Firefox: what's the big deal about this browser?

[antgross@pacbell.net]

Ok, so it's not I.E. But everyone keeps saying it's faster. Faster than what? I see no difference whatsover. It may load faster than Opera but Opera is still far superior in the customization dept and it's just as fast at loading pages as near as I can. The other thing is that Firefox looks too much like I.E. which I dislike as well.

[RJ]

Dunno. Tried firefox last week and didn't see any reason to switch to it. It's not faster than IE. Actually I think it's slower.
If you are happy with Opera, stay with Opera. It's a good browser too.

RJ

[Yuanji]

the good thing about firefox is that it has good security compared to IE. IE will always be slightly faster cuz its integrated into the OS. Firefox is also a nice transition. you really start getting into firefox when you start using all the plugins.

[j4ck]

Many people claim that Firefox is "better" for the following reasons that mainly relate to security:

FF is not integrated into Windows like IE (good for security, bad for 'extra features' and performance)

FF does not support Active X which allows programs to be run in the browser. This is a big plus to many concerned with spyware/malware

FF renders pages exactly according to W3C standards

FF comes with a builit-in popup blocker and google search bar

FF is open source (this has an allure to many computer users)

FF offers tabbed browsing and offers many hotkeys

Finally, FF is just *different* offering different skins and lots customization options (see the FF website for a huge list).

I haven't noticed any speed differences when FF is compared to IE, and I also can't say whether one browser is "better" than the other since that is largely a matter of personal preference. I listed the facts above so you could decide your own preference. Of course, IE also has it's own list of unique features.

[juicelooser]

Firefox actually is faster because of the way it loads images and such. Instead of loading one image at a time, like IE, it loads multiple images at a time, resulting in an decrease in loading times. There was a site I found that illustrated this, but I can't find it right now. If I do find it, I'll be sure to post it.

[SonicVanguard]

Part of the appeal - at least for me - is the customization. Tabbed browsing, integrated popup blocking, RSS integration, themes, themes and more themes, security, and it has a smaller footprint and utilizes fewer resources than a comparably setup IE (seperate popup blocker enabled and so on).

Dave.

[mairving]

The ads are one of the annoyances about Opera. That and it has a pretty bad cache problem at least for web developers.

Firefox is certainly faster if you evaluate how much more time you may spend removing spyware and/or viruses than if you are using IE.

[ghost2003]

As said before customization is the greatest part of firefox. I have winamp commands, mouse gestures, a bandwidth test, and many other extentions. There are LOTS you can get and its perfect to have the browser you want and not what M$ wants you to have.

[antgross@pacbell.net]

Originally Posted by mairving The ads are one of the annoyances about Opera. That and it has a pretty bad cache problem at least for web developers. Firefox is certainly faster if you evaluate how much more time you may spend removing spyware and/or viruses than if you are using IE.

I'm not a developer, I'm a user. Just throwing out blanket statement saying 'it's faster' is hardly scientific. Back up it with some tests, links.

FF looks like IE to me. I paid for Opera so I don't have the ads. I don't see the level of customization you're talking about in FF.

[antgross@pacbell.net]

Originally Posted by juicelooser Firefox actually is faster because of the way it loads images and such. Instead of loading one image at a time, like IE, it loads multiple images at a time, resulting in an decrease in loading times. There was a site I found that illustrated this, but I can't find it right now. If I do find it, I'll be sure to post it.

Faster than ?? Where's the evidence? Are you're really going to notice the millisecond differences?

[antgross@pacbell.net]

Originally Posted by SonicVanguard Part of the appeal - at least for me - is the customization. Tabbed browsing, integrated popup blocking, RSS integration, themes, themes and more themes, security, and it has a smaller footprint and utilizes fewer resources than a comparably setup IE (seperate popup blocker enabled and so on). Dave.

Opera invented the tabbed browswer feature. Mozilla copied.

[Hi Ho]

I never got into Firefox. I never found it to be faster than IE or Opera. I use My IE 2 (now Maxthon) and I like it much more than IE, Opera, or Firefox. It is extremely customizable. It comes standard with tabbed browsing, built in pop-up blocker (also blocks floating ads), mouse gesures, a very nice favorites system, speed tests, auto form filling, easier access to security features, and many, many other little things. I especially like the feature that allows me to set more than one home page. For example, I have it set so that when I open the browser it opens my Hotmail inbox, the PCMech forums, and some other pages I frequent. I can also save as many pages as I want in a group so I can open them all at once with one click. HERE is how my broswer is set up. Another feature I like is the "Simple Collector". It's like NotePad with tabs. I can jot down notes and keep things I frequently copy/paste in the Simple Collector. There are hundreds of plug-ins too. I have only stratched the surface. HERE is the home page if you're interested. Yes, it is based on IE and therefor has some of the same vulnerabilities but personally I have never had any problems. I get zilch when it comes to spyware. Adaware and Spybot consistently come up clean. I think good browsing habits have a lot to do with that.

