# Seeking suggestions for an alternate browser.



## Greg Truby (Apr 24, 2008)

OK, my old, tired home desktop is now having a pickle of a time connecting to the internet. Formerly I would use NetScape when IE started misbehavin'. But now Netscape is also having tantrums. I'm thinking that [if I can get the ruddy thing to actually connect] I would download an alternate browser and give that a spin and see if I can at least get a reliable connection that-a-way. Any suggestions?


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## hatman (Apr 24, 2008)

I really like Mozilla Firefox.  It handles a lot of formatting stuff better than IE or Netscape, plus it's open source, if you're into that.  It's also gaining in popularity, especially with hacker types like us.  See what Albino Blacksheep has to say about it.  I can't find ABS's stats, on the sote right now, but last time I checked, of the several millins hits they had during th elast time they collecte dstats, Firefox was the second most popular browser... and increasing.


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## Smitty (Apr 24, 2008)

I've been using Firefox for quite a while now and have been very impressed.  I'm not sure it takes up any less resources though.


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## MorganO (Apr 24, 2008)

I currently use Firefox exclusively at home (am religated to IE at work) and have had few problems.  I does seem to be a memory hog if left open for extended periods of time (begins to use more and more memory) but overall I am happy with its extensibility versus IE.  I've also used Opera in the past as a 2nd browser.

Good luck.

Owen


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## arkusM (Apr 24, 2008)

Firefox is a beaut'. I use it at home. I would at work but.... you know how that goes.


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## Jon von der Heyden (Apr 25, 2008)

Firefox is the dogs b***cks!


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## Zack Barresse (Apr 25, 2008)

Firefox.  100%.  I am not allowed to use it at the FD, but that is because of other reasons (mostly because I'm the only one who wants it, and they won't support a group policy if there is only one person requesting it).  If I have a choice, it is by far Firefox.  I've used other browsers, but with everything that Firefox has become, I love it.  I like the add-ons as well.  WizzRSS, del.icio.us, upgraded tabbed browsing, download manager, instant weather updates, developer tools, you name it they have it.  Plus I'm a big fan of open source software.


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## Andrew Fergus (Apr 27, 2008)

Another vote for Firefox.


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## SydneyGeek (Apr 27, 2008)

Kinda sounds repetitive but... Firefox is my preferred browser. I also use IE 7 and that's a big improvement on earlier versions. But the most important improvement -- tabbed browsing -- only came out when Firefox did it first. 
As I see it at the moment, FF does something, IE tries to follow. 

Denis


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## SydneyGeek (Apr 27, 2008)

FWIW...
For a (small) usage sample -- my site, top 15 user agents this month, I got the following:
IE 6 -- 31%
IE 7 -- 26%
FF 2 -- 22%
The rest were search bots.

Broader net stats, I know FF is now over 10% and has been for a year or more. Can't find the exact figures at the moment.

Denis


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## Richard Schollar (Apr 27, 2008)

I tend to use Firefox due to its ease of use and the incredibly useful add-ons/extensions you can get for it (NoScript anyone?).  I do like the look of Opera and use it intermittently, but FF is my number one.


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## Thorin (Apr 28, 2008)

I too use Firefox and love it, I recently found the following link which can speed up your Firefox browsing, and for me it instantly worked.

http://www.madwahm.com/webmaster-stuff/8-easy-firefox-tweaks-for-super-fast-web-browsing/


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## Oorang (Apr 28, 2008)

Put me down for Firefox. It can do sooo much more than IE thanks to a very robust developer community. You have a lot finer control thanks to about:config (And Firebug) and when it says it deletes things, it actually does. Well unless you have a misbehaving plug in (Move media player can you hear me??)

Course it doesn't lend itself to VBA like IE does.


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## shades (Apr 29, 2008)

On the Mac (OS X 10.5.2), I use Safari and Firefox. Both excellent browsers.


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## Cbrine (May 8, 2008)

I've been using a browser called Slimbrowser for about 6 years.  It's got tabbed browsing, that works better then IE, a built in pop up blocker, customizable search bar, etc... and it's had them far longer then the big guys.  It uses the explorer back bone, so I've never had any real compatibility issues either.

Cal


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## Expiry (May 12, 2008)

I don't understand why it makes much of a difference. 

I use bog standard IE. Surely, all you need in a browser is a place to type www.mrexcel.com.

What does FF give you that IE doesn't? Am I missing out on something cool?


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## Zack Barresse (May 12, 2008)

Enhanced security, a higher performing pop-up blocker, better tabbed browsing customization(s), add-ons, themes, developer tools, the list goes on.  Those are my personal favorites.  Before IE7 came out, IE6 was a joke.  Firefox was released and IE took the tabbed browsing idea and implimented into IE7, and I'm sure IE8 will have it as well.  I think it's more a matter of preference than anything.  I switched during IE5, so my problems went down to almost nothing.


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