What Internet browser do you use?

[Mobile Tsk]

FF3.1 beta is the fastest browser currently available; I've tested it personally against IE7, IE8, Opera 9, Opera 10 alpha build, Safari 3, Safari 4 beta, Google Chrome, and Google Chrome beta. The only one that comes close is the Google Chrome beta build, which is about even with FF3.1 in terms of speed.

I'm sorry; I spewed my milk everywhere while laughing at that.

As for security, IE is inherently easier to exploit for the simple reason that it allows ActiveX to run in the browser, a redundant technology that's very easy to abuse (redundant because anything it can do can be accomplished through other, more secure means).

It always asks permission to run scripts, and it actually rarely uses ActiveX anymore. (Javascript, Flash, etc. do not require ActiveX)

If you prefer IE's interface, just use the Vista-aero skin and enable "Always show tabs menu" in the tabs section of the options; it'll look identical to IE.

I do prefer IE's interface, as well as its security and speed, so I'll just stick with IE.

If you run across a page that won't work in Firefox but does in IE, just use IE tab to view it. Know, however, that it isn't because Firefox is poorly designed that it can't display these pages, it's because the pages are poorly designed and don't conform to the W3 specifications. Many pages are designed to run on IE's flawed rendering engine (which, I concede, is significantly less flawed in IE8 than previous versions) instead of designed according to proper specifications, and thus will behave erratically on any browser except IE.

Again, I'm not nerfing speed, security and performance just to use the "sexiest browser alive".

As for more "genuine," I have no clue what that's supposed to mean. If you mean it uses Windows "Genuine" technology, that's just marketing jargon that doesn't mean anything, other than Microsoft is associated with the program.



This is an example of Microsoft abusing their power as an operating system vendor to reduce competition. This practice is being investigated in the EU, and if Microsoft is found guilty (which they have been multiple times for related charges), they could face huge fines and be forced to, for example, allow users to download a different browser upon Windows installation.

And how are they abusing power? The machines are THEIR intellectual property, with THEIR operating system... why aren't they allowed to put THEIR web browser on THEIR operating system? Apple does the same with Safari.

 

[Archer]

Minefield (FF) 3.6a is just awesome when it comes to performance. I haven't had it crash on me yet, which is very encouraging for alpha software. The only downside is the lack of compatibility with some addons that I use, such as Speed Dial.

I personally find IE8 a real memory hog, but I'm not ready for an all-out browser flame war.
Safari 4 annoys me, because it stuffs up the interface with custom Windows themes. Plus I hate Tabs at the top. S3 was nice enough, why did they have to kill it?

Opera is a great reliable browser, imo. It's my back-up for if something happens to FF or if I'm updating FF. Chrome annoys me with it's poor layout and lack of features. Minefield's faster.

 

[Tunaboy88]

I use Internet Explorer because itz faster than most other Internet Broswers

 

[twocows]

And how are they abusing power? The machines are THEIR intellectual property, with THEIR operating system... why aren't they allowed to put THEIR web browser on THEIR operating system? Apple does the same with Safari.

I did the testing personally on three Windows OSes (XP, Vista, and where possible, 7); the tests I ran included benchmarks and using each browser regularly for about two weeks. Note that I am not talking about Firefox 3.0.* in this instance, which I concede is slightly slower than IE8, but about the 3.1 beta using the redesigned JavaScript engine (only enabled by default in Firefox 3.1 beta 3 or Minefield builds).

My tests also showed that Firefox's memory imprint (sans addons) is significantly lower after continued usage than IE8's (sans additions), though IE8's is slightly lower at launch.

Testing security is significantly harder, so I didn't bother. I will, however, note that, on average, it takes Microsoft far longer to patch exploits with IE than it does Mozilla with Firefox, mostly due to Microsoft's update cycle (with the exception of critical vulnerabilities, updates are only released on their scheduled dates).

Feature-wise, IE8 improves a lot upon IE7, and it even beats out Google Chrome and Safari, whose feature sets are relatively limited. However, Firefox's addon library is still practically unbeatable, and Opera still manages to scrape by with its widgets and array of neat built-in features.

IE8 improves on IE7's HTML and CSS rendering, though it still allows webpages to be rendered as IE7 rendered them, which I admit is a good transitional step. However, it still fails in its interpretation of AJAX and other new technologies.

As for why Microsoft can't put their browser on their OS, primarily it's because it violates antitrust laws (there's an ongoing lawsuit claiming this and a number of other antitrust violations, though Microsoft has dragged it on for about a decade now). It's illegal because it stifles competition; for example, Netscape's market share began to decline once Microsoft started bundling IE with their new Windows 95 operating system.

Apple started bundling Safari with OS X because they saw Microsoft getting away with it and figured they could do the same. They're honestly no better, though obviously they'd claim otherwise.

 

[~*!*~Tatsujin Gosuto~*!*~]

I use Fire Fox because its the quickest Internet Browser on my computer


:t354:TG

 

[Gummy]

I currently use Mozilla Firefox, but the DSi browser is Opera, so that too.

 

[Game M]

I mostly use firefox... there's too many IE vulnerabilities for me to trust it :( Does anyone still use netscape these days?

 

[twocows]

I mostly use firefox... there's too many IE vulnerabilities for me to trust it :( Does anyone still use netscape these days?

Yes, though the number is dwindling. Netscape is no longer supported by its parent company (essentially, it's "dead"), and an update urged users to either migrate to Mozilla Firefox or Flock.

 

[Mobile Tsk]

As for why Microsoft can't put their browser on their OS, primarily it's because it violates antitrust laws (there's an ongoing lawsuit claiming this and a number of other antitrust violations, though Microsoft has dragged it on for about a decade now). It's illegal because it stifles competition; for example, Netscape's market share began to decline once Microsoft started bundling IE with their new Windows 95 operating system.

Apple started bundling Safari with OS X because they saw Microsoft getting away with it and figured they could do the same. They're honestly no better, though obviously they'd claim otherwise.

lol? You have to have some way to connect to the internet if you're to download another browser. Bundling Firefox with MS OS wouldn't be smart, or really fair either. Internet Explorer being bundled with MS' OS doesn't violate any antitrust laws. That's like saying Baskin Robbins can't bundle their ice cream cones with their ice cream. I'm sorry, twocows, your ice cream (along with your argument) is now on the floor.

 

[Gerri Shin]

As for why Microsoft can't put their browser on their OS, primarily it's because it violates antitrust laws (there's an ongoing lawsuit claiming this and a number of other antitrust violations, though Microsoft has dragged it on for about a decade now). It's illegal because it stifles competition; for example, Netscape's market share began to decline once Microsoft started bundling IE with their new Windows 95 operating system.

Apple started bundling Safari with OS X because they saw Microsoft getting away with it and figured they could do the same. They're honestly no better, though obviously they'd claim otherwise.

the only halfway decent proposal that could work for both system is to include a dialog (similar to that of the Windows Update window in Vista, now that it no longer requires IE) that pops up on the first run of the computer and asks the user which browser they would prefer and then downloads and installs the users choice.

 

[twocows]

lol? You have to have some way to connect to the internet if you're to download another browser. Bundling Firefox with MS OS wouldn't be smart, or really fair either. Internet Explorer being bundled with MS' OS doesn't violate any antitrust laws. That's like saying Baskin Robbins can't bundle their ice cream cones with their ice cream. I'm sorry, twocows, your ice cream (along with your argument) is now on the floor.

Don't bring it up with me, bring it up in the US and EU courts Microsoft is being sued in for this very reason.

the only halfway decent proposal that could work for both system is to include a dialog (similar to that of the Windows Update window in Vista, now that it no longer requires IE) that pops up on the first run of the computer and asks the user which browser they would prefer and then downloads and installs the users choice.

That's what's being proposed in the EU. Mozilla is against the idea, strangely, though they still support some sort of action be brought against Microsoft.

 

[Cirrus]

Chrome is a bit buggy right now... or maybe it's just my computer.

Still, it's excellent, as UltraBlaziken has said. I used to hate the browser that I used loading for any amount of time (Firefox) but with Chrome, it's so much faster. Only thing is, it eats up resources like a Snorlax could when you want to have a gazillion tabs open. =(

 

[Reina]

I've tried a ton; IE, Safari, Firefox, Chrome, but my favorite is Opera. IE was too slow, Firefox randomly closed too much, I had to install too many extras to get Safari to work right, and Opera was just right- plus, I love the home screen for new tabs.

 

[Ŧøry vs. M£A†¥³]

All the web browsers that I have said before, I have to compare the speed. I have to admit, IE8 is faster than Opera on my computer.

 

[Camisado]

I use Safari because it's best on my Mac. I had been using Firefox for ages (back when I was one of those FIREFOX IS ANSWER TO ALL LIFE'S PROBLEMS people) and didn't move to Safari until Foxmarks was released for it. I do love Foxmarks. And AdBlock Plus.

On my PC, I use Firefox xD I ask my parents to use it, and installed AdBlock Plus on there for them too.

 

[yankee0724]

opera isnt on the list.

its the best one ive ever used tbh.

 

[Rogue planet]

I tried using Google Chrome but a lot of things wouldn't work on it (Java was the most apparent) so I went back to using the Firefox.

 

[twocows]

I tried to get my parents to start using Firefox after they got their main computer infected twice in one month, but they weren't using it. What I ended up doing is moving all their bookmarks over to Firefox, installing an IE theme (and Adblock Plus, of course), changing the icon for Firefox to IE's icon, and renaming it to "Internet Explorer" (getting the title bar to read as such required some clever hex editing on my part). They didn't know the difference, and they haven't gotten infected since.

 

[Suki]

I use Mozilla Firefox for Windows, and Safari for the Mac. Both nice and quickk :]

 

[Alpha de Splash]

Firefox is the only one i can use in Ubuntu. It rocks either way