my list of indispensable add-ons

Erm.. none?

...because you don't need any extensions to go download Opera :-)

(sorry...couldn't resist :D)

I too use the bullet point (extension). It is quite helpful while making unordered lists. Of course, the asterisk (extension) is also helpful, but only when I am referring from items in the list -- which makes the bullet point slightly more important.

Well, I zoomed all the way in and didn't see anything but a big dot :P

Only IE-View for some broken (IE-only) websites. Quick and easy...

Presumably all the add-ons you use are dispensable?

Do you mean add-ons or extensions? Aren't plugins considered add-ons? Are search engines considered add-ons?

My list of indispensable add-ons is: Adblock Plus. I know it's working because it blocked Asa's list...

No, I disagree. Flashblock is indispensable. End of story, no arguments.

I wouldn't say adblock is indispensable as its morally disgusting block Ads when you know very well they are what keeps the internet free.

@Harsh:
If the Ads didn't distract with animations, high cpu usage, sounds, flickering and moving I would love to help your website by seeing and maybe clicking Ads. Adblock plus should get an option where this behavior is enforced so you still see Ads but don't get bombarded with erratic Ads.

I disagree too. I will better play Football Manager 2009 instead thinking of these ads

Given the ridiculous direction Firefox is taking in the latest builds, here is one of the needed extensions:

"The New Tab Button extension restores the Firefox 3.0 New Tab button behavior by adding a toolbar button and removing the New Tab button from the tabs bar."

http://www.tom-cat.com/mozilla/extensions.html

So I guess this means that Firefox will never incorporate a decent RSS reader?

Or the very valuable image zoom features of the Image Zoom extension.

Thanks LorenzoC, i have been hunting for such an extension...its painful to move the mouse to the right of the screen each time to click on that new "new tab" button...

The main problem with the tab button is when you disable "always show tab bar", because then you don't have any button at all!
I guess some wise dev thought to remove the option as well, so you MUST have the tab bar even if there is only one page/tab opened.
Both the button you can't "customize" any more and the "always on" tab bar are nonsense that make FF more dumb with the idea most users are stupid...

The new tab button is mostly important for inexperienced users, otherwise Ctrl+T is faster and handier.

Well, forget the bullet. That extension is very outdated and was integrated into Firefox 2.0. Bullet Plus has some additions over the original Bullet extension, but it doesn't seem to be maintained, and still not compatible with Firefox 3.0.x.

The new tab button is important for advanced users too - e.g., if i happen to be using the mouse / touchpad with one hand and not the keyboard, it is a pain to use the keyboard

FlashBlock is not indispensable because you can uninstall the flash player and then hide the "missing plugin" nag in the configurations.

For me, as a web developer, Firebug is indispensable and makes Firefox more than a great browser, but a killer app.

People you don't get the point.
The "new tab" button have always existed in Firefox, as long as the "new window" button and you can find both in the "customize" panel, from where you can drag them where ever you want. Try that on 3.0.

If the devs were worried the newbies could not find those buttons, they could have enabled them by default along with the other buttons.

Instead the changes that have been introduced in the latest build are to remove the "new tab" button from the "customize" panel to add it on the right corner of the tab bar. Of course you cannot "customize" it any way. Since the button is not visible when the tab bar is hidden, the logical consequence is to remove the option to make the tab bar disappear when there is only one tab opened, in order to make it "always visible".

Even if it makes sense to make FF look more "dumb" for the newbies, what I don't agree is enforce the dumbness on everybody, imposing design choices you cannot change because there aren't the options for them. I don't want the tab bar always visible and I want the option I have in 3.0 to drag the "new tab" button along side the others.

Paul, the Flashblock extension isn't to do away with Flash, it's to prevent Flash from automatically playing, which is handy for websites containing Flash content that is either annoying, or that you wouldn't care enough about to actively enable it. This includes websites you've come upon from meandering link-following as well as those websites you explicitly go to, aware of such behavior. Like YouTube, who still believe they are exempt from the notion that websites taking the roll-your-own lame Flash video player that autoplays approach are annoying.

For good web-experience all current browsers need extensions. If there wouldn't be extensions I could as well use Chrome.

My new tab button is middle clicking on my home button. I don't even know where the real new tab button is.