What is your internet browser for, if not for surfing the ocean that is the World Wide Web. As a basic browser, Firefox is merely OK, as the power of Mozilla's brainchild can only be fully realized by installing plugins which help add functionality to your browsing experience. That said, Firefox is probably the best thing to happen to internet surfing since sliced bread, as you can literally customize how you want your browsing experience to be. Like this plugin? Slap it on. Don't like how that plugin works? get rid of it with a couple of clicks of the mouse.

With that in mind, here is not one, not two, but five of the best plugins for internet junkies, at least in my eyes. I would have gone for maybe 10 or 15 plugins for a longer article, but my add-ons collection really only consists of the five I write about below.

Download Statusbar 0.9.4.6 

http://downloadstatusbar.mozdev.org/

For chronic downloaders who find it a hassle to keep checking on the Firefox download window to view the status of any ongoing download activities, Download Statusbar lets you view and manage your downloads from a neat and tidy status bar. Despite its compact size, Download Statusbar packs in a lot more useful features than the standard download window in Firefox. The fully customizable interface auto-hides when not in use, allowing full control without interruption, while you are also able to set specific commands such as pause all, resume all, cancel all, and remove all finished - available from the context menu of the bar itself. Download Statusbar provides an in-line view of your download progress in percentages, speed in KB/sec, KB downloaded so far as well as the time remaining till your download completes. Of course, these particular details can also be customised in the options. For the security conscious, you also have the option to start up your preferred virus scanner when a download completes.