Are you a student or writer?  Are you looking for ways to stream line web surfing?  If so, this post may be for you.

I am always looking for new applications to optimize my browser.  A long time ago I ditched Internet Explorer for Mozilla’s Firefox browser and never looked back.  I’ve never regretted the switch because Firefox has essentially eliminated annoying pop-ups and spyware that Internet Explore could never seem to shake.

If you go to the add-on page of Firefox you will see thousands of free add-ons that are only a few clicks away from being yours.  But how do you decide what apps are best for you?  Well here are two that you might find very useful in your day to day affairs.

ZOTERO

Creating Quick Citations in Microsoft Word & OpenOffice

Have you ever noticed that it takes just as long to compile your citations as it does to write the contents of your paper?  Well, Zotero is a fantastic resource that streamlines citations, footnotes, and biographies in Microsoft Word and OpenOffice:

Zotero is, at the most basic level, a citation manager. It is designed to store, manage, and cite bibliographic references, such as books and articles. In Zotero, each of these references constitutes an item.

It even allows you to choose the citation format (ie: Chicago style).

Here’s a video showing you how it works in Word & OpenOffice.  Intrigued?  Go here to find the User Guide and installation instructions.

Digital Library

Zotero also acts as a digital library for your browser, allowing you to manage, organize and cross reference hundreds of bookmarks and links.

If you’re like me, you have difficulty keeping track of all your bookmarks.  Zotero allows you to create folders (called “collections”) within which you can assign links, files, and attachments.  Sounds like the bookmark system built into Firefox right?

Not exactly.  You can also assign tags to your collections so that you can conduct quick searches.  Furthermore, you can assign notes to your links and folders, making it easy to refresh your memory when you come across unfamiliar collections.  Finally, you can combine the digital library with the citation functions to maximize Zotero’s use.

Because Zotero runs within Firefox, it is simple to create new items from information available on the internet. If a capture icon appears in the address bar, Zotero can automatically create an item of the appropriate type and populate the metadata fields. If a full-text PDF is available, it will be automatically attached to the item.

FASTEST FOX

FastestFox (also known as SmarterFox) is especially useful for those of you who use Wikipedia and Google Search.  FastestFox adds a “related articles” sidebar to Wikipedia, allowing you to instantly cross reference your primary search with related subjects and topics.

This app also streamlines your searches.  Whenever you highlight a word or phrase, a popup bubble appears, providing you the option to search for the word or phrase in 1) Twitter; 2) Google; 3) OneRiot; or 4) Wikipedia.

Although I find the app convenient and easy to use, my wife finds it incredibly annoying.  But never fear!  You can easily turn the app off by going to tools -> SmarterFox.  For those of you who use multiple accounts on your computer, you can easily isolate the app so that it only works on selected accounts.

FastestFox also provides you with an enhanced URL search, so that Google search results automatically appear as you type.

Finally, FastestFox brings the qlauncher to the table, which is best explained by this quote:

The qLauncher allows you quickly visit your favorite webpages. To invoke the qLauncher press Ctrl-Space. If you are using a Mac or Ubiquity, you might need to change the shortcut since Ctrl-Space might already be in use. (Do so by going to Tools -> SmarterFox). After the qLauncher panel is open simply press another key to open the corresponding site. qLauncher’s settings integrate right into Firefox’s bookmark system so it will be backed up alongside your other bookmarks if you use something like Xmarks. The bookmarks for qLauncher are included in the folder named “qLauncher” on your bookmarks menu. To add a bookmark to qLauncher simply click on the + button on the qLauncher itself or copy it into the folder. To assign a shortcut key, tag the bookmark with “qlauncher:k” where k is the key you want to use. You do not have to do this however: qLauncher can pick one for you automatically. If you find the bookmark folder obtrusive you can disable the qLauncher and delete it.

I hope you find these applications as helpful as I do.  What other applications do you use on a regular basis?