Most experts agree that the free Firefox browser from Mozilla is superior to Internet Explorer. For one thing, it has a feature called Tabs that lets you have many different web pages loaded at the same time and then just "tab" back and forth between them.

But you can soup up Firefox and make it even better and even more versatile, thanks to a feature called Extensions.

What are Extensions?

Extensions are like after-market accessories you can add to your car. For example, if you car did not come equipped with a DVD player, you might choose to add one. Extensions is the same sort of thing - accessories you can add to Firefox to make it even more versatile.

How do you get Extensions? Just click on Tools and then scroll down to and click on Extensions. The screen that opens will show any updates you need to be aware of and then a list of Extensions that have already been added to your copy of Firefox.

Four neat extensions

Next, click on the link Get More Extensions. This opens a list of the Most Popular Firefox Extensions. You can scroll down this list to see which Extensions you would like to add to your Firefox. A good one to start with is Adblock, which lets you filter out annoying ads at their source-address.

The second Extension I like is ForecastFox. This neat, little add-on lets you automatically get weather forecasts from AccuWeather.com and display them on your toolbar or status bar. Two other Extensions I recommend are Scrapbook and Answers. Scrapbook lets you save web pages and more easily manage collections of pages. Once you install Answers, you can just hold down Alt (or Option on a Mac) and click on any word to get a quick definition, an up-to-the-minute reference and more. However, to get Answers, you will have to search for it by typing Answers in the Firefox Add-ons Search box at the top, right hand part of the page.

How easy is it to install these Extensions?

Installing one of these Extensions is simplicity itself. Just click on the Extension and you will go to a page with a description of the Extension and an Install Now button. Click on this button and then Install Now. The Extension will be downloaded to your computer, then, in most cases, you will see a message that the Extension will be automatically installed next time you open Firefox.

So, go ahead. Find the Extensions that can make your browsing experience easier and more fun. It will be like turning your car into a custom hot rod.