Public Fox for Windows

People can't always be trusted to behave properly on computers that aren't theirs (or, for that matter, on computers that are theirs). Whether you're trying to limit the online shenanigans of your employees or the general public, Public Fox can help. This clever Firefox add-on limits the browser's ability to download files and perform other functions that may pose a risk to security or productivity. We can think of many places where this could be useful, from workplaces to libraries to teenagers' bedrooms.

Public Fox installs easily and is surprisingly simple to configure. The Options menu gives access to a series of check boxes that lock all kinds of Firefox features: downloads, the add-ons window, options, bookmarks, the Clear Private Data window, and more. You can also enter a list of specific Web sites to be blocked and specify file extensions that may not be downloaded. Block what needs to be blocked, set a password, and you're done; you don't even have to restart Firefox for your changes to take effect. After we configured Public Fox, we attempted to perform the blocked behaviors, including going to a prohibited Web site and downloading an EXE file, and each time we were prompted to enter our password. This makes it easy for administrators to access needed functions while preventing everyone else from causing problems. Overall, we were quite impressed that Public Fox was so powerful and versatile while also being so easy to configure and use. Anyone with a basic understanding of Firefox's features should be able to master it in short order.

Public Fox installs and uninstalls without issues. We highly recommend this add-on to all users.