Favourite Browser

Gandalf23 · 21-09-2005 10:32pm #1

I thought this might be interesting with the new (and impending) Firefox release(s), and the fact that Opera is now free.

So, whats your favourite web browser and why?

I love Firefox, and use a select few of the extensions all the time (Athens toolbar and Scrapbook being two of the best). However, I've been using Opera for the last few weeks, and I'm really impressed. I've found myself using Opera more and more... dont have a specific reason, I just like the look and feel... so I'll get this thing moving by giving my vote to Opera.

Ri_Nollaig · 22-09-2005 12:10am

i just like the theme i have on firefox

ill give opera a go later now that its free

greglo23 · 22-09-2005 12:26am

firefox 1.0.7 is now out http://www.mozilla.org/

Mac daddy · 22-09-2005 6:52am

I have been using opera for the last two years - Find it more stable and better then firefox which i also use.
The skins for opera are quality, and of course the magic wand

TerrorFirmer · 22-09-2005 6:58am

My firefox has crashed in flames. No longer works, for no reason, message came up while using it and since then, using it gives an error message.

Back to plain old IE

CrimE · 22-09-2005 7:02am

Easily firefox.

Cabaal · 22-09-2005 7:25am

Firefox, however I don't like the flat menu's in 1.5 Beta

I'd like to use Opera but I'd miss all my extentions if I did

I can't live without some of them now

pickarooney · 22-09-2005 9:45am

Mac daddy wrote:

The skins for opera are quality, and of course the magic wand

I use opera, but could never figure out the purpose of the wand.

blorg · 22-09-2005 9:49am

The wand saves your passwords. Certainly Opera all the way for me, it seems a lot faster than Firefox in use, and I don't need to install a ton of extensions.

iregk · 22-09-2005 9:56am

im split between opera and firefox. i love the mouse gestures and quick keys on both of them altough i do find opera a tad faster

Kali · 22-09-2005 10:46am

The major problem in all browsers, but most common in Firefox and Opera is their memory management.. I could just have 5 tabs open, and memory usage could climb to over 100MB which is just plain insane.. close down the tabs and the memory isn't freed up, now this could be an inherent windows flaw, but it still churns many systems I've come across to a halt regularly.

I've voted for Opera, but IE remains my number one browser on a windows platform for the above reason.

blorg · 22-09-2005 11:40am

Kali wrote:

The major problem in all browsers, but most common in Firefox and Opera is their memory management.. I could just have 5 tabs open, and memory usage could climb to over 100MB which is just plain insane.. close down the tabs and the memory isn't freed up, now this could be an inherent windows flaw, but it still churns many systems I've come across to a halt regularly.

I've voted for Opera, but IE remains my number one browser on a windows platform for the above reason.

I don't think IE is much better, you just aren't as likely to open as many windows because it makes it extremely difficult to manage them! Opera also has a very good memory cache which probably helps it be extremely responsive with pages already viewed (back and forward is lightning fast) - I find IE to be incredibly slow in this regard, and Firefox isn't much better. I think Opera must be caching the already drawn page in some way, while Firefox/IE have to redraw from scratch. You really notice this flicking back and forth between two relatively heavy/complex pages. You can of course turn this off and get the memory back, but it would negate one of the key benefits.

Checked this out with memory usage across the same 7 tabs/pages:

Firefox: 36,580
Opera: 35,480
IE: 32,052

So they all seem to be in the same ballpark.

I haven't noticed any memory leak problems at all with Opera, you might want to check your particular situation out on the Opera forums. I even run it on an old 128mb Celeron 400 and find it much more responsive than IE.

Ruaidhri · 22-09-2005 11:43am

Where's the Avant Browser option! based on the IE rendering engine, it's tabbed, pop-up blocking, ad-blocking, fast, light weight and skinnable? when i was using windows i used it for months and lo and behold! no browser hijacks. you can get avant at http://www.avantbrowser.com/ and skins at http://www.getskinned.org/modules.php?modname=subs&action=precats&type=18

The Bollox · 22-09-2005 11:47am

has anyone got any news on the new IE, AFAIK it wil be released with Longhorn, I have heard it's gonna be top quality, but then in saying that they could have said the same about IE when these current versions were in the works

blorg · 22-09-2005 11:53am

Marts wrote:

has anyone got any news on the new IE, AFAIK it wil be released with Longhorn, I have heard it's gonna be top quality, but then in saying that they could have said the same about IE when these current versions were in the works

Guy I work with has the beta installed, and he likes it, very stable for a beta. Basically it seems to be the same as the old IE, but with tabs. It's still much slower than Opera though.

Gandalf23 · 22-09-2005 12:18pm

MobileInfantry wrote:

My firefox has crashed in flames. No longer works, for no reason, message came up while using it and since then, using it gives an error message.

