful although a similar function is built into Firefox and probably Opera since it's based on Chromium now. I've seen it happen when I went to sites to enter in an address and it offers to fill it in for me. I'm not sure how extensive it is, though. Does Simple Fill have support for more forms that what the base browser does?

2. Tampermonkey sounds interesting - is this similar or evolved from Script Monkey?Regarding my choices to use extensions for 3-4, the options you refer to aren't as complete as the extensions. I know Opera has those functions because it's based on Chromium now which also has the base functions. But my extensions do much more.

3.  Cookie AutoDelete deletes cookies when close a tab not just when you close the browser. For example, if you have amazon.ca open in a tab and you close it. The cookies related to Amazon.ca are deleted right then.

4. While Firefox also has the default zoom function, it doesn't work on new sites. Default Zoom does this on every site, whether I've been there or not. I don't know if Opera does this. To test this in Firefox, I go into Preferences -> History -> Privacy & Security -> Clear History and then make sure Site Preferences is checked and then click Clear Now. Not sure where it is in Opera but there should be a search option. Then set your default zoom in your browser to a higher value, make it really huge so it's obvious. And then trying opening a site you've bookmarked or regularly use.

5. Firefox can also be set to block Trackers and I have it on as I noted. However, I use Privacy Badger to pick up anything that Firefox's tracking doesn't pick up. Privacy Badger has been around longer so I expect it's list of tracker is likely more complete.

It'd be nice if other users would share their extensions as well, or even some of them. Or heck, if you don't use extensions, let us know about that. They can be ones already listed here - at least then we'll know what is popular.

[Jason]

1. I very rarely need to fill in a Form, so I don't know how Simplefill would compare to the Opera browser password saver.  I am a little leery of having my passwords being recorded/stored by a browser, and sitting on their servers.  If I need to recall a password, I will open my encrypted KeePassX program, to remember the password.

I wasn't talking about passwords, just regular form entries. I know that both Firefox and Chrome have the ability to autocomplete annoying forms that you'd normally have to re-type like addresses and such that you enter in one site to another site. it's stored in the history so it's not on their servers either, you can delete it whenever you like.

Password storage is another issue altogether but since you brought it up, don't you also keep the database for KeePassX in Dropbox, which means it's on a server? I seem to recall you mentioning that somewhere. But perhaps I remember incorrectly?

Either way, it's interesting to see what extensions reveal about how we use our browsers and what we find useful and worrisome.

[ssfc72]

The KeePassX file, is an encrypted file, that I keep on my Dropbox.

1. I very rarely need to fill in a Form, so I don't know how Simplefill would compare to the Opera browser password saver.  I am a little leery of having my passwords being recorded/stored by a browser, and sitting on their servers.  If I need to recall a password, I will open my encrypted KeePassX program, to remember the password.

I wasn't talking about passwords, just regular form entries. I know that both Firefox and Chrome have the ability to autocomplete annoying forms that you'd normally have to re-type like addresses and such that you enter in one site to another site. it's stored in the history so it's not on their servers either, you can delete it whenever you like.

Password storage is another issue altogether but since you brought it up, don't you also keep the database for KeePassX in Dropbox, which means it's on a server? I seem to recall you mentioning that somewhere. But perhaps I remember incorrectly?

Either way, it's interesting to see what extensions reveal about how we use our browsers and what we find useful and worrisome.