[juicelooser]

Originally Posted by antgross@pacbell.net Faster than ?? Where's the evidence? Are you're really going to notice the millisecond differences?

It's faster than IE, at least at loading images because of the way it loads. There was a test that you can run, but I'm having trouble finding it. Like I said, if I find it, I will post it here.

[SonicVanguard]

Originally Posted by antgross@pacbell.net Faster than ?? Where's the evidence? Are you're really going to notice the millisecond differences?

Totally unscientific test -
-cleared history/cache of IE, Mozilla, and Firefox
Loaded www.espn.com, www.comcast.net, www.pcmech.com, four images from Max Lyons Digital Image Gallery (hi quality, hi resolution images) and my bank's on-line banking page. These are averages:

IE - 6.4 sec
Mozilla - 6.3 sec
Firefox - 5.2 sec

Connection is Comcast broadband averaging around 6M/bits per sec. Tonight it's been a little slower - according to broadbandreports.com it's more like 3M/bits per sec.

1+ second is 1+ second. Very unscientific using the chronograph on my Oakley watch - but it's still a rather large tick for Firefox.

Dave.

[kingoftowns]

nobody is telling you to switch people are simply stating their preferences, i personally use Firefox because it is more secure than IE and free and yes it is very customizable, nobody cares who started what or who copied it as long as it works whats the difference , if you are happy with opera then thats great stick with it good for you but the way you are ranting here it sounds like you are just upset because you paid for opera and firefox is free so you are trying to justify why you paid

[antgross@pacbell.net]

Originally Posted by kingoftowns nobody is telling you to switch people are simply stating their preferences, i personally use Firefox because it is more secure than IE and free and yes it is very customizable, nobody cares who started what or who copied it as long as it works whats the difference , if you are happy with opera then thats great stick with it good for you but the way you are ranting here it sounds like you are just upset because you paid for opera and firefox is free so you are trying to justify why you paid

No, the rant is for all the unfounded and unsubstantiated claims. And yes, Opera is far superior-and not because I paid for it.
Who copied whom is important, especially since some seem to highlight a particular feature (eg tabbed browsing) as being the greatest thing since sliced bread.

[SonicVanguard]

Actaully, Opera did not 'invent' the idea of tabbed browsing. NetCaptor was the first browser to use tabbed browsing back in the middle of 2001. Opera 6 copied that in November of 2001. Now, most current graphical browsers (except IE) natively support TDI or tabbed browsing.

And I really don't see that anyone has made any "unfounded an unsubstantiated claims". Almost this entire discussion has revolved around comparing FireFox to IE - everything that has been mentioned (better security, customization, RSS support, faster laod times....) has been substantiated. No one has said FF invented tabbed browsing - and no one, other than yourself, has compared FF to Opera (other than to say FF does not have the ads of the free version of Opera).

Everyone's going to have their favorite browser. Quite obviously, yours is Opera. Mine has been Mozilla for quite a while and I like what I see with FireFox. Still others will see no reason to jump from IE.

Dave.

[SonicVanguard]

Double Post - Sorry.

Dave.

[antgross@pacbell.net]

Originally Posted by SonicVanguard Actaully, Opera did not 'invent' the idea of tabbed browsing. NetCaptor was the first browser to use tabbed browsing back in the middle of 2001. Opera 6 copied that in November of 2001. Now, most current graphical browsers (except IE) natively support TDI or tabbed browsing. And I really don't see that anyone has made any "unfounded an unsubstantiated claims". Almost this entire discussion has revolved around comparing FireFox to IE - everything that has been mentioned (better security, customization, RSS support, faster laod times....) has been substantiated. No one has said FF invented tabbed browsing - and no one, other than yourself, has compared FF to Opera (other than to say FF does not have the ads of the free version of Opera). Everyone's going to have their favorite browser. Quite obviously, yours is Opera. Mine has been Mozilla for quite a while and I like what I see with FireFox. Still others will see no reason to jump from IE. Dave.

I meant to suggest that people in general on the web (not just here) have suggested that Firefox is a much faster browser than IE. I didn't bother drilling down in the FF features to figure out how to change its look. It just struck me that the interface looks too much like IE.

Let's just agree that FF and Opera are better than IE.

