Conversion Add-On(s) for Firefox - UPDATE

[BobH]

Does anyone know of a conversion tool add-on for Firefox? One that handles only currency would suffice, I guess; but an ideal one would allow the user to click on a number, right click on the gadget icon, then make conversion choices with the selected value being the source data and options to determine the output data.

I tried installing Converter and Currency Converter 1.5, but apparently I'm not intelligent enough to figure out how to get them to perform their functions. Yes. I did restart Fx after installation.

This need arose as I was surfing British web sites and trying to compare or understand prices in USD but I figured that the same tool should - in an ideal world - allow one to convert between Celsius and Fahrenheit, metric and decimal, decimal and feet and inches, etc. If anyone knows of one - or can tell me how to use the ones I've tried, I would be very grateful for instruction.

Oh! And while I'm here, can someone explain the VAT to me? I understand that it is a tax paid at point of purchase, but what if the buyer is not a citizen of the country applying the VAT and VAT is included in the sales price? Would , a Texan , have to pay a British VAT, for example?



TIA


UPDATE ****************************

The currency converter 1.5 is working now. Don't know why it waited to kick in, but it now gives me the conversion options box.

[Bigaldoc]

I've never had need for an addon for conversion, since I have two conversion pages bookmarked and use them whenever necessary:

Online conversion of weights and measures

Currency Converter

[BobH]

Thanks, BigAl!

For my, the user-friendliness of a pop converter is what I'm seeking.

[PaulB]

The Windows 7 calculator applet has a built-in converter for weights, volumes, measures etc. Doing foreign currency conversions is different, of course, as the rate of exchange can fluctuate on a minute-by-minute basis. I'm not familiar with the add-on you mention, but reputable FX sites such as the one Big Al mentions or Bloomberg's can provide accurate and current information.

[steveh]

Thanks, BigAl!

For my, the user-friendliness of a pop converter is what I'm seeking.

Hi Bob

I have done a quick Google and this seems to do what you are after https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/7908/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - and my web page of choice for conversions, xe.com says it has this toolbar addition for Firefox http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/I ... rter.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

VAT in the UK is currently 17.5% and set to rise to 20% in January, exports to the US are VAT free but I am not sure of how individual websites do or would handle this, why don't you go through and nearly buy something to see what the final invoice looks like?

[Bigaldoc]

... Oh! And while I'm here, can someone explain the VAT to me? I understand that it is a tax paid at point of purchase, but what if the buyer is not a citizen of the country applying the VAT and VAT is included in the sales price? Would , a Texan , have to pay a British VAT, for example? ...

It occurred to me this morning that I may have an answer to the "Texan" part of the question although I'm not in Texas.         

I have made, so far, three purchases from Serif Software, a UK company (Serif Company Profile). I was initially surprised that their postal mail shipments came from the UK, including customs declaration statements on the labels. The reason for my surprise was that they do show a USA location somewhere "up East" but evidently don't ship from there.

Anyway, given the prices I paid and the statements that DO NOT show anything that could possibly be VAT, I would agree with Steve that shipments to the USA seem to be VAT free.