Web site goodness

For you Firefox users, here is a very handy extension that lets you load IE-optimized sites in a Firefox tab. Nice for sites with ActiveX controls you need or for clueless designers that insist on making their pages IE-only.

And for all browsers, Yahoo has updated its map service to better compete with Google. Unlike Google, Yahoo uses Flash. It's a little slower, but has some nice features that make it easier to plan routes and find nearby points of interest.

One thing I don't like is that printed-out routes aren't as easy to read now (the old style had giant L and R circles that made it easier to see turns while driving -- I know you're not supposed to do that, but still!). It's still in beta, so maybe they're still working on the speed issue and route printout style.

I use my TomTom GPS software for that kind of thing now, but Yahoo Maps is still nice for pre-planning and finding places not in TomTom's database. And since TomTom updates its maps only when upgrading the software, Yahoo and Google are sometimes more accurate.