OpenDNS Feeling Lucky Fixer For Firefox

Aug 31, 2009 by Matt | Posted in Software & Scripts 2 Comments

Do you use OpenDNS?

I have for awhile, since my ISP’s DNS servers can be kind of flaky sometimes. The one thing I don’t like about the service is how it hijacks mistyped domains and I’m Feeling Lucky searches that Firefox would usually redirect to the site I’m looking for, sending me to an OpenDNS search page with some ads on it. Sure, it helps support the service, but as a Firefox power user, the added time-waste is frustrating.

Luckily there’s a solution. The Feeling Lucky Fixer extension for Firefox restores the functionality to the browser, allowing you to simply type a website’s name (e.g. “imdb”) into your URL bar and wind up in the right place. Huzzah!

OpenDNS Guide

  • http://twitter.com/BinaryMoon @BinaryMoon

    Just curious but do you see this as being hypocritical?

    A couple of posts ago you were complaining about your ads being blocked by adblock and now you are removing the advertising revenue for a service you use? I guess this is a case of comparing apples with oranges, since opendns take control of your browser experience, but at the same time, they provide a decent service for free.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/redwall_hp redwall_hp

      "I guess this is a case of comparing apples with oranges, since opendns take control of your browser experience"

      That's the way I look at it. I'm not against ads, so long as they don't cripple the browsing experience. I don't have too much choice in the matter. It's either use OpenDNS or use my ISP's DNS servers, which have a tendency to go down.

      Then there's the fact that I'm not actually visiting their website. Let's use an imaginary scenario of Twitter having banner ads as an example. I wouldn't be blocking their ads by not visiting their website, would I? Using a desktop application instead of visiting their website isn't the same as visiting their website and blocking the ads, is it? I don't know, just a thought.

      Also, it should be known that I wrote this post a week or two before the AdBlock one. It just took awhile to percolate to the top of the schedule queue.