Mozilla names and shames slowest add-ons

As part of its attempt to haul Firefox out of its speed slump, Mozilla has named and shamed the add-ons that slow Firefox down the most.

The folks over at Firefox HQ recommend checking the list if you’re suffering from slow start-up times, and to remove them if you are. It also recommends uninstalling any add-ons that you no longer use, as they could also be responsible for blocking things up.

So who are the biggest culprits?

• FoxLingo, a translation add-on that James rates pretty highly. As add-ons go, it’s a good one, but with all the power of Google Translate just a click away, we’re not sure that anyone really needs a translation add-on anymore.
• Firebug, a developer’s tool that the average user is unlikely to miss. If you’re a professional looking for a replacement,your best options are to ask around on development forums. In the meantime, try Fiddler.
• AniWeather, a cute animated weather forecast add-on. In fact, it’s probably the animation that slows it down so much. Instead of clogging Firefox up, then, why not take a look at a nice desktop version? If appearance is high on your list, definitely check out Meteo Fusion or YoWindow – you won’t be disappointed.
• FlashGot, a mythical download helper. It’s pretty popular, so its inclusion on the list is likely to upset quite a few people! If it just has to go however, you’re in luck. Just the other day we wrote an article about the best download helpers, and luckily for you, lots of them integrate completely with Firefox. Check them out here!
• FoxClocks, a little extension that adds a selection of world clocks to Firefox. This is one of the easiest replacements to make – even Windows will let you add multiple world times to the task bar in Windows Vista and 7 (right-click on the clock > Adjust Date/Time > Additional Clocks and add the ones you want). Even if you want a separate app, you’re spoiled for choice – what about Clock! or ClocX?

There are 50 add-ons on Mozilla’s list, but you’re sure to be able to find a replacement if you decide to uninstall. If you’re having any problems, let us know and we’ll try our best to come up with a solution. Alternatively, you could always make the ultimate replacement – how about swapping Firefox for Chrome , IE 9 or Opera?!