Quickfire lets you launch Mac apps from Firefox

Quickfire is a recently released experimental Firefox add-on that lets you find and launch Mac applications straight from Firefox's address awesome bar. Just like in Quicksilver, Spotlight, and any other launch helper, you need only to type a couple of letters to get it going. It doesn't provide icons for each application, but it will show you the root folder where it's stored, and loads up the app as soon as you hit enter.

If you're on a Mac there honestly isn't much use for this, since the built-in Spotlight can do the same thing with a very simple and easy keyboard shortcut of its own. However it can, occasionally, come in handy if you're in the middle of using some Web app and realize you want to fire up a certain outside application, since the result suggestions load up the same way they do for site history and bookmarks.

Once installed, Quickfire lets you launch desktop applications for Firefox's 'awesome' bar.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

[ikramerica--2008]

Not only is this pointless because command-space brings up spotlight which does this better, but it's dangerous because my guess is it would be easier to hack via a web exploit.

[Josh.Lowensohn]

If the site could somehow re-direct you to an application that was in your applications folder then yes. Otherwise it would have to know you had a certain app installed and automatically open up a certain file that would run in that app. That's assuming the user has downloads set to automatically launched.

[Dalkorian]

Someone remind Josh of the existence of trojan horses, please. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

[darkridedp]

And. . .typing is easier than clicking on an icon on the dock?

[derouge]

Uhmm yeah, it is. Easier and much more productive. Your hands are probably on the keys anyways, why move to the mouse/touchpad and then back again? Anyone who works at a computer for an extended amount of time should familiarize themselves with various hotkeys and shortcuts that don't involve the mouse. The click and select mouse-centric model is just stupid for so many tasks. Waste of time, loss of productivity.

[ckh1272]

by derouge April 24, 2009 2:52 PM PDT
"The click and select mouse-centric model is just stupid for so many tasks. Waste of time, loss of productivity."

Are you kidding me?? Have we really become that lazy?? If the app is on the dock already, then how is typing it quicker than a quick mouse/trackpad down and one-click??

[bryanbuchs]

It's not about being lazy, it's about being efficient. Personally, the trackpad on my MacBook is a p.a.t.a., since my hands are already on the keyboard. And just because you have all your apps in the dock doesn't mean everyone does. I kind of like having instant access to ALL my apps through a hotkey.

That said, this FF extension doesn't do anything that QS does 10x better.

[goodspeed8701]

sounds great for firefox fans. I still use IE though and i am yet to see a addon that will make me use firefox. i was usinng ftp addon. but since i got a licence for cute ftp... I uninstall firefox. maybe oneday i will use it for the addons.

[Angmarr]

Not trying to annoy you, But plz tell me whether you find ANY of these useful!?

[Josh.Lowensohn]

@Angmarr--that's what private messages are for dude :)

[Angmarr]

@ Josh.Lowensohn

Ok sure thing = )

[DevinB999]

If you don't know, everything used to be done from a command line. If you're good at it it doesn't make you lazy. Many linux users still use the command line for computing when they can do the same task using their mouse. Sometimes command lines are more practical and productive.

[DevinB999]

2 add-ons that make Firefox more useful to me than IE is Xmarks (used to be FoxMarks) and Autopager. Xmarks lets me instantly sync all of my bookmarks using firefox, no matter where I'm at, using any operating system: Windows, Linux, or Mac. Autopager is just a way for me to be lazy. :) It automatically loads a webpage that has multiple pages and makes them all one page. Google search for example.