Critical Firefox Extension for Bloggers

I have written a couple of post about blogging extensions I am trying and using to post to this blog. I have been playing with Interclue for other reasons but they have another extension (in beta so you have to create an account and log on to Mozilla Addons) called Lazarus that I can no longer live without.

I have mentioned that I use a learning management system called Moodle for all of the coursework I do. Moodle has templates that all the coursework is done in. A workshop, for example, uses the same form boxes regardless of the number of workshops you make. A workshop is a workshop after all.

I may make 5 or 6 workshops a day. I use some custom HTML formatting when I do a workshop lab outline that is tailored for each different workshop I use. If I switch between them and hit a next button or so then I can possibly loose a good deal of work. Needless to say I have lost a good deal of work, hair, and emptied a number of stress medication bottles when this happens.

This is where Lazarus comes in. Lazarus saves the work I am doing in any one workshop. But it also saves the work I am doing in any number of workshops. When I go back to the form I am working on and right click Lazarus shows a list of forms I have filled so I can choose from the list.

Lose 2 or 3 workshop forms I am working on? No worries Lazarus saves them all. I can choose from the list and bang! there it is.

Unlike the other extensions I have tried Lazarus has no character limit as far as I can tell. I know I have written extensive post and Lazarus has saved all the work. Since I do all of the HTML formatting in the custom HTML text editor I do not know if it will save the custom formatting also. I am not willing to blow up a workshop when I am writing the custom HTML but I am sure I’ll run into a situation that I will soon and I’ll let you know.

I have found the Interclue as handy and a play pretty and I have not run across any must have functionality. Lazarus on the otherhand is an extension that I will never install Firefox without.

Firefox Extensions Dilemma: A new WordPress editor and Auto-Save text fields as you type.

I am an instructor at Fountianhead College of Technology. I use Moodle to create lesson plans, labs, etc. I don’t how many times I will fill in a form or long complicated entry only to have it lost when I hit back space or accidentally swipe the touch pad on my laptop. [ -rant- I used to think that the touchpad was a really cool nifty neeto gadget. But it has become more of a nuisance than a help. I guess I could carry around a usb keyboard and mouse but that kinda defeats the purpose of the laptop as a 'portable' device dosen't it? -end rant-]. So I am checking out some Firefox extensions.

1. Scribefire: It has an auto save feature. It might also work with my (this) WordPress blog. Testing Firefox extensions for WordPress is my other quest, journey, homework assignment, red herring, etc.
2. Auto Save Document: Which looks like a text editor
3. AutoSaveTexttoCookie: It can also use documents and shows up as AutoRestoreData in the extensions list
4. Session Manager: This is a great extension for disaster recovery but hitting the back button is not (technically) a disaster in the classic sense.

I am leaning towards Scribefire as it is replacing Deepest Sender as my WordPress editor of choice. I thought I had that Firefox WordPress extension dilemma beat. Oh well.

The Auto Save Document has not been reviewed and it looks as if it has a overwriting mechanism.

AutoSavetoCookie AutoSaveTexttoCookie has only one review by an unhappy WordPress blogger. Ick.

I will be updating my experience with these extensions as I use them over next couple of weeks in my Twitter feed (see sidebar). Let the blogging begin!

And the winner is! Deepest Sender Firefox extention.

The Firefox extension Deepest Sender wins out over WordPress.com Sidebar. I like the pretty interface and its settings options better. Firefox spell checking feature works without having to type the post in a separate box like in the WordPress.com Sidebar. Deepest Sender also has the option to load in the sidebar but I like to use it a word processor just for WordPress.

Alas, it doesn’t let me add tags, just categories. I still have to login to WordPress and edit the post to add the tags. Until I run across something better, Deepest Sender wins.

Firefox Extension: WordPress Sidebar

I am testing the WordPress Sidebar Firefox extension. This extension allows you to create post in a special sidebar and then post them from the bar. Which is all well and good if you have a wide-screen and can afford the screen space. Which I do and I can.

The first thing that comes to mind is that this makes WordPress a kind of big twitter. The smallish box creates a ‘twitter like’ atmosphere. I’ll give it a week and let you know.