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Which Internet Browser is Best?

Started by dew7, May 14, 2004, 10:47:44 PM

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Louisiana Night

I don't know what that needing to download plugins is about( plugins=optional )...

but I do agree that Mozilla is just as good as Firefox. :)

As far as I'm concerned, the main non-IE browsers(Opera, Mozilla, Firefox) are a matter of preference, and that none of them are better than the others ( each might be better at certain things, but overall, I'd say they're quite equal ) . :P

Jeysie

You technically don't need to download plugins to browse with Firefox it's true, but the bare browser itself is a bit lacking in features (though still better than IE, IMHO). In order to reap the feature benefits of Firefox you need to install extensions.

Which is why I personally prefer Opera... lots of features already built-in and still a tiny package. :D

Mozilla's nice as well since it also comes "feature-ready", it just runs slower on my old-geezer machine than Opera (and isn't customizable enough for my personal tastes).

Peace & Luv, Liz

Louisiana Night

#42
Oddly, the main reason I use Firefox(instead of a different browser), is that I prefer the extension system. XD

I like choosing what features I use in my browser(that, and it gives Firefox the ability to do things, that the others can't/don't).



My main problem with Opera, is you either have to buy it(I'm not paying for an internet browser ;P ), or you have to deal with adds. :-\

Jeysie

Ordinarily I'm also the type who likes to be able to install just what they need. But in most cases installing just what you need results in a smaller/faster program. Considering that Opera is already smaller/faster than basic Firefox on my system, I'll live with just ignoring what I don't use. :D Plus I've found that after finding the time to give some features I initially ignored a try, I find them quite useful after all (like mouse gestures).

If I'd tried Firefox first, I'd probably have liked it. It's a good browser. But I'm so used now to using a ton of Opera's features (especially for webmastering) that I'd have to keep track of a ton of extensions to do the equivalent in Firefox. I'm too lazy. ;P

As for ads, I use the free version with Google text ads at work, and it's in a little thin strip at the top of the screen. Not a big deal for such a nice browser. (Plus it's kind of funny seeing what shows up for each site I visit...)

I registered the one I use at home, since $39 for a program I literally use for at least 5 hours a day nearly every day is a fair deal, IMHO. Heck, don't we sometimes pay $50+ for games we play for about 20 hours a couple times?

Anyway, when it comes to which types of features a person likes in a browser, it's up to personal preference, I'm not going to dispute that. I just think that the money/ad thing in specific is a silly thing to get caught up on.

Peace & Luv, Liz

Oldbushie

At least Opera offers a student discount. :D
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dew7

#45
I convinced my dad to use Firefox and now he likes it better than IE.  He uses plugins and extensions.  I just use the basic browser with one plugin and I have found no need for having other plugins.  I like to keep things simple in this case and I do not want the chance of downloading something bad via an extension or plugin for Firefox.   :P
Carpe Diem  Trying to help all of us including myself understand the merry-go-round of life.

Louisiana Night

#46
Personally, although there are features in Opera I wish were in Firefox, I prefer Firefox. :P

and as for spending money on Opera, it's simple...

me=cheap ;P



Also, I tend to support open-source software ( gives the users more of a say, in how it works ) . :)


btw, I DO have Opera installed on my PC... I just rarely use it. :-\

Jeysie

I like the philosophy behind open-source, definitely!

But sometimes you just gotta go with what works best. Besides, since I can't program, if I desire changes in a program I need to request other people to make them whether I use open or closed-source software anyway. And not only is a company you paid money to more obligated to listen to your requests, but I feel like less of a leech. :P

If you have programming skill, than I think you're definitely going to benefit from using open-source software whenever you can. But if you're just an Average Joe/Jane like moi it's not as strong a draw on its own (unless the closed-source alternative is way too expensive, like Photoshop vs. GIMP or something).

Peace & Luv, Liz

Louisiana Night

This summer, Microsoft plans to release the IE7 beta. It will require SP2.

That is all. :P

Yonkey

Cool!  I was wondering when MS would react to Firefox.  :P
"A wish changes nothing. A decision changes everything."

Louisiana Night

*dusts off thread*

(old)news in the browsers wars:
Opera is now free(the add banner is gone)

Yonkey

And I don't believe MS ever released an IE7 beta. ;P
"A wish changes nothing. A decision changes everything."

Rosella

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Stan

Agrees that Mozilla Firefox is really good   ;)

dew7

Carpe Diem  Trying to help all of us including myself understand the merry-go-round of life.

Louisiana Night

Speaking of which... IE7(beta) is a lot better than IE6(though I still prefer Opera). :P

dew7

I have not yet tried Opera.  LN, do you like it better than Firefox?  I also have not tried testing the IE 7 beta but maybe I will try to test it for fun.
Carpe Diem  Trying to help all of us including myself understand the merry-go-round of life.

Louisiana Night

Yes, I prefer Opera over Firefox.

It took me a while to become accustomed to the interface(I customized it like mad, especially the keyboard commands/shortcuts), but most information points to it being more secure, it lacks many characteristics that bother me about Firefox(such as the tabs, no matter how many you make, do not go off the screen), and it's now free(it lacks the ads). Even if it still used ads and cost $s, I'd still prefer it.

Granted, Firefox has many advantages over Opera(including increased site compatibility), but Opera is still my browser of choice.

dew7

LN, you might also like the fact that Opera still supports Windows 95 according to this post from the 98 general newsgroup.

"Note that this is for Firefox 3, to be released sometime in 2007. Firefox 2 will
still support Windows 9x.

Note also that Opera 9 will support Win9x, including Windows 95!

Meanwhile, Internet Explorer 7 will support Windows XP SP2 and higher... Go
figure."

Ivan
Carpe Diem  Trying to help all of us including myself understand the merry-go-round of life.

Oldbushie

I <3 Opera...

And it's very rare now that a site won't work right in it. ;) Usually changing it to IE mode does the trick.
.......... <3 Oldbushie <3 ..........
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