When it comes to your Internet browser, do you know the difference between an add-on, an extension, and a plug-in?  Now before I put anyone to sleep, understanding the difference will speed up your computer and make your online surfing much faster and more enjoyable.

My choice of browser is Firefox, and I do have the 3.6 version.  I know others of you are equally as passionate about Internet Explorer 8, Safari or Opera, and that is fine.

While I thought that I did understand the difference between the an add-on, extension, and a plug-in, I found myself getting confused in an online class that I was taking.  I was hesitant to raise my hand or press the Raise Your Hand button as one would do in a Web-ex.  Everyone else seemed to be following along, and I didn’t want to interrupt this knowledgeable and technically fluent group.

So, I waited until after the class was over, and did my research on the subject.  Then I turned to two other team members in my virtual assistant consulting company.  I am blessed to be surrounded by a team of “cream of the crop” experts in my consulting business.  (I have a network of remote professionals that are phenomenal.)

Now after speaking to those two team members, I am completely clear on what the difference between an add-on, an extension, and a plug-in is, and when and why to use them.

An add-on can be a theme (what YOUR browser’s homepage looks like), plug-in or extension all used for better, faster, and safer browsing.  An example from Firebox would be the WOT-Safe Browsing Tool.  Add-ins are found on the main men under Tools under Add-ons.

Now plug-ins are used to link to external programs such as audio, flash or Java, which may not be supported by the current browser, or supported but slow to load.  An example would be the QuickTime plug-in.  It is found under Tools, Add-ons, then Plug-Ins in Firefox.

Last but not least, extensions offer one-click solutions to a program currently supported but needing the extension to support an upgrade to the actual program itself.  An example would be Microsoft .NET.  And of course, extensions are found under Tools, Add-ons, then Extensions in Firefox.

The great thing about Firefox is that a list of what each add-on, plug-in, and extensions are for is listed right next to the tool itself.  You only have to check the box to add or disable or uninstall if you ever choose to do that.  It is very easy to do.

I am so relieved that I now understand the difference between an add-on, plug-in, and extension.

So why would anyone care about all of this?  Well, when you are self-employed and your own computer guru as well as the other hats you have to wear for your business — you’ll care.

The good thing for me is that I have a team of experts at Gemstone Business Solutions that I can ask.  I never really have to worry about who I’ll ask or whether or not I can find my answer somewhere online.  This has taken a tremendous amount of stress out of my life and business.

Do you have a team of experts for your business that you can regularly rely upon?  What do you do if you have a technology-related question?