[kingoftowns]

agreed, sounds good

[Harry]

I have been using Firefox for a couple months now and I can tell you that it is better than IE by an incredible LONG SHOT. And the reason for that is first and foremost above all else because it hardly picks up any of the spyware and viruses that IE does. Even though I have antivirus and spyware software installed, I don't want to constantly have to use them all the time because it wastes my time. And there was a lot of hijacking type spyware that my spyware programs weren't even catching and it would be pure HELL to get rid of them. Blocking those virus and spyware hijacking (deleted) was really really important to me. More than anything in the world. Not to mention that I am so absolutely angry with the people who do it that God help them if I ever catch up with them.

Secondly, Firefox blocks just about all pop ups. Using IE, pop ups slow your system down. I don't want my system slowed down by those (deleted) pop ups I don't want to see.

Thirdly, tab browsing with Firefox is a lot more efficient. I visit a minimum of 15 regularly sites each day. I open 5 or 6 sites just to begin with and keep them in the tabs. It's just a lot more efficient using tabs.

These three things make me never want to go back to IE again. Ever.

It's not that Firefox is so great. It's that IE is pure (deleted).

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Moderator edit: You have violated our language rules 3 times in this post. This is an official warning, and there will be no more warnings - next time is a BAN.

[Harry]

antgross@pacbell.net,

Netcaptor was not the first browser to use tab browsing. Long Long Long before Netcaptor was a program called MultiWebBrowser. This program specialized in Tab browsing. And what was even better about that program is that you could set it up to load all the web sites you wanted right from the get go like having 10 or 20 home pages. Unfortunately that is one thing Firefox still lacks.

[eldon]

I think it comes down to personal preferences,I have I.E.6,FireFox and Maxthon,I still like IE better because its what I`m most comfortable with,my wife likes Maxthon better.I use all 3 of them on a regular basis just to keep up with the different browsers.I do intend to try Opera also.I have had very few problems with any of them as they all seem to surf the web and at pretty close to the same speed.

[glc]

Originally Posted by Harry antgross@pacbell.net, Netcaptor was not the first browser to use tab browsing. Long Long Long before Netcaptor was a program called MultiWebBrowser. This program specialized in Tab browsing. And what was even better about that program is that you could set it up to load all the web sites you wanted right from the get go like having 10 or 20 home pages. Unfortunately that is one thing Firefox still lacks.

When did that browser come out? The first tabbed browser I remember is GNN, which came out in 1994.

I have 5 browsers on this system.

IE 5.01
Mozilla 1.7.2
Firefox 0.9.3
Opera 7.54
Netscape 4.79

I use Opera for my daily work. I'm not going to get into arguments over which is "best" but I will say that I've been using browsers since long before M$ even thought about the Internet. I do not like IE, I have *never* liked IE - and I will do everything possible to avoid using it. I have the same attitude about my e-mail. I've been using Pegasus since long before there was an Outlook/Outlook Express - or even M$ Internet Mail/Exchange/Windows Messaging - and I have no reason to switch.

[Harry]

I don't know when MultiWeb browser first came out but I remember using it around 1996. The trouble is that they only gave you a 30 day trial period after which you had to pay money for it and I didn't want to pay for it so I didn't continue to use it. But if it had been free, I would have continued using it because I really liked having all my regular Web sites loaded up and ready to use right away. By the way, it is still available and has a 5 star rating which I think is the highest you can get.

[doctorgonzo]

Originally Posted by Harry And what was even better about that program is that you could set it up to load all the web sites you wanted right from the get go like having 10 or 20 home pages. Unfortunately that is one thing Firefox still lacks.

Actually, not true. Just install an extension called Session Saver and you can automatically save all your tabs when you close Firefox and they will be there when you restart it, history and all. It works great.

[aym]

Or you can set multiple tabs as your homepage, by separating URLs with |

Like: http://www.google.com/|http://www.pcmech.com/|http://www.mozilla.org/

[juicelooser]

Another tab thing--if you have folders of bookmarks under the address bar, if you center click them, it opens them all in tabs.

[TeenPcknowit]

*ATTENTION* DUE TO SP2 UPGRADE..........

IE now has a pop-up blocker.......woohoo

Unfortunatly is moves everything down the screen a 1/4" to Proclaim on a screen-wide bar pronouncing "YAY! MICROSOFT BLOCKED THIS AD FOR YOU!"

[juicelooser]

Originally Posted by TeenPcknowit *ATTENTION* DUE TO SP2 UPGRADE.......... IE now has a pop-up blocker.......woohoo Unfortunatly is moves everything down the screen a 1/4" to Proclaim on a screen-wide bar pronouncing "YAY! MICROSOFT BLOCKED THIS AD FOR YOU!"

IE is still riddled with security holes and the like and still doesn't support standards. I won't be switching back until they do, and even if they do start to support standards, I'll most likely stay with Firefox.