firefox
- Thread starter Z e i g
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The main attraction to Firefox would be the volume and quality of add-ons. However it's also generally more secure than IE (as most browsers are); IE 8 was a major improvement though.
If it weren't for the addons in Firefox, I would use Chrome. Fastest browser I ever used...
If it weren't for the addons in Firefox, I would use Chrome. Fastest browser I ever used...
Yes, Google Chrome.
More browsers available here:
http://www.techist.com/forums/f50/web-browsers-list-168148/
Found here:
http://www.techist.com/forums/f50/browser-important-topic-index-169937/
More browsers available here:
http://www.techist.com/forums/f50/web-browsers-list-168148/
Found here:
http://www.techist.com/forums/f50/browser-important-topic-index-169937/
Yes Google Chrome. Each browser has its pros and cons. IE is one of the flagship browsers. It has been around, well the longest now that Netscape is done for. Back in the early days web browsers were not that nice to each other. IE came up with some standards that they used to display pages that was difficult, not common, or down right incorrect. Netscape had their own set of standards that they used. So many people that were coding websites had to emplore tricks or hacks to get the site to be viewed in different browsers efficently and correctly the same across all browsers.
Now IE up to version 8 still used many of these old standards. It would display pages incorrectly or flat out wrong. Which is why if your a web site coder you hate IE. Cause it was always the toughest to code for. IE8 made major changes and is now trying to follow the standards set forth by the W3C. World Wide Web Consortium.
Firefox came about to be a competitor to IE and as such it succeeded. But even Firefox up to version 3.5 adopted many of Netscapes bad habits and displayed pages wrong. With Firefox 3.5 it now follows many of the same standards that IE8 does. As they both pass what is known as the Acid2 Test. There is a Acid 3 test, but only 2 browsers at this time passes that test, more on that in a bit.
Firefox biggest gain is the ability to customize it with Extensions. Allowing you to adapt or change the browsers behavior to your specific want or need. Such would be AdBlock, NoScript and Flashblock to prevent just about every known attack that could happen via a browser. If you can dream it, it is probably already out there.
Now Opera has been a player for a long time. It was around back in the early days but very few knew of it, cause they dont really advertise. Along those lines it was also a paid program where you had to purchase a license to get a Ad free version. If you used the free version it was like trying to search with Google cause Ads were everywhere. With version 8.5 the browser went to totally free. As such it saw a influx of user for a short period of time.
Opera's biggest advantage is that it tries to follow pretty much everything the W3C throws out there. It is one of the 2 afore mentioned browsers that passes not only Acid2 (Since version 8.5) but Acid3 as well with Opera 10.
the biggest downfall for Opera is that it isnt the easiest to work with. It is a closed source browser and as such there isnt much information out there if you want to customize it like you would Firefox. there are some things that can be done but overall it is harder to work with than Firefox.
Safari is a new comer to the Windows platform, only being introduced at version 3 to Windows. But it is already growing in popularity matching that of Opera in users. It has been around with Apple OS X for a long time. Sadly some die hard Apple people would tell you that Safari is not their browser of choice. They would prefer Camino or something else. But anyways. Safari for Windows is basically just a port of the version on OS X. It is the 2nd browser that passes not only Acid2 but Acid3 as well with Version 4.
Google Chrome is the newest player to the field. But by far it is quickly becoming a popular one. It only passes the Acid2 test, and with version 3 of the browser they are working on making things much more simple. Such as themes, Extensions and plugins like you would see in Firefox. Right now Chrome is still a bit tough to work with, like Opera. But once you do get it setup the way you want, it can most certainly be a powerful tool.
Now with all that said to answer your question, there is no answer. People use what they like. IE is a old player in the game but there is nothing wrong with it so to speak. People prefer Firefox, Opera or any of the other browsers cause they can customize it to do what they want, change the look and all that stuff. With IE you are very limited. You cant change the way it looks, there are few working plugins for things like a spell checker, ad blocker and so on. Which makes browsers like Firefox, Opera, Chrome that more enticing so that people can get rid of the annoying ads and view a page without being bothered to "CLICK HERE TO WIN!!!!"
You can use IE if you prefer. There is nothing wrong with the classic. The browser wars is about as old as the OS wars between Windows and *NIX. Everyone has their favorite and they will die for it.
Now IE up to version 8 still used many of these old standards. It would display pages incorrectly or flat out wrong. Which is why if your a web site coder you hate IE. Cause it was always the toughest to code for. IE8 made major changes and is now trying to follow the standards set forth by the W3C. World Wide Web Consortium.
Firefox came about to be a competitor to IE and as such it succeeded. But even Firefox up to version 3.5 adopted many of Netscapes bad habits and displayed pages wrong. With Firefox 3.5 it now follows many of the same standards that IE8 does. As they both pass what is known as the Acid2 Test. There is a Acid 3 test, but only 2 browsers at this time passes that test, more on that in a bit.
Firefox biggest gain is the ability to customize it with Extensions. Allowing you to adapt or change the browsers behavior to your specific want or need. Such would be AdBlock, NoScript and Flashblock to prevent just about every known attack that could happen via a browser. If you can dream it, it is probably already out there.
