14 DAY TRIAL // Mozilla released the newest version of its, arguably, biggest addition to the Firefox web browser, the online add-on gallery. The new AMO 5.0.9 comes with a bunch of new or improved features, which could really change the way users discover new add-ons with “Recommendations” and “Collections,” but also spur further interest from the developers with the recently launched “Contributions” program.
“Some things go great together: peanut butter and jelly, popcorn and movies, Firebug and YSlow. Starting today, when you’re looking at an add-on’s listing, you’ll see several other add-ons that are often used together. We base these recommendations on the add-ons our users have grouped together in collections,” the post on the AMO blog describes the biggest, new feature.
Recommendations do what the name implies, they recommend add-ons that would make a great addition to the one the user is currently browsing. Now, on every add-on page there will be several links to other ones that users believed should go together, as the recommendations are based on the collections that other users have created.
Collections were launched in June as a way of allowing users to install an add-on pack, freeing them from the hassle of searching for and installing each individual add-on. This method also has the advantage of making it easier for users to find add-ons that could prove really useful and that they wouldn't have otherwise discovered. Now, the system is getting some much-needed updates, allowing users to rate the collections and sort them by their rating.
Finally, the Contributions program is also getting some updates. Contributions were launched to give developers a way of making money from their creations, while keeping the open-source spirit that had built Firefox and the add-on community. Now, the contribution boxes, which allow users to make donations to the developers, show up in more places like the search listing and in the category browser where Mozilla says many installs take place.