New tools for 2004

Here's a quick run down of the most intriguing software that I've run into year to date.

Mozilla Firefox Browser
I've been using Firefox (ne Firebird) since version 0.3. The latest Firefox 1.0PR is stable, speedy and ready for primetime. If you're still using IE, it's high time to switch. Download the latest version at www.mozilla.org. So what makes Firefox such a good browser?

• User-centered design returns control of the browser back to the user
• Tabbed browsing reduces window clutter
• Built in pop-up blocking & Google search (or any search for that matter)
• Fine-grained control on security and privacy
• Ad blocking, Flash animation suppression
• Lots of extensions to customize your browsing experience
• Good performance (though memory footprint is a bit on the heavy side)
• Fewer security vulnerabilities than IE

Copernic Desktop Search
I've tried them all (as of Oct 2004) and Copernic rises to the top simply because it gives the most predictable search results. X1 is similar to Copernic in performance, but Copernic is a better value (it's free). Lookout, recently acquired by Microsoft, provided good results, but had a nasty habit of crashing Outlook. Blinx is cute, but its "conceptual search" technology doesn't always yield the best results. Google's recently released Desktop Search beta is a good first attempt, but the browser based UI and their desire to conform to the "Google search results look" made it hard to use. I do like their client-server architecture though. There's room for much more innovation in the desktop search arena. However, in the mean time, I need a reliable tool to search my volumious e-mail archive.

Furl Bookmarking Service
Furl is a bookmarking tool that not only saves the link but also the entire page content onto Furl's "cloud" service. They're allocating users 5GB of cloud storage! If you do lots of web-based research, this is the must have tool. It allows you to access your saved pages regardless of which computer you're using and it supports both PCs and Macs, IE and Firefox. After you install Firefox, remember to install the Furl extension. It allows you to switch the Google search box into a Furl search box so you can search your Furl archive without having to go to Furl's website.