Sometimes it becomes hard to find things that otherwise seem blatantly obvious. I was searching on Google to backup the search engines my Firefox and realized that this information isn't easily reachable. Of course hardcore Firefox users would tell you this even when they're half asleep, but me; I don't fall in that category.

Updated!
The information below has been updated for Firefox 3.6.

So here is what needs to be done. Get to your profile folder of Firefox, if you don't know how to get there, you need to know how to reach Firefox's profile folder.

Inside the Firefox folder, there is a folder called searchplugins which contains all the engines, one XML file per engine. Use your discretion to backup the engines, you may want to backup the entire folder or you may want to export/backup engines selectively.

Firefox 3.5 and above: Besides backing up the searchplugins folder, you also need to backup search.json & search.sqlite (if exists).

For details on the various files and folders in the profile folder, read the KB article on mozillazine.

Yesterday, Microsoft released a refreshed build of Internet Explorer 7 for Windows xp that no longer requires WGA check. If you're wondering why Microsoft decided to do it or why now? Mary Jo Foley has pretty much nailed it.

It's obvious that it's in Microsoft's best interests to let pirates install IE 7 more easily (not that it was impossible) to improve its market share rather than let Firefox gain over it due restrictions enforced by Microsoft itself.

So all you pirates out there, if you weren't able to download IE7 for obvious reasons. Get it now!