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Google’s AdSense web site sports a new interface. It’s now more visually pleasing and tidy. I like it a lot.

The reports format has been updated. However, if you prefer to see your reports in the old format, it is still available under Advanced Reports. More on this topic here.

There’s also an introduction of a new statistic variable: Page Impressions Data. This allows more detailed understanding of how our ads are performing. More can be read here.

Mozilla Firefox 1.0.5 has been released to the public. This is basically a security fix release that addresses some known vulnerabilities that has been affecting the previous version. From the What’s New section of the page:

Firefox 1.0.5 is a security update that is part of our ongoing program to provide a safe Internet experience for our customers. We recommend that all users upgrade to this latest version.

Here’s what’s new in Firefox 1.0.5:

• Several security fixes.
• Improvements to stability.

More news on Blogs for Firefox, but before that: Download Firefox 1.0.5 now.

Currently, one of the most profitable online revenue tools for webmasters would be Google’s AdSense programme. Google has managed to combine semantic keyword rankings and on the fly advertisement generation into an amazing science in itself. Before you proceed reading this article, you might want to get a brief overview of Google’s acquisition of Applied Semantics as well as an overview of the AdSense programme itself. This is not compulsory, but it will definitely help you understand AdSense better, and thus use this knowledge to maximize your revenue.

Read the rest of Making Sense of AdSense »

This week’s WCS will showcase some Mozilla Firefox extensions and themes that I use and recommend. Some of my favourite extensions are:

• • StumbleUpon Toolbar
  • A toolbar that lets you channel-surf. I can assure you that you will discover some very interesting web sites using this toolbar.
• • CustomizeGoogle
  • Get Google Images to link directly to images, use Google Suggest when searching and adding links to external search engines are among the goodies you can get using this extension.
• • Web Developer
  • A useful toolbar for web developers. Lots of things to dis/enable, form manipulation, tools to manipulate page layout and styles, and shortcuts to useful validation tools.
• • WellRounded
  • An extension that makes the address and search fields well rounded. A really cool eyecandy extension.
• • ColorZilla
  • Advanced eyedropper, colour picker, page zoomer and other colour manipulation goodies. A must have for web designers/programmers/enthusiasts.
• • Netcraft Toolbar
  • Detect and report potential phishing sites as well as getting access to lots of useful information for any web site.
• • Google Toolbar for Firefox
  • All the best features of its IE counterpart, but for the far superior web browser.

As for themes, these are the ones that I use most frequently:

• • Qute
  • A nicely drawn theme set. A classic favourite of mine.
• • Whitehart
  • A simple and beautiful minimalist theme. My current favourite

What about you? Share with us your favourite Firefox extensions and themes by commenting. I’m looking forward to your feedback.

Finally, after years of getting infected with spyware and viruses, consumers’ online behaviour are beginning to change. People are more cautious when it comes to opening email attachments, their choice of internet browser as well as avoiding downloads from P2P networks. From the article:

Even though legitimate marketers often use adware, consumers still don’t like it, Fox said.

“They don’t want to be followed around,” she said. “Consumers are increasingly skeptical about tracking, and about downloading extra programs, such as adware, that go along with free software that people enjoy.”

Free software? If it doesn’t cost money, but inhibits your privacy rights, is it really free? And don’t tell me that adware is the only way to generate profit, because if your app has to be “money free” but supported by ads, it might not be in the “value for money” category now, isn’t it?

Want really free software? try here. Has anyone found spyware for non-Windows OSs? Could you give me a link please?