Firefox only: Google Reader is one of the best web-based feed readers out there, but it could stand a few adjustments. Greasemonkey scripters have come up with a few Google Reader user scripts that make some welcome GReader tweaks like maximizing the viewing area, skipping Google's default subscribe mechanism, and adding keyboard shortcuts. Today I've rolled up those three useful scripts into a single Firefox extension, called Better GReader.

Better GReader Firefox extension

Version: 0.5.2
Updated: December 16, 2008 (see the changelog for what's updated)
Released: May 21, 2007
Creator: Gina Trapani, using scripts by various developers, compiled using a modified version of Anthony Lieuallen's Greasemonkey Compiler

License: Better GReader is licensed under the GNU General Public License as specified by Anthony Lieuallen's Greasemonkey Compiler. All user scripts are copyright their original authors and maintain their original license as specified by their original author. (User scripts are located in the content/user_scripts folder in the Better GReader .xpi package.)

Installation: Using Firefox, click the Better GReader download link below. Then click the "Install Now" button in the dialog box, and restart Firefox.

You can also download Better GReader at Mozilla Add-ons, but be warned: Mozilla Add-ons takes time to approve new versions of extensions, so the official Add-ons page may NOT always have the latest version. You can always find the latest available version on this page.

What it does: Adds a menu of options you can enable within Google Reader.

Help and Support: If a feature isn't working for you the way you expect, most likely it is a bug with the user script and not this extension. First, try installing the user script with Greasemonkey. If the bug still exists, visit the user script home page to report your problem to the original script author.

To view the enabled features and get more information on each, in Firefox's Add-ons dialog, click on Better GReader's Preferences dialog, as shown:

Usage: Once Better GReader is installed, log into Google Reader to see the enhancements. To turn a feature on or off, visit the extensions Preferences dialog and select or deselect the appropriate checkboxes. Refresh Reader to see the changes.

Credits: Better GReader is a compilation of work done by several Greasemonkey scripters. I compiled the scripts into a standalone Firefox extension using a modified version of Anthony Lieuallen's Greasemonkey Compiler.

Credits: The full list of Better GReader user scripts and styles and their authors is as follows:

• Absolutely Compact
  Maximizes the area for displaying articles.
  By DJBullwinkle
• Air Skin
  Cleaner font.
  By hebbet
• Auto Add to Reader (Bypass iGoogle Choice)
  Bypasses choice between iGoogle and Reader when subscribing to feeds.
  By Simon Lieschke
• Colorful List View
  Colorizes the item headers in Google Reader list view. (Doesn't work with Google Gears enabled.)
  By kepp
• Hide Unread Item Count
  Removes all unread numbers from Google Reader (except the window title count).
  By rcphq
• Mark Until Current As Read (Shift+Y)
  Mark all entries up to the current entry as read (Shift+Y), marks all items below the current item as read (Shift+I).
  By Gautham Pai
• Minimalistic
  Tap W key to toggle the top bar.
  By Scott Cowan
• Optimized
  Maximize viewing area, cleaner font.
  By paikia
• Preview Item (Automatically)
  Replaces Google Reader's article summary with a frame containing the actual blog's web page.
  By Itai Lahan
• Preview Item (Click button)
  Adds a "Preview button" that allows you to view actual article in a frame. Clicking again on that button goes back to RSS view. Does work both in List view and expanded view.
  By Julien CAROSI
• Show Feed Favicons
  Displays site favicons for each feed inside Reader. (Not compatible with OS X skin.)
  By henrah
• Smart Subscribe
  Two-click subscription to feeds encountered on any web page.
  By Jasper de Vries and Mihai Parparita

Changelog:

• Version 0.5.2: Updated the Minimalistic skin to fix W toggle and font.
• Version 0.5.1: Fixed preview button issue (thanks Chrismith!)
• Version 0.5: Added Remove Unread Item Count, Mark Until Current as Read, and Absolutely Compact skin. Updated Colorful List View (does not work with Google Gears enabled) and Minimalistic skin to work with the Dec 4th redesign. Removed OS X skin (doesn't work with Dec 4th redesign). Added Firefox 3 Beta 2 compatibility.
• Version 0.4: Updated Minimalistic skin to fix "white page" bug (due to GReader updates).
• Version 0.3: Added Colorful List View; Updated the Minimalistic skin; Added international domain support including co.uk, .es, .de; Updated underlying extension code to latest version.
• Version 0.2.5: Added google.ca domain support; Added Show Feed Favicons script.
• Version 0.2.4: Added Firefox 3 support; updated Preview (on click) script.
• Version 0.2.3: Fixed problem with Preview button script, thanks John Doppke!
• Version 0.2.2: Added secure updates; Fixed Minimalist Skin bug (thanks, Scott!); Added Firefox 3 Beta 4 suppport.
• Version 0.2.1: Added support for google.co.in/reader (auto-redirects in India); Fixed icon; Added Firefox 3 Beta 3 support; Clarified license.
• Version 0.2: Updated to latest "Better" extension code. Added icon and skins tab. Added OS X skin, Minimized, Auto Add, Preview, Preview Enhanced, Optimized Skin. Removed Quick Links. Submitted to Mozilla Add-ons.
• Version 0.1: Released.

Bug reports and feature requests: Got a favorite GReader Greasemonkey script you'd like included in Better GReader? A bug, a critique, a suggestion? Leave a comment here. Newcomers, here's how to get a comment login.