Q:
I heard something about a Firefox Campus Edition the other day. Now, what is that all about? Is it something I need to get for my Firefox browser? If you have any information, please share it!
A:
That is an excellent question! I actually saw something about this very thing on our message board the other day and it intrigued me too. After I saw the post, I had to read about it right away, because it just sounded so hip and new! Well, after I did, I learned some very interesting information and I think all of you will be interested in it as well. Let’s check it out!
To begin, I just want to say that I think some of you will really like the idea behind this new Firefox release, while the rest of you may think it’s unnecessary. Either way, I want to make it very clear right now that you do not have to take any part in it if you don’t want to. You can read about it and learn about it all you want, but if you don’t want anything to do with it, there’s no obligation to you. If you’re worried that this is mandatory for all Firefox users, you can clear that idea from your head right now, because that’s just not the case. Alright, let me explain this a little more and I think you’ll have a better understanding of what the Firefox Campus Edition is all about.
So, what is the Firefox Campus Edition? Well, it’s a new edition that combines the Firefox Web browser with a few extra applications that can change the way you surf the Web. The extras include streamlined access to music, cool Web sites and more research tools. The Campus Edition has mostly been put together just for students, but anyone who wants to can use it.
The new additions are as follows:
1.) FoxyTunes – This extension works with any media player (iPod, MP3 player, etc.) and it allows you to find lyrics, covers, videos, artist bios and more with just a click here and a click there, right from your Web browser.
2.) StumbleUpon – We have mentioned this one in our newsletter before, but it’s worth talking about again! This extension allows you to easily surf the Web for cool new Web sites, videos, photos and much more, all based on your specific interests.
3.) Zotero – The third extra helps you to collect, manage and cite your research sources. It runs right from your Web browser for easy access while you’re doing your research work.
That all sounds pretty cool, huh?! Now, if you’re an Internet Explorer user (or if you use another Web browser besides Firefox), but you’re thinking about switching over to Firefox, you can download the Campus Edition and it will come along with all three of those awesome extensions. On the other hand, if you already have Firefox on your computer, you may want to just download the extensions separately. There’s not really any need to have both versions on your PC. Of course, that’s up to you, but having both of them would just take up more space than is needed.
So, if you would like to download the Firefox Campus Edition in its entirety, you can do so from this Web site. Just click on the big green Download Now button. Once it’s done installing, just click on the Firefox icon to start using it. Again, you don’t need to download anything else if you’re using this copy. All the extras are included with it and you can start using them all right away! Or, if you’re going the other route and would like to download the add ons separately, you can get FoxyTunes here, StumbleUpon here and Zotero here.
The Firefox Campus Edition works with all Windows, Mac OS X and Linux computer systems. The only thing you need to do before you install it is ensure that you have Administrator rights. Otherwise, your computer won’t accept it. Now, once again, this new Firefox edition is designed mainly for students, but anyone who is interested in any of the extensions can use it as well. Or, if you know of some students that may like it, tell them about it! It’s just something new and it gives you a whole new outlook to your Web browsing experience. You can’t complain about that, now can you? Check it out today!
~ Erin