Windows 7: Good Firefox Addons for Older People

TheAmazingCorey · 13 Mar 2010

Hi Yall,

I am setting up a laptop for my grandma and Firefox is going to be the default OS, so I'm trying to only add extensions that she needs / will use. So far I've got:

Open in IE Tab
Adblock +
Yahoo & Gmail Notifier
1 Click Weather

If anyone can think of any others I would love to know.

Thank You,
TheAmazingCorey

Klaw117 · 13 Mar 2010

You could add NoScript, but there might be the chance your grandmother won't understand how to use it. My parents didn't know until I explained it to them and even now, they're still a little clueless about technology.

osholt · 13 Mar 2010

I have experience with this, my grandmother used to struggle with the concept of tabs let alone add ons. Keep it simple; a pop-up blocker, flash, quicktime, java and silverlight.

MilesAhead · 13 Mar 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by TheAmazingCorey

Hi Yall,

I am setting up a laptop for my grandma and Firefox is going to be the default OS, so I'm trying to only add extensions that she needs / will use. So far I've got:

Open in IE Tab
Adblock +
Yahoo & Gmail Notifier
1 Click Weather

If anyone can think of any others I would love to know.

Thank You,
TheAmazingCorey

Put on Sandboxie and show her how to click the yellow shield icon to start the browser sandboxed. That will probably eliminate your having to go clean stuff off her system. Esp. if her system is 32 bit it's the easiest to use bullet proofing around that doesn't rely on rebooting to restore the system etc.. You close the browser and crap in the sandbox is deleted automatically.

Dragonfly · 13 Mar 2010

Without a doubt, NoSquint.

I use it all the time when browsing with my 10 foot UI.

CarlTR6 · 13 Mar 2010

Hmm, I will have to try NoSquint. I use Control+ mouse wheel now.

thathagat · 14 Mar 2010

Ghostery....regardless of age
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/9609

Phone Man · 14 Mar 2010

I also like WOT (Web of Trust). Gives a warning if she hits a bad site in error.

Jim

Al Fairclough · 14 Mar 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by osholt

I have experience with this, my grandmother used to struggle with the concept of tabs let alone add ons. Keep it simple; a pop-up blocker, flash, quicktime, java and silverlight.

The above is worth a quote. Many younger people forget that older people have been raised in what was primarily an analog world. I count myself among that number, despite having used computers since 1972. The simpler you can make the GUI the better. Ideally, you should show the bookmarks on a tool-bar, a button for email, a home button and that is about it. Anything that you can possibly bury beneath the GUI is for the better and less is best. Oh yes, you may want to jack the fonts up a couple of points. JMO

Dragonfly · 14 Mar 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by CarlTR6

Hmm, I will have to try NoSquint. I use Control+ mouse wheel now.

The beauty of NoSquint is that it remembers your zoom setting for each individual site. Set it once and forget it.

Windows 7: Good Firefox Addons for Older People

Good Firefox Addons for Older People problems?