I prefer firefox - I like to leave IE fully updated and configured in the default manner for use with 100% trusted sites (and no others) that have trouble in firefox. I use firefox for everything else.
As for the sites that don't work in firefox ... that's mostly because I've got so many mods running on firefox and so many default settings changed that, by intent, some websites don't work without fiddling. All in the name of security.
The cost of this approach: Time spent configuring firefox
The benefit of this approach: Essentially eliminates the threat of web pages hijacking my computer and installing viruses. Fewer ads to view on websites (especially annoying flash ads), faster web page loading (much faster ... I'm not talking about a difference you have to measure to see), more functionality.
If I were less inclined to spend the time, I'd run on firefox and still keep IE around for those rare pages that don't render perfectly on a default-configured firefox.
Firefox is not without its problems. It's actually pretty bloated and sluggish (comapre to say.. Opera). If you don't believe me, open a few tabs and look at your memory usage. It often uses even more memory than IE.
With that said, I use Firefox because I love the add-ons (and I have the memory to spare.) - pretty good browser overall. I don't care for IE, and will probably never use it. Opera is almost always the first to innovate, and most features that you now use in FFox came from Opera. But for some reason, Firefox is more pleasant to use. Maybe it's because it is a little more traditional, and I'm used to it.
I personally prefer IE, a lot of people says FF is faster and more secure than IE, but the difference isn't noticeable at all, and the last time my pc was hijacked by a web page or a hacker was emmm.... well never, I'm smart enough to know not to click that flashy ad or run that suspicios .exe, the only downside to IE is the ad-block feature of FF, but IE makes up for it with looks, simplicity and reliability (FF hates me and keeps crashing on me )
Message edited by SirCrono on 10-17-2007 at 04:49:38 AM
I work on a Web application and I need to make it work with IE 7 and FireFox 2, so I use both all day.
I prefer FireFox because:
- it has an Error Console which helps a lot when I screw up in the javascript code. - it doesn't support ActiveX - that makes it safer
- it's targeted less by malware authors (they focus on IE to get 4 times more victims)
- it has plugins like FlashBlock and AdBlock which make my surfing MUCH more pleasant
However, as a developer, I find IE much easier to work with. It integrates with Visual Studio, it shows javascript errors instead of just logging them, it's generally more forgiving when my HTML doesn't close tags right, etc.
I think both are good browsers and kudos to their authors
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In a world without walls and fences, who needs windows and gates?
I am using MSN Explorer at both home and work. Yes, MSN-E is just a reformated version of IE7, but I love the MSN-E user interface.
MSN-E has NO tab browsing. The user controls are limited. And there are no add-ons or plugins.
But MSN-E does have is a clean, easy to use and modify Navigation Bar with simple controls for feeble minded people like myself. And with 100+ computers in the business, MSN-E has proven to be a big hit with the employees.
Ok, a whole bunch of my employees are little old ladies. Then there is the group of busty, brainless blondes that work for me (working for the family business does have some benefits...wink, wink ..... I get to interview the busty blondes ). So in a way my employees are not really representative of the general population.
(a bit like this poll)
However, I do keep IE7 on my desktop. I perform a moderate amount of web development and need to view my output in a preview browser. IE7 is the only browser that works flawlessly for that task.
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I am old enough to be your grandfather.
It was born a Dell, it was made into a computer by StevieD
Do u guys wonder why I didn't put opera as a option?
a...I hate banners...
b...Firefox is open source and doesn't take up alot of performance
c...LOL it got owned making a Nintendo DS browser LMAO!
I use Firefox because it has wonderful addons. I use IE only when FF has problems with any webpage. I agree that Opera is good and also faster, but the lack of addons (google toolbar for example) have kept me away from it. Firefox is fast enough.
Message edited by plguzman on 10-17-2007 at 06:39:41 AM
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Q6600 G0 @ 3.7Ghz | Abit IP35 PRO Rev.1.1 | OCZ Plat. Rev.2 4Gb PC6400 | BFG 8800GTS 640Mb @ 650/1900 | Dell 2405FPW | WD 500Gb SATA II | Antec Nine Hundred | Logitech G7 & G15 | Tuniq Tower | Antec NeoPower 650W | Vista HP 64 SP1
I use ff as my personal browser and IE for work-related stuff. I much prefer firefox as the tabbed browsing is better laid out and the extensions are brilliant for it. Plus I have the portable version on my usb stick which is very handy when I'm out and about.
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I'm under GNU/Linux - thus, it's down to Firefox, Opera or Konqueror (I sometimes use Links).
With the Web Developer extention, Firefox is the ultimate web dev machine: Javascript errors logging, source code highlighting, generated content, CSS error reporting, direct on-page CSS editing...
Opera is nice and fast, but its using of both W3C and IE DOMs makes it unsuited for cross-browser development - so I develop under Firefox, cross-check with Opera and Konqueror, then fire the virtual macine to repair the damage under IE6 and 7.
IE7 is abysmal in its lack of innovation: it is nothing more than a bug fix and code cleanup of IE6's engine, with an horrendously frozen interface glued on - in my eyes, it's a mere beta of a bug fix version that should have been out in 2002.
Let's not mention that it's buggy as hell, and that there's NO way to report said bugs to the devs (Mozilla, KDE and Opera all have some -fast- return on bug reports).
If you want a FAST browser though, the late alphas of Firefox 3 leave every and all browsers in the dust: the new rendering engine (Gecko 1.9) and graphics interface layer (Cairo) make it blindingly fast - while improving CSS compatibility even more.