Comments on: New Firefox Search Plugins http://www.stevecastle.org/browsers/2006-05-01-new-firefox-search-plugins.html Online Edition Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:17:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: Steve Castle http://www.stevecastle.org/browsers/2006-05-01-new-firefox-search-plugins.html#comment-1109 Tue, 10 Oct 2006 01:13:42 +0000 http://www.stevecastle.org/browsers/2006-05-01-new-firefox-search-plugins.html#comment-1109 Lisa, Just to clarify, this isn't a toolbar for Firefox, its an addition to the search bar to the right of the address bar (referred to as the mycroft project - http://mycroft.mozdev.org). But to attempt to answer some of your questions: 1. This plugin only retrieves information from Alexa, it doesn't send anything out other than a request for the information. I do not have any experience with the toolbar nor did I have a want/need for it, because I knew that creating a new plugin on top of my previous programming was far easier than worrying about information being sent without my blessing. Check out http://www.alexa.com/site/help?index=127 . It is my guess that Alexa wants to keep their rankings (as biased as they aready are) unbiased. If you think about the population that currently uses Internet Explorer, you're already looking at ~90%. The remaining ~10% (+/- a nominal amount from both for other browsers such as Safari) and most of the information that is collected and sent to Alexa for processing is more to do with clueless people installing a tool for personal use rather than that of Alexa's use. Firefox users are generally more tech-savvy, thus having a better grasp of spyware. Another reason is that Firefox extensions are essentailly zip files that are "renamed" into the xpi namespace. 2. I cannot comment on the A9 situation, other than speculating that the A9 contained some sort of spyware, and someone threatened. Lisa,
Just to clarify, this isn’t a toolbar for Firefox, its an addition to the search bar to the right of the address bar (referred to as the mycroft project - http://mycroft.mozdev.org). But to attempt to answer some of your questions:

1. This plugin only retrieves information from Alexa, it doesn’t send anything out other than a request for the information.

I do not have any experience with the toolbar nor did I have a want/need for it, because I knew that creating a new plugin on top of my previous programming was far easier than worrying about information being sent without my blessing.

Check out http://www.alexa.com/site/help?index=127 . It is my guess that Alexa wants to keep their rankings (as biased as they aready are) unbiased. If you think about the population that currently uses Internet Explorer, you’re already looking at ~90%. The remaining ~10% (+/- a nominal amount from both for other browsers such as Safari) and most of the information that is collected and sent to Alexa for processing is more to do with clueless people installing a tool for personal use rather than that of Alexa’s use. Firefox users are generally more tech-savvy, thus having a better grasp of spyware.

Another reason is that Firefox extensions are essentailly zip files that are “renamed” into the xpi namespace.

2. I cannot comment on the A9 situation, other than speculating that the A9 contained some sort of spyware, and someone threatened.

]]> by: Lisa Rioni http://www.stevecastle.org/browsers/2006-05-01-new-firefox-search-plugins.html#comment-1011 Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:55:39 +0000 http://www.stevecastle.org/browsers/2006-05-01-new-firefox-search-plugins.html#comment-1011 Two questions: 1) Does the Alexa toolbar plugin for Firefox behave like the regular toolbar for IE, in that it reports visited sites to Alexa to be included in the ranking information? 2) I noticed that A9 is no longer developing or supporting the toolbar for Firefox, as of very recently. Do you have any information about that? Thank you. Two questions:

1) Does the Alexa toolbar plugin for Firefox behave like the regular toolbar for IE, in that it reports visited sites to Alexa to be included in the ranking information?

2) I noticed that A9 is no longer developing or supporting the toolbar for Firefox, as of very recently. Do you have any information about that?

Thank you.

]]> by: Steve Castle http://www.stevecastle.org/browsers/2006-05-01-new-firefox-search-plugins.html#comment-16 Thu, 04 May 2006 15:36:03 +0000 http://www.stevecastle.org/browsers/2006-05-01-new-firefox-search-plugins.html#comment-16 Definitely. Some more are on the way soon. Just about any site with a search mechanism is able to use this feature. Definitely.

Some more are on the way soon. Just about any site with a search mechanism is able to use this feature.

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