Mozilla or Internet Explorer?

Currently, the craz is EVERYONE DOWNLOAD MOZILLA IS AMAZING!!

Internet Explorer all of a sudden is getting trashed, because many people are making the move to Mozilla.

As of now, I have Mozilla installed on my computer, but I was wondering what the General Opinion is:


MOZILLA FIREFOX or INTERNET EXPLORER

 

Try here; http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=firefox or internet explorer&btnG=Google Search&meta=
Or search this forum.

 

I only use IE for windows updates.......otherwise I use Firefox exclusively.

 

The major problem with IE and its 'security' is that it's deeply integrated within WinDoZe. In fact, IE, OE & O share the same HTML rendering engine which is a core feature of the Win operating system. Mozilla (and, hence, Firefox) are not integrated to the same extent (being 3rd party 'addons') so if something should adversely effect them it does not necessarily effect the operating system.

Very few (if any) security professionals use IE for this very reason. In fact, very few security professionals use WinDoZe, unless it's all they have available to them at their place of work. Linux & Unix are considerably more secure and infinitely more configurable.

 

I would strongly recommend mozilla firefox rather than Internet Explorer.

 

I read in an RSS feed I subscribe to about a recent SANS conference survey:

When using Windows, which browser do you use for everyday browsing?

Firefox --- 67%
Opera ---- 10%
IE -------- 12%
Other ----- 11%

Of course, these are all IT/Security professionals.

 

And clearly "in the know" about such things.

 

First, just a suggestion, be carefull when you say Mozillia, as there still is a browser being used called strickly "Mozillia". Thats why they changed the name of the newest version to Firefox, but it can still be confusing.

I recommend everyone use Firefox. I spend most of my day online, and surfing the internet(looking up quotes, and prices for different customers). I have never had Firefox crash on me, where as crashes where every common in IE.

As OneStep pointed out, IE and OE have issues when it comes to security. Prior to SP2 for Windows XP, ActiveX controll's were often installed by mistake on users computers (They thought they had to have all these ActiveX Control's installed to make their pc work), which opened up their system to different types of viruses, and hackers. Not only that there were often ActiveX exploit's that people took advatage of.

I wouldn't never force someone away from IE, if they are very comfortable with it. Hoever, Firefox does offer some great features that IE doesn't offer. One of which is Tabbed browsing. Probably the best thing since slice bread. It clears up the mess of many different windows opened up at one time. If you aren't on Windows XP with SP2, then your IE doesn't have a built in popup stopper. Firefox does, so you need not worry about that.

If you are looking to change, and just want to try something out.. I say go for it. While your at it, you can also try Thunderbird, Mozillia's replacement app for OE. Its very handy, and simple to use. They also have many differen't plugin's you can get to help make it more robust(spelling?), like a calendar program.

If your still worried about security, and you want to try linux, I say go for it. But I would start with a Knoppix Live CD. Not saying you have to, but OneStep brought it up, so I thought I would share a little more. A live CD doesn't install linux, but rather runs right off the CD. So you can see what its all about, and how it looks/feels.

Good Luck!

 

Wilders members are often suggesting I stop using IE for a number of reasons.

Jimbob

 

Wilders members and most of the rest of the computer world.

 

Even besides the security concerns, alternative browsers tend to be faster and have better functionality. I don't know anyone that's switched and didn't like the alternative better.

 

This decission is pretty clear for a pro.-user.

A 'standard' - user will use IE for sure.. cause its out of the box on every computer. YET

Maybe one day this will change...

 

Me I luuuurv Firefox, I think the whole interface is neater, it is quicker and I just find it more pleasurable to use

It does not suffer from the overload of pretentious behaviour when blocking pop ups etc as IE does.

I think my overall impression of Firefox is it is just better.

Similarly Thunderbird has now replaced Outlook on my machine, yes i have to run a seperate calender, but outlook kept suffering from bizare behaviour so with not a whole load of regret I have relegated it to the rarely run status, and thats just so I can get to my archived stuff.

Perhaps the problem Microsoft has is related to too many legacy systems, if you provide the ubiquitous standard you have to cater for all the older systems as well, and ensure the nice migration paths etc etc. To do that it means your felixibility is restricted, hence perhaps every so often we need a breath of fresh air.

 

Huh? That's news to me. The reason why they changed the name from firebird to firefox was because of a name clash with another open source project (database server).