Back to plain old IE

Why not give Opera a bash?

iregk · 22-09-2005 12:57pm

IE for long horn (pure porn that isn't it?) is a lot different than the current IE. Basically there was a browser out called crasy browser that sat on top of ie and gave it tab browsing and all the like. MS bought them out and let them write IE for the next windows version. Big disadvantage is that it still uses the same rendering engine that does not stick to http standards.

I agree that opera is the best flicking back and forth as it holds pages in cache so no redraws I just find every now and then on complex pages it lets me down and doesn't display correctly. Still love it though.

Gandalf23 · 22-09-2005 1:19pm

OK, my prejudice is coming through here, but I have had such bad experiences with IE and its so full of security vunerabilities that I'll never go back to it no matter how good the LongHorn version is.

Slutmonkey57b · 22-09-2005 4:22pm

Opera I find brilliant - all the benefits I need without having to download extra plugins. 3 things do bug me about it however:

1: Cookie windows or error messages freeze the screen if you have a right-click menu open and you have to right click again outside the window to unlock it. Annoying, and not fixed since v.6!!

2: The graphical ads on boards obscure the JS menu. Still not fixed no matter what version of java or opera I use. Also makes no sense since FF and IE use the same JS engine
edit - I forgot you can fix this by switching off inline frames but still annoying

3: XML documents come through as a block of text - but I get this with FF as well.

Tried FF but having to download a load of extra plugins to do the things i'm used to doing in opera is a pain and it tends to return "document contains no data" boxes when I know ****ing well it does because i've got the same site open in opera.

irlrobins · 22-09-2005 4:52pm

Yea!!! I'm the only person so far to choose IE as their fav! :-)

art · 22-09-2005 5:22pm

Opera is quite nice looking now without the Ad banners but FireFox offers more functional customisation - I'd definitely pick FireFox as being the best on offer at the moment for that reason - as well as GUI customisation. Pinball theme is a particular favorite of mine that I wouldn't do without now.

Sauron · 22-09-2005 5:45pm

Firefox for me... simply for adblock if not for the wide array of other extensions.. I can't stand seeing a page loaded with ads now when I use IE..

daveboy · 22-09-2005 6:36pm

Always switching between opera and Firefox, using Firefox at the moment as it keeps getting better with every revision.

BopNiblets · 22-09-2005 6:53pm

I use MOOX M3 build of Firefox optimized for AMD 64 with SSE2.

I love my extensions too: Gmail Notifier, All-in-One Gestures, Adblock, NoScript, Download Statusbar, FoxyTunes, to name a few.

SirLemonhead · 22-09-2005 7:31pm

I use IE. No problems so no need to switch to anything else. Though the slowness of going Back is kinda annoying..Don't really like Firefox.

Gandalf23 · 22-09-2005 9:32pm

irlrobins wrote:

Yea!!! I'm the only person so far to choose IE as their fav! :-)

Yes, but why oh why oh why oh why...

Gandalf23 · 22-09-2005 9:32pm

MasterOfSolos wrote:

I use IE. No problems so no need to switch to anything else. Though the slowness of going Back is kinda annoying..Don't really like Firefox.

As I said above, why oh why...

art · 22-09-2005 9:33pm

MasterOfSolos wrote:

I use IE. No problems so no need to switch to anything else. Though the slowness of going Back is kinda annoying..Don't really like Firefox.

No problems writing stuff with a typewriter but a PC lets you do an awful lot more, if you get my drift... You are missing out on a lot of useful functionality by sticking with IE, irrespective of the whole security issues stuff.

aidan_walsh · 22-09-2005 9:38pm

Gandalf23 wrote:

As I said above, why oh why...

To get on your tits. Seriously, why should they justify themselves to you?

Gandalf23 · 22-09-2005 9:46pm

aidan_walsh wrote:

To get on your tits. Seriously, why should they justify themselves to you?

Firstly, that doesnt get on "my tits" as you so eloquently put it, and secondly I was not looking for "justification", merely wondering why the posters prefered IE over FF/Opera.

mike65 · 22-09-2005 10:19pm

Opera, which has just gone 8.5 and is now Free for All.

Mike.

Rollo Tamasi · 22-09-2005 11:37pm

does anyone use Netscape? I downloaded it, looked at it a bit, got a headache, put it in my recyle bin, fu&ked the bin out the window, it landed in a manhole of sorts, not to sure what it was, it might have been a drain or something....so yeah, in general i dont really like it tbh!

(Firefox)

the1andonly1 · 23-09-2005 9:42am

2: The graphical ads on boards obscure the JS menu. Still not fixed no matter what version of java or opera I use. Also makes no sense since FF and IE use the same JS engine

If you go to preferences and disable inline frames in opera, boards should work perfectly!! my vote goes to opera, much quicker than ie, easier to use, and thank god for the magic wand. one question though, does anyone know a way to import cookies from previos versions of opera, into the new one?

