The first thing you will want to do is point your browser towards the OpenSearch plugin generator.  This awesome utility allows you to create a search plugin in he open search format that Firefox (and many other browsers) use.  This way you could search Firefox Facts without even visiting the website first and typing your search into my search form.  The only hard part about this is locating the HTML source code that represents the search box on the website.  In Firefox, you can do this fairly easily by right-clicking on a website, choose "View Source" and then find where the form starts for the search box.

Here is one more quick tip, if you hit "Ctrl + F" you can bring up the search options in the webpage’s view source pane.  From there, search for "form" until you find the right form you need.  For webmasters, this should be pretty easy. Now, for the easy part.

On the OpenSearch plugin generator webpage, simply fill in the website name, the website URL and then copy and paste in the form data you found on the website you want to create the search plugin for.  I would recommend not changing the data for input encoding, plugin file name, or favicon file name. Next, hit the big button labeled "Generate Plugin".

The website will now give you the code you need to save on your own website hosting server to make the search plugin work.  Scroll down the webpage, and make sure you follow each step as they have it.  Once you are done, you too can have your own search plugin like this:

Install Firefox Facts Search Plugin

Hope this helps you create a search plugin for your own website.  If you do create one using this method, be sure to share it in the comments!

Did you know that you could add another toolbar to Firefox without needing to install an add-on? This customization feature is often overlooked and can come in handy if you need some extra space to store your buttons or any other toolbar elements you have added to Firefox.

The first thing you will want to do is right-click on your navigation toolbar and select "Customize…". Next, click on the button that reads "Add New Toolbar".  You will then want to give your new toolbar a name.  Once you have done that – you will see a new toolbar space added to your Firefox toolbar layout.  Simply drag the icons over that you want to add to this new toolbar and hit the button labeled, "Done".

Here is the new toolbar I created with the Cut, Copy and Paste buttons added to it:

To hide your custom toolbar from within Firefox, just right-click on the navigation toolbar, and uncheck the custom toolbar you created. If you no longer want your toolbar then go in to customize your Firefox navigation layout again and drag all of the buttons you have added to that toolbar off.  This toolbar should then disappear.

Hope that helps you get a little more out of this feature of Firefox that you do not hear that much about!

Although the feature might not get as much love as others, the Live Bookmarks function of Firefox is one to be admired. Live Bookmarks can deliver you the most recent updates to you from any website, right in Firefox.  This is done through the magic of RSS (really simple syndication) and the Firefox browser.  So how can you set up a Live Bookmark and what exactly are they good for?  Let me walk you through the process.

Find the RSS Feed

First, you need to visit a website that has an RSS feed.  Lets use Firefox Facts as our example, because I can always use a few more subscribers.  Click the orange RSS icon, next to the star in the address toolbar.

Subscribe Using the Live Bookmarks Function

Next, you will find yourself on the default RSS page in Firefox. Firefox uses it’s own styling for this page, because if they didn’t – it would just look like a jumbled mess of XML code to most people. On the drop down menu (next to “Subscribe to this feed using”) I want you to select Live Bookmark.

Save Your New Live Bookmark

Firefox will ask you where you want to save the new Live Bookmark and what do you want to call it.  We will just stick it on the Bookmarks Toolbar for now.  This can be moved around like any other bookmark in Firefox, so not too worried about messing this up. Hit the button labeled “Subscribe” to continue.

Using Your New Live Bookmark

There you have it.  Your Live Bookmark has been created.  The idea here is to give you all the recent posts from an RSS feed so that you can easily browse recent articles all from one simple bookmark.  Let us look at the Live Bookmark we just created.

When you click on it, it will show you the ten most recent posts from Firefox Facts, will let you visit the Firefox Facts website directly or will give you the option to open all these recent posts in new tabs.

So there you have it – this is how and why you might want to use the Live Bookmark feature from within Firefox.

This video does a great job at giving you a basic walk-though of what Jetpack development looks like thus far:

Mozilla Labs Jetpack – Intro & Tutorial from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.

Overall, I am really excited about this!  I always love to tweak away at Firefox using tools like Greasemonkey and Stylish (which Jetpack reminds me of, in a sense of being simple ways to extend the browser).

Word of warning, this is an extremely early release of the software, that is still being designed and developed.  This version that is out now is pretty much just for the developers and testers who want to start getting their hands dirty.

Grab Jetpack, and play around with it yourself.  It might not be for everybody, however should really help to inspire those of us who like to tweak around with our browser to make it work for us.

How Do You Use Greasemonkey?

Once you have installed Greasemonkey, you will see the little monkey’s head come up in your status bar.  From here you can create a new user script of your own or you can edit the ones you have already installed.  You also have the ability to enable and disable scripts or Greasemonkey all together, if you need to.

Where Can I Find Greasemonkey User Scripts?

Finding Greasemonkey scripts is easy.  For that, let me point you in the direction of Userscripts.org. This is a great depository of user scripts people have created to get more out of various web sites.  You can browse through all of the scripts, or search for the web site you want to modify.

Greasefire, another extension for Firefox can also help.  It will let you know in the status bar how many user scripts are available for that specific URL you are visiting. Here are a few more of my favorite Greasemonkey script collections:

• The Best Greasemonkey Scripts
• Make Google Better with Greasemonkey
• Best Flickr Greasemonkey Scripts

How Can I Make My Own User Scripts for Greasemonkey?

Making your own Greasemonkey user scripts might be a ‘bit of a challenge, unless you are an old JavaScript coding pro.  It does take some learning, however there are several resources on the Web that will help you teach yourself.  One of the best is the Dive into Greasemonkey eBook.  Here are a few more resources to help you create your own user script:

• The Wiki at GreaseSpot.net
• Greasemonkey Hacks Wiki

Once you have made a successful Greasemonkey userscript, you might even look into creating it into a stand alone Firefox add-on.

If you like the tweak the Web, and make it your own, then Greasemonkey is well worth picking up as a Firefox extension.  The add-on, plus some user scripting can lead to helping you get more out of your favorite web sites, and then share that help with others.  When push comes to shove, isn’t that what the Internet should be all about?

Most Popular Search Plugins for Firefox *

• YouTube – Find all kinds of cool web videos.
• IMDB – Quickly find that one actor that was in that movie you just saw.
• Wikipedia – The web’s encyclopedia.
• Album-Cover-Art.org – Quickly find album art from your favorite musical artists.
• isoHunt – BT search – Find ISO images quickly using this search plugin.
• Merriam-Webster – It is like the dictionary, but Online! (insert ooh and awe here)
• Live Search – Microsoft’s lovable underdog of a search engine.
• Flickr – Find photos by searching via the image tags.
• Weather Channel – Is that a tornado in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?
• Amazon – Use Amazon’s A9 search to find Amazon products, and anything else on the Web.

Roll Your Own Search Plugin

Want to roll your own search plugin using any web site search box out there.  That is an easy task to accomplish with the Add to Search Bar extension.  If you want to “do it by hand” you can also create your own plugins with this handy tutorial from the Mozilla Developer Center.

More Search Plugin Databases

Now with those mentioned, you can’t mention the search engine box without mentioning the MyCroft project.  There you can find a search engine plugin or search provider that you can quickly add to the Firefox search box.

To check out their most popular search engines, be sure to check out the Top 100 listings.

What tools and plugins do you use to keep your searching in order?

* – Yes,I left Google off the popular plugin list, cause everybody knows about Google.

Inspired by the Firefox 3 t-shirt design contest, the new Mozilla Community Store gives you the chance to design a shirt for Mozilla anytime you wish.  It is time to take that great idea to the public, and Mozilla will help you do it (as long as it is Mozilla related).

Here are a few of my favorites I have seen thus far…

Every shirt they have listed was created by the Mozilla community.  Once you find the design you like, you can customize it even further (by selecting the style, color and much more) then order it.  Think of it as Firefox add-ons for your body.

If you create any of your own designs – share them with us here.  Would love to check ‘em out!

There are a few requirements, such as getting your own unique UUID, giving TwisterMc some credit, and coming up with something original – but those are easily done in exchange for the knowledge you will be receiving.

Some of the tutorials covered are:

- Packaging Firefox Themes
- Creating Your Themes’ Identity & Install Files
- Graphics Editing for Firefox Themes
- Custom Firefox Toolbar Buttons
- Customizing Toolbar Backgrounds
- Submitting Your Theme to Mozilla
- Customize Firefox’s Scrollbar
- Changing Fonts & Colors in Firefox Themes
- User Generated Q&A

Check it all out here:

• iPox Remix – Create Your Own Firefox Theme

Big thanks to TwisterMc for updating this for all of us to enjoy. Know of anymore theme resources or tutorials out there?

Over at CyberNet they have posted a great guide on how to create your own smart bookmarks. Smart bookmarks are the new feature to Firefox 3 that allow you to bring up your saved links in new, unique and useful ways. For example, you could browse through your most recently bookmarked links, your most recently visited links, and so on.

Check out Create Your Own Smart Bookmarks in Firefox 3!

Extensions are small add-ons that add new functionality to Mozilla applications such as Firefox and Thunderbird. They can add anything from a toolbar button to a completely new feature. They allow the application to be customized to fit the personal needs of each user if they need additional features, while keeping the applications small to download.

There is a lot of good information here to be had. Check it out for yourself, and if you have any more resources please leave a comment and let us all know about them.