In any case, post-pheonix, the official name of the browser has always being MOZILLA FIREBIRD or MOZILLA FIREFOX (mozilla reflects the fact that all resources are being channelled into this once backwater project), but most people don't seem to feel the need to mention the full name.

 

When you see all the plugin that enable all kinds of functions in the firefox browser, to help you work on the internet, don't you ever wonder if you still need other applications, even MS Office?

 

When it first started, it was Mozilla, just the broswer. The icon looked like a red dragony thingy. They started a seperate project, FireBird, then they got sued over it, and changed it to FireFox. You can still get the broswer, Mozilla. Even more so, for different linux platforms (Solaris).

For a while, they developed both browsers. They had a road map, and Mozilla the broswer died at a certin version.

 

I use FF again because the latest version 1.0 is much better than the previous ones (which were beleaguered with lousy help files, Java install problems, bookmarking problems, among other things.)

I was using the MYIE2 (now Maxthon) shell for IE for a while, which had tabbed browsing and was actually pretty cool.

But like so many other folks, I wanted to get away from the vulnerabilities of IE and have done so .

BUT- I hear from many experts that now FF will be targeted by the bad guys just like IE was- because it will be worth it now, with so many PCs using it, to write the malware to get into FF.

In other words, I have the understanding that FF isn't really more secure, and will prove to be penetrable, and people will suffer damages just like with IE, more and more, as time goes on.

Is this accurate?
'

 

Mccarob is correct and it can be a source of confusion. Mozilla is still available at http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/ .... All of the energy and publicity has gone to the Firebird/Firefox project. The actual "Mozilla" browser is quite different than Mozilla Firefox.
Gerard

 

These are based on my personal tests, others may have different results.

Tests are based on IESP2, Firefox 1.0 and Opera 7.60p3 over several weeks.
Firefox fans tend to be a little touchy so, NO FLAMING PLEASE!

Security
Opera-Firefox ?
(IESP2 is much improved)

Blocks popups
1. All three

Startup speed
1. IE
2. Opera
3. Firefox
(IE wins, no excuses)

Page load
1. Opera
2. IE
3. Firefox
(tests based on non-cached dialup speed on various websites. FF sometimes freezes or stalls before finishing a page)

Page load (cached)
1. Opera
2. Firefox
3. IE
(Opera wins by a mile)

Customization
1. Opera
2. Firefox
3. IE
(skins are a breeze in Opera, clunky in FF)

Bookmark organization
1. Opera
2. IE
3. Firefox
(Firefox plans impovement in the next release)

Page compatability
1. IE
2. Tie-Opera and Firefox
(IE works everywhere)

Tabs
1. Opera
2. Firefox
3. IE (only with 3rd party programs like Maxthon)
(Opera has better functionality built in)

Gestures
1. Opera
2. IE and FF must use 3rd party programs
(Opera is the only one here to have built in gestures)

Price
1. IE and FF are free
2. Opera is also free (adware, NOT SPYWARE! Spyware by definition is very difficult to remove ie. CoolWebSearch and installs without the user knowing this.)

Misc
IESP2 has greatly improved security and has built in popup blocking. No further major changes are expected until Longhorn is complete. Extra functionality can be added by using 3rd party programs like Maxthon, Avant, Slimbrowser, Greenbrowser, Netcaptor, Crazybrowser, etc.

Firefox (formerly Phoenix and Firebird) has a great many extensions avaiable to increase fuction and usability. Unfortuately with each new build of Firefox, extensions and themes become unusable and must be updated in order to work with the latest build. This should have been fixed a long time ago. A few extensions should be built in, like Mouse Gestures, Tabbrowser Extensions and Adblock. This would add less than 500kb, so bloat is NOT an issue.

Opera is making vast improvments very quickly. In the final release of Opera 7.60, a web accelerating system is to be implemented which delivers up to 6x the speed of the current Opera.

 

Good post Ailric...........even from a firefox fan!
Buck.

 

LOL, I use FF as my main browser but you ain't kidding, embarrasses me sometimes to call myself a FF fan when I see how other fans behave.

But anyway, I would give Opera a try but I have heard that Opera does not have a good AdBlocker, or maybe even no AdBlocker at all, is this true?

Acadia

 

Opera has a popup blocker but no ad blocker built in. