First, locate and download latest Java version from Java.com :

http://java.com/en/download/linux_manual.jsp?locale=en&host=java.com

1. Exit Firefox.

2. Uninstall any previous installations of Java Plugin.

Only one Java Plugin can be used at a time. When you want to use a different plugin, or version of a plugin, remove the symbolic links to any other versions and create a fresh symbolic link to the new one.

Remove the symbolic links (or move them to another directory) to javaplugin-oji.so and libnpjp2.so from the Firefox plugins directory /usr/lib64/browser-plugins

3. Install downloaded java plugin

4. Create a symbolic link to the Java Plugin in the Firefox plugins directory.

Create a symbolic link to the Java Plugin libnpjp2.so file in the Firefox plugins directory:

    cd /usr/lib64/browser-plugins
    ln -s /usr/java/jre1.6.0_23/lib/amd64/libnpjp2.so

5. Start the Firefox browser .

Type about:plugins in the Location bar to confirm that the Java Plugin is loaded. You can also click the Tools menu to confirm that Java Console is there.

As of March 1st, 2010, Google has dropped support for Microsoft longest standing web browser, the IE6. Meaning that Google docs, Google Apps, Gmail and all other Google services will no longer support the ageing browser in an effort to introduce new features to these services.

Firefox 3.6 has finally landed. Now you can try the latest web browser from Mozilla. The new version comes with some new features: speed, detection of outdated plugins and graphics personas. Most important feature of all is the added securities that makes it the safest browser to use.

You can try it for yourself after you download it from here : www.getfirefox.com

Below are two firefox add-ons productivity tools that should make your life a lot easier :

QuickFox Notes :

This is a note-taking add-on for Firefox that saves notes as bookmarks in Firefox. This means you get all the convenience of browser-based note-taking, and cross-browser syncing if you’re using Mozilla Weave, Xmarks, or another method to sync your bookmarks between instances of Firefox.

Read It Later :

Read it Later is an extension that works with a Web-based service.  Here’s how it works. Once you install the extension, RiL adds a yellow icon to the “Awesome bar” in Firefox, and a similar icon to the toolbar next to your search. When you’re on a page you want to save for later, just click the yellow icon.

Google Reader fans will also love RiL because it will also clip items from Google Reader without having to view the page first. Once the extension is installed, it adds a RiL icon to Google Reader items (right next to the star). Just click that and the entry will be added to.

According to market research firm Net Applications, Internet Explorer had roughly 67 percent of the worldwide browser market in August, while the Mozilla foundation’s Firefox had 23 percent and Apple Inc’s Safari browser had 4 percent. This was true on Aug 2009.

Mozilla Foundation released the latest version of the well known web browser, Firefox 3.5.2. The new version addresses several critical security vulnerabilities. Among the stability improvements, it also brings proper ICC profiles rendering. Private browsing mode is included along with open video format support already built in.

To test the new open video format support in Firefox, check out : http://openvideo.dailymotion.com/en

*Google has also released official builds of Google Chrome for Linux and Mac OS X (see update below). If you are looking to install Chrome on a USB stick, check out Portable Google Chrome.

The Google Browser port, known as Crossover Chromium, is available for download on Mac OS X as a native Mac .dmg file or on Ubuntu, RedHat, Suse, etc. as standard Linux packages.

Google Chrome for Mac OS X- Screenshot

Google Chrome on Linux – Screenshot

Google Chrome is built with open source code from Chromium.

How to Install Google Browser on Mac / Linux

Mac users can simply drag the Chromium .dmg file into their Applications folder. Linux users should use the appropriate tools for their respective Linux distributions to unpack the installer package. Google Chrome on Linux is available for both 32bit and 64bit versions.

If you installed Google Chrome on Linux using the .deb package, you can uninstall the Google Browser using the Synaptic package manager or via the following command – sudo aptitude purge cxchromium

Google Chrome for Mac & Linux – Official Builds

Update: The official builds of Google Chromium are now available for Linux and Mac here. The interface and features of Chromium for Mac OS X are similar to that of Chrome for Windows but it’s a developer release and not very stable yet.

If you haven’t tried Xmarks add-on with Firefox web browser then you’re missing on a whole lot of features. If you use more than one computer, keeping bookmarks and passwords synched between the machines can be a bit of a hassle. Actually, it can be a major hassle, unless you’ve got something like Xmarks at your fingertips.

Xmarks is an extension that provides the ability to sync bookmarks and passwords, backup and restore bookmarks, and provide access to your bookmarks from the Xmarks Web site. In addition, you have the ability to set up profiles, so you can separate your personal and work bookmarks if you want to.

Give Xmarks a test drive, you won’t regret it. Additional features include :

Click on the Xmarks info icon in your location bar to see detailed information about the site you are on, and discover other great sites just like it.

See suggested tags when you bookmark

The next time you add a bookmark, Xmarks will automatically suggest a list of bookmark tags. These suggestions are based on the tags other Xmarks users chose for the same site.

Quickly find tagged bookmarks

Type a tag name into the Firefox 3 location bar (also known as the Awesome Bar) to quickly find sites with that tag.