What and you think a plug-in in a window browser won't use any extra resources? Not as a stand alone resourse no, but factor in if you weren't using it, the total resource use of FF would be less than if you are using it.... So really what you have is "another firefox" process you have running for gmail"

Then you say without it you have to open a browser window up and navigate to gmail - well with your FF plug in you can only see if you have new messages by opening FF - I can leave my PC, come back to it and instantly see if I have any mail without even opening anything at all - the envelope next to my clock is either white (no mail) or blue (new mail)

Question tho - how comes you mention FF so many times? This is at least the second, if not third thread I have seen you do about you using FF, and it is in every other post you make (that is reletive to computers) Not a dig, just curious.....