Investorblogger initially tried to create an Alexa toolbar as per Alexa’s tools for webmasters. I thought it would be helpful in a number of ways:

• 1. to generate additional revenue from affiliate sales for Amazon
• 2. provide a useful and relevant toolbar function for IB’s users
• 3. generate additional views for this website.

HOWEVER, I have decided NOT to create one for the following two very important reasons:

1. There is NO toolbar supported for Firefox. In fact, they currently do not plan to develop any Firefox component. Why? I cannot believe that in this day and age, my users are forced to use IE6.0 or IE7.0. Since I no longer recommend Microsoft Browsers of any number, I cannot recommend any product or website that doesn’t have full functionality under Firefox at the very least. Many people now access the web through a variety of platforms. Why should my readers be restricted to using IE? For PC users like me, that’s a choice I have, but for Mac/Linux and mobile phone users, it’s not even a choice.

2. Before I discovered the first issue, I found that the Alexa system couldn’t find a file that was put clearly on my server, chmodded and available to anyone else. I would have liked to create a toolbar for my visitors, but this reason made it technically impossible at this time.

Unfortunately, the first reason made it philosophically impossible. I don’t favor Macs over PCs or the other way around. I have been a PC user for ages, and a Windows user for nearly as long. However, given that FF is one of the very few cross-platform browsers, why should I restrict that option for y’all. Comments? I doubt the people at Alexa Internet, Inc. could care less, though, so I don’t expect to hear from them!