Now Opera has been a player for a long time. It was around back in the early days but very few knew of it, cause they dont really advertise. Along those lines it was also a paid program where you had to purchase a license to get a Ad free version. If you used the free version it was like trying to search with Google cause Ads were everywhere. With version 8.5 the browser went to totally free. As such it saw a influx of user for a short period of time.
Opera's biggest advantage is that it tries to follow pretty much everything the W3C throws out there. It is one of the 2 afore mentioned browsers that passes not only Acid2 (Since version 8.5) but Acid3 as well with Opera 10.
the biggest downfall for Opera is that it isnt the easiest to work with. It is a closed source browser and as such there isnt much information out there if you want to customize it like you would Firefox. there are some things that can be done but overall it is harder to work with than Firefox.
Safari is a new comer to the Windows platform, only being introduced at version 3 to Windows. But it is already growing in popularity matching that of Opera in users. It has been around with Apple OS X for a long time. Sadly some die hard Apple people would tell you that Safari is not their browser of choice. They would prefer Camino or something else. But anyways. Safari for Windows is basically just a port of the version on OS X. It is the 2nd browser that passes not only Acid2 but Acid3 as well with Version 4.
Google Chrome is the newest player to the field. But by far it is quickly becoming a popular one. It only passes the Acid2 test, and with version 3 of the browser they are working on making things much more simple. Such as themes, Extensions and plugins like you would see in Firefox. Right now Chrome is still a bit tough to work with, like Opera. But once you do get it setup the way you want, it can most certainly be a powerful tool.
Now with all that said to answer your question, there is no answer. People use what they like. IE is a old player in the game but there is nothing wrong with it so to speak. People prefer Firefox, Opera or any of the other browsers cause they can customize it to do what they want, change the look and all that stuff. With IE you are very limited. You cant change the way it looks, there are few working plugins for things like a spell checker, ad blocker and so on. Which makes browsers like Firefox, Opera, Chrome that more enticing so that people can get rid of the annoying ads and view a page without being bothered to "CLICK HERE TO WIN!!!!"
You can use IE if you prefer. There is nothing wrong with the classic. The browser wars is about as old as the OS wars between Windows and *NIX. Everyone has their favorite and they will die for it.
Yes that is the strong point. But the truth is with a bit of work, most browsers can accomplish this. I will post up 4 screen shots showing my setups.
First Opera:
Firefox:
Safari:
Chrome:
the main thing you will notice is that there is a noticable lack of something from the main page. The Ads. I have found ways in all browsers but IE8 to remove unwanted and unsitely ads. yes Chrome and Safari BOTH have ways to accomplish this. While not as effective as Opera or Firefox, as you see they do work.
Firefox and Opera are heavily customized. My Firefox is actually just like Trotter's but even more customized for my personal liking. Opera i have created a topic on how i have customized it.
The thing is to find the browser that you like. With the 5 major browsers all passing the Acid2 test right now from the W3C, they should all display the web pages the same. It just comes down to how you wish to customize the browser. Firefox is the quickest and easiest. Opera and Chrome are a bit of work, but in the end they are well worth it when your done. Safari isnt really all that customizable. But when you do get it rigged up it does well.
The main flaw with IE is ActiveX. It was such a major pain in the past. There was even a point in time where they had to stop ALL ActiveX controllers from installing, including on Microsoft's own site, due to the high infection rate that was spawning from the flaws in ActiveX.
Sicne then things have died down for ActiveX, but they are not gone. There still are flaws that can be exploited cause of ActiveX, but they are far less now and with the inclusion of UAC in Vista it is much harder for these flaws to do any real damage.
So yes i know what i have typed seems like a lot of long winded material to read to answer something as simple as why use a different browser. But i felt that this information, including the past info on browsers, was needed to understand why IE has fallen under such scrutiny. It isnt a bad browser. It is just that we find something else we like more.
First Opera:
Firefox:
Safari:
Chrome:
the main thing you will notice is that there is a noticable lack of something from the main page. The Ads. I have found ways in all browsers but IE8 to remove unwanted and unsitely ads. yes Chrome and Safari BOTH have ways to accomplish this. While not as effective as Opera or Firefox, as you see they do work.
Firefox and Opera are heavily customized. My Firefox is actually just like Trotter's but even more customized for my personal liking. Opera i have created a topic on how i have customized it.
The thing is to find the browser that you like. With the 5 major browsers all passing the Acid2 test right now from the W3C, they should all display the web pages the same. It just comes down to how you wish to customize the browser. Firefox is the quickest and easiest. Opera and Chrome are a bit of work, but in the end they are well worth it when your done. Safari isnt really all that customizable. But when you do get it rigged up it does well.
The main flaw with IE is ActiveX. It was such a major pain in the past. There was even a point in time where they had to stop ALL ActiveX controllers from installing, including on Microsoft's own site, due to the high infection rate that was spawning from the flaws in ActiveX.
Sicne then things have died down for ActiveX, but they are not gone. There still are flaws that can be exploited cause of ActiveX, but they are far less now and with the inclusion of UAC in Vista it is much harder for these flaws to do any real damage.
So yes i know what i have typed seems like a lot of long winded material to read to answer something as simple as why use a different browser. But i felt that this information, including the past info on browsers, was needed to understand why IE has fallen under such scrutiny. It isnt a bad browser. It is just that we find something else we like more.
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