The Real B-man · 23-09-2005 12:55pm

Gandalf23 wrote:

Why not give Opera a bash?

full of to many toolbars + ads

irlrobins · 23-09-2005 12:58pm

MasterOfSolos wrote:

I use IE. No problems so no need to switch to anything else.

What he said. If it ain't broke.....

Gandalf23 · 23-09-2005 1:00pm

The Real B-man wrote:

full of to many toolbars + ads

Opera is available free http://www.opera.com/

And no ad's anymore.

blorg · 23-09-2005 1:38pm

the1andonly1 wrote:

If you go to preferences and disable inline frames in opera, boards should work perfectly!! my vote goes to opera, much quicker than ie, easier to use, and thank god for the magic wand. one question though, does anyone know a way to import cookies from previos versions of opera, into the new one?

File > Import & Export > Import Opera Bookmarks.

You then just need to find the adf file from the previous version, I think by default they are stored in:

C:\Documents and Settings\[your user name]\Application Data\Opera\Opera\profile\opera6.adr

(I moved mine to My Documents to facilitate backup, location is configurable in the .ini file.)

Hobbes · 23-09-2005 1:46pm

irlrobins wrote:

What he said. If it ain't broke.....

except IE generally is. How often do you get spyware on your machine?

FF for the win. Opera is nice too, but I prefer FF as it can be personalised a lot more.

For example, Adblock and NoScript are a must = 0 adverts and no crappy javascript crap you don't want.

You can get a theme to turn FF into IE look and feel btw. Oddly enough IE7 will copy a lot of the ideas from FF.

Adviser · 23-09-2005 2:13pm

I chose other I use Maxthon

irlrobins · 23-09-2005 2:46pm

Hobbes wrote:

except IE generally is. How often do you get spyware on your machine?

Never. I'm a careful surfer, plus i have anti spyware s/w installed. So I'm clean.

IE has never caused me any probs. So I don't feel the need to change.

But have to admit I'd use Thunderbird over OE anyday of the week.

SirLemonhead · 23-09-2005 7:20pm

art wrote:

No problems writing stuff with a typewriter but a PC lets you do an awful lot more, if you get my drift... You are missing out on a lot of useful functionality by sticking with IE, irrespective of the whole security issues stuff.

Like what? The tabs and mouse gestures and stuff like that?

SirLemonhead · 23-09-2005 7:21pm

Hobbes wrote:

except IE generally is. How often do you get spyware on your machine?

No spyware at all here too. Ever.

art · 23-09-2005 8:06pm

MasterOfSolos wrote:

Like what? The tabs and mouse gestures and stuff like that?

extensions (lots of seriously useful extensions out there plus some just enjoyable ones like "stumble upon"), quick searches, proper popup blocker, mail integration (with Thunderbird), javascript debugger (if you write such), a download manager, and so on, off the top of my head.

Internet Explorer is about four or five years old now and way behind the times, never mind one of the most insecure ways you can interact with the internet: Firefox doesn't allow masking net names the way IE does either, which is a huge security hole in IE.

SirLemonhead · 23-09-2005 8:10pm

I guess I like my browsing simple

I got Opera the other night. Haven't used it much but so far I prefer it to Firefox.

Maybe I'll hold out for IE 7.0?

art · 23-09-2005 8:14pm

MasterOfSolos wrote:

I guess I like my browsing simple

I got Opera the other night. Haven't used it much but so far I prefer it to Firefox.

Maybe I'll hold out for IE 7.0?

Obviously not so simple that you haven't gone and turned off ActiveX and Active scripting in IE? Otherwise there's no way you could have (apparently) defended yourself from IE's default vunerability to spyware

BopNiblets · 23-09-2005 8:18pm

Darth Vader voice: "Do not underestimate the POWER of Mouse Gestures!"
They are incredibly time saving and possible have ergonomic benefits (instead of scrolling all the way up to the right corner to click that X button, just do some magic-swishy-swish-mouse-gesture-kung-fu, and BAM!! Your browser is closed!!

)

I was so impressed, I searched the Interweb until I found a mouse gestures program for general Windows use, and BEHOLD!!!

And on the 7 billionth 4 thousant millionth day, God said, "Let there be Strokeit... and it was so..."
(freeware, small download, highly cusomizable)

(Teeehee, "Stroke"-it.... teehee.

)

Now I'm off to whore this in the software thread, if that dude didn't already put it in Essential Software....

SirLemonhead · 24-09-2005 12:36am

art wrote:

Obviously not so simple that you haven't gone and turned off ActiveX and Active scripting in IE? Otherwise there's no way you could have (apparently) defended yourself from IE's default vunerability to spyware

Yep ActiveX is running. Everything is default on IE. No spyware pre-SP2 either :cool:

I guess i'm just not going to the right sites?

djmarkus · 24-09-2005 12:45am

I use opera, firefox crashed on me too much, the only thing that firefox has that opera doesn't is adblock, its the only thing that is holding opera back from being the 100% perfect browser.