Whether you create your own website or have others do it for you, here’s a valuable tool for all. Its unimaginative name - Web Developer – belies the myriads of ways it can be used. Before getting into the most useful features I should say that it is designed as an extension for the Firefox® browser (download here) and three others but NOT for Microsoft® Internet Explorer. (If you have never used the Firefox browser you are denying yourself the most advanced means to explore the internet.) 
Now to the features: there are a dozen pull-down menus with a multitude of options. Don’t let the choices intimidate you. Instead, begin exploring any given web page at the tab called “Information” (fifth from left) and select “View Page Information” (second to last). The separate window that opens shows basic information about the web page, such as the description and keywords. The six keywords for ActiveRain’s home page are: ActiveRain, Real Estate, Network, Real Estate Agents, Loan Officer, Agent. If you are curious about colors used on a page, select “View Color Information” under the Information tab (ten colors for AR’s home page).
If you want to see how a web page is constructed take a look at the ”Display Topographic Information” under the Information tab. Continue your exploration of the other tabs. If you consider yourself a beginner, look at the options under “Images.” A most useful option is the “Display Image Paths” because it shows where the image is located. You may want to place an image in your AR blog from your website but don’t know the path to enter. This feature will show it to you. Cool, eh?
If you pay for having your website created and maintained the Web Developer extension will help you to “keep tabs” on your vendor and make you a more educated customer. (See what you are paying for.) If you create your own website it is an indispensable tool to find out how and why something works or doesn’t.
Here is were you can download the Web Developer extension (It’s free but donations are welcome, the author says.)
© 2006, Gerhard N. Ade
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