A few simple steps to a killer Firefox install !!
Install The Latest version of Firefox
Firefox: faster, safer, smarter...
http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/
Install "Adobe Flash Player" for Firefox (1.8mb & needed to view online videos like youtube)
http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
Install “Aging Tabs”
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3542
(Makes unused tabs fade with age and highlights the selected tab... )
Install a dictionary for your language
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:3
A built-in spell checker lets you enter text directly into Web pages like blog posts and Web-based email without worrying about typos and misspellings.
* Replace the default dictionary with one of your choice:
Install the new Dictionary extension from the link above and restart Firefox. Now right click inside a text field and choose “Your prefered dictionary” under the Language settings.
Install Context Search
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/240
In Firefox, when you right click on a text selection you can search for it using the currently selected search engine in the search bar. But it’s not always the most appropriate for what you have in mind. Context Search, a Firefox extension developed by Ben Basson, brings all your installed search engines to the selection context menu so you can easily direct your search.
New search engines can be installed from http://mycroft.mozdev.org/dlstats.html
To manage installed search engines see the picture below:
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Install The Latest version of AdBlock Plus
Adblock Plus saves you time and traffic by blocking advertising, banners and other unwanted stuff on websites.
http://adblockplus.org/en/installation
After you have installed Firefox and Adblock Plus
you will need to add a "filter subscription" (blacklisting
rules for ads). Filter subscriptions are regularly (and silently)
updated and will block nearly all ads providing you with a faster,
nicer looking and safer Internet experience.
My choice of filter subscriptions
Click on a link below to
subscribe (I consider the first 2 a "Must Have")
Fanboy's List
Blocks and/or hides image ads, flash ads, script ads,
iFrames... and also (by default) it will block many cookies,
trackers, & spyware
Fanboy's Tracking List
This subscription helps protect your privacy. It is to be
added along with Fanboy's general subscription. The tracking
subscription blocks many different types of tracking, web bugs, and
marketing-analysis strings.
For a full selection of Fanboy's AdBlock lists visit his site.
Optional Subscription
Malware
Domains
Huge list of known malware (malicious software)
serving domains. Using this list will give you an extra layer of
protection, it has over 40,000 filters that will block access to
sites known to be malicious. You have to accept 3-4 seconds delay at
browser startup and shutdown. It won’t cause noticeable delays
during browsing however.