China Channel Firefox add-on

By China Channel Free Editors' Rating
The Download Now link will prompt a local download of the Firefox extension. To install the extension directly, open the file using your Firefox browser.

Editors' Review

Download.com Staff Dec 5, 2008

It slows down your browsing. It makes some Web sites inaccessible for no discernible reason. And you don't get to leave with even a single solitary souvenir. But if you want to know what life behind the Great Firewall of China is like, then the Firefox plug-in China Channel is the cheapest and fastest way to experience using the Internet in China without actually being there.

After installation, getting to experience Web surfing the way the Chinese do isn't hard at all. Users have three ways to activate China Channel: via the China Channel toolbar, a navigation bar button that you must drag and drop onto the bar to get access to, and a status bar button. The buttons function by opening a menu, from which you choose to switch from None to the China Channel. Much like the IE Tab extension, the page will then render as if your IP address is inside China.

The toolbar is interesting for a slightly different workflow that results in a Web page that informs you of your IP address and its country of origin. Choose the China Channel from the drop-down, and then hit the big red Go button. With China Channel activated, the page will declare that the plug-in has been activated. Switch back to None and refresh the page, and it changes to reflect your proxy server-free surfing experience. This is a great experiential plug-in that's worth grabbing just to see how citizens in countries with Internet censorship have to struggle with hamstrung browsing.

Full Specifications

What's new in version 0.4.1 beta

First add.

General

Release December 5, 2008
Date Added October 28, 2008
Version 0.4.1 beta

Operating Systems

Operating Systems Windows 95, Windows 2000, Windows Vista, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows, Windows XP, Windows NT
Additional Requirements Mozilla Firefox 1.5 - 3.1 beta 2

Popularity

Total Downloads 8,742
Downloads Last Week 0
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Developer's Description

The Firefox add-on China Channel offers internet users outside of China the ability to surf the web as if they were inside mainland China. Take an unforgetable virtual trip to China and experience the technical expertise of the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry (supported by western companies).

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