Some questions about Firefox

I use IE with XP and Outlook Express. I am interested to know why people switch to Firefox or Mozilla. As I understand it, you cannot open ActiveX with either Firefox or Mozilla. So, what do you do when there is a need to open ActiveX on a trusted website?

Also, what is your e-mail program?

 

If there is a site that just has to have activeX I will use IE, but only on rare ocassions. The email I use is thunderbird with the pop3 my IP provides. I have used thunderbird for quite a while and I really like the way it works. by the way My primary browser is Opera with firefox and netscape.

bigc

 

Firefox has an extension that, when you come upon a web page that needs IE, just a click and that web page will open up in IE ... pops you right into that page.

Acadia

 

How does that work? I mean, you keep IE and Firefox both installed and make one your default?

 

yes.

i'm not sure if they still do the mozilla browser, but it has an email client. Opera has an email client too. i use it as my POP client, the one i use from my computer. Opera is more secure then firefox, or it has less known holes.

 

You can have as many browsers installed as you want, four or five, or even more if you want.

Acadia

 

I never thought of that. What's a good e-mail program to use with Firefox? Eudora Pro 7? Outlook Express? Something else?

 

seeing as its also made by mozilla, u could try thunderbird. but rele, i have no experience with email client since i use web mail

 

Seems like IE is faster with single page viewing according to this thread:

http://discuss.extremetech.com/forums/1004292531/ShowPost.aspx

 

As bigC already mentioned : Mozilla Thunderbird. I use it myself and I'm very satisfied with it.
Safer and faster than MS Outlook Express or MS Outlook 200x.
I don't want MS Outlook anymore, since I use Thunderbird.
Thunderbird has also an anti-spam function, although not everybody likes it, but it was enough for me.

One more thing about spam : IGNORE/DELETE them without even opening/reading them.
Spam-emails are created for three reasons : they want your money or personal data or infect you.
A good spam-email does NOT exist.

 

The problem is spam isn't always spam. How could just looking at it cause a problem?

 

iirc, viewing spam could trigger a worm or script

 

Even while using NOD32?

 

It's possible useing any antivirus to be infected

 

also you should always configure your email client to Read in Plain Text only, and get rid of the Preview Pane, tha way even if you click on an email, nothing can happen. Just right click and delete or simply click/hold/drag to Trash/Deleted Folder and make sure you also have your email client configured so that it empties the 'Trash/Deleted Folder' on exit of the program.

I personally use Mozilla's Thunderbird myself along with Firefox.

TAS

PS: If you are wondering how to read email after Preview Pane is turned off, simply double clicking on emails you are confident of will bring up a separate window in any email client giving you the full message.

 

Any email from an unknown source is considered by me as spam and the contents (innocent or not) doesn't interest me.
I didn't ask for these emails. Why should I read them ?
One thing I know for sure, these spammers have stolen my email-address and I hate people, who steal my email-address.
So they don't deserve my attention at all.

I really wonder what kind of spam-emails you receive, that aren't spam to you.
Maybe you have another definition of spam.

 

I'm going by reports in reviews of anti-spam programs that send valid e-mail into the spam folder, and they can delete valid e-mail as well.

 

I have in Thunderbird an address book.
Any email from the people in my address book will never be considered as spam by Thunderbird.
Thunderbird has a special settings for this.
So all these emails are safe and remain in my inbox.

The rest of my emails are checked by Thunderbird and marked as spam and when the email isn't marked as spam, I do it manually to teach Thunderbird what I consider as spam.
The email-address and subject line is always enough for me to recognize spam.

 

Getting back to Firefox Why would it be considered better than IE if all I'm mainly interested in is using one web window?

According to what I've read, IE is faster than Firefox when using one window, and IE supposedly uses less resources when comparing both using one window.

Any comments on the above?

Next question is how much of a security difference is there between the two? The activeX thing is not an issue because IE will not download activeX unless I give approval.

 

Use FF for many reasons:

Good browser.

Safe (er)

Configurable. Ridiculously easy to install and run.

Tabs are wonderful (soon to be copied in IE)

Open source: contribute to breaking M'soft's monopoly. Independent app from OS.

Make web page authors (especially Banks and Gvt. sites)code correctly, securely, and not give head in the sand support by default to Microsoft

Fantastic support from community. (compare to m'soft !!)

You will see on this forum many independent thinkers and users all have strong opinions re "best" browser. You could always explore some of the other options.

Good Luck.

 

Speed depends on so many things, that any discussion is useless.
You have to try softwares yourself and when it works well on YOUR computer, keep it. If not, try another one.
I'm tired of my actual SLOW computer, so I ordered a new one, ready for any software in the next 5 years.
I'm tired of too many security softwares on my computer, so I will use ShadowUser in the future.
I'm tired of re-installing my harddisk, so I will use image backup to re-install my harddisk.
That's the way I fix my problems and each member has his own ways to fix his problems.

I don't use Firefox (FF) for security reasons or speed, I use FF because it's the most comfortable browser for me. I like the UNIQUE Find-in-this-page function and some FF extensions. This is all so VERY PERSONAL, that you can discuss any computer issue with other members, until you die.
That's why I'm reading forums, like Wilders for more than a year to find my own way.
The only other way for me is to become an experienced security analyst myself, but I'm too old for this.
So I learn from all these knowledgeable members at Wilders every day, but I make my OWN choices, because I have a brain too.

MSIE is integrated in Windows and has more SERIOUS security holes than any other browser and that makes your OS more vulnerable.
Any security expert will tell you more, but I don't need to know more, because I wouldn't understand the details.
Any gecko based browser is safer than MSIE and Firefox is one of them.
According my readings Opera is at this moment the safest one, but being the safest one is a matter of DATES.

 

Have a look here;
http://secunia.com/
for
IE
FFox &
Opera

http://img377.imageshack.us/img377/5051/secunia7rk.jpg

 

...and how critical were those risks....

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/8418/secunia23nt.jpg

 

bigbuck,
Thanks for the links !!! I stored them this time on my computer forever.
Nice post too and an excellent overview for everybody.

 

Cheers. Opera here.....and BTW Opera also has that unique find in this page thing.