Browsers: Anyone using Firefox?

[Joe Cruse]

Hey folks!

I searched for threads mentioning Mozilla and Firefox, but didn't get much, so I will ask in a new thread here. Anyone using Firefox? I see that Marc is using Mozilla on his Mac, but is anyone else using it, or their version of an email program? I downloaded Firefox onto my laptop last night and tried it out...not too shabby. I'm going to play with it for a week or so. I like the pop-up stopper.

[aqajrc]

I downloaded Firefox to my PC because of security issues I learned about (but fortunately haven't experienced) with MS Internet Explorer (IE). I found Firefox slower than IE on most of my searches so I downloaded the security patches for IE and have been using it for the last several months without mishap.

Jim

[Claes Gefvenberg]

Ever heard of Opera? I use it all the time, and as far as I can see it outperforms IE in both speed and functionality. See http://www.opera.com/

/Claes

[Tim Folkerts]

I use Firefox at home. I love how it stops pop-ups. I can't remember the last time I had an unwanted ad for security cameras or questionable medications!

The other feature I like is "tabs". You can have a bunch of websites open at one time without having to open IE a bunch of times. Each site is listed on a bar near the top so you can easily toggle between the different sites. This is especially handy at home where the connection is a bit slower. One site can be loading in the background while you are reading another site.

I don't use the email features, since I can connect over the web to either of my usual email servers.

I hadn't noticed any major change in search time.
Tim F

[Joe Cruse]

I see one thing I don't like, and it's that this browser is quite a bit slower, on average, than IE, running on WIN XP SP1. It timed out on a few pages I visit regularly, but those pages opened very quickly in IE. I DO like the pop-up stopper feature, but I won't trade it for speed.

Claes, I will check Opera out. Thank you.

[Wes Bucey]

In Reply to Parent Post by Joe Cruse

I see one thing I don't like, and it's that this browser is quite a bit slower, on average, than IE, running on WIN XP SP1. It timed out on a few pages I visit regularly, but those pages opened very quickly in IE. I DO like the pop-up stopper feature, but I won't trade it for speed.

Claes, I will check Opera out. Thank you.

Google has a popup stopper for free that works with IE. Sometimes it slows opening webpages that are loaded with popups, but worth it IMHO. Mine has a counter and I'm up to 41410 blocked popups. Sadly, it does not stop ALL "pop unders."

Couple any popup stopper with a utility which also blocks cookies which report back to the issuer (spyware) to keep on an even keel. Install security patches as they become available. A new virus is making its way through the web on IE browsers because it exploits a feature which allows it to put a worm on your machine when you open jpg files on nasty web pages.

In Reply to Parent Post by AP

Sep 28, 9:29 PM (ET)

NEW YORK (AP)


Software tools to create the malicious images began appearing last month, and this week security experts saw images employing them posted on adult-oriented Usenet newsgroups.

To get the malicious code, a visitor must download the image and view it using Microsoft's Windows Explorer software, said Oliver Friedrichs, senior manager with Symantec Security Response. The computer then contacts a server to obtain code that would let an attacker take over the machine remotely.

[Jennifer Kirley]

My husband is a major geek and he keeps my computer system going strong, bless him. He installed Firefox and I have had almost zero problems--except some peoples' sites do not work with it--are designed specifically for IE.

His family, however, uses IE and it's awful. I went to his sister and brother-in-law's machine on assignment one day, to print out the plumbing schematic for a whirlpool tub they were installing in the parents' house. I could not even get to the site after 12 tries under 3 screen names...I came home to my machine and had it in one minute. That was when I knew how lucky I am to have a resident geek.

It's not just about popups, though I am blissfully immune to them now. It's for security in general too. My in-laws' machines regularly get choked with trojans and spyware--that's what stopped me from getting that schematic. I get some, but it's so much better this way. I don't have time for that kind of nonsense!

[Claes Gefvenberg]

I'm very happy with Opera, but I'll download Firefox and give it a try. It sounds interesting.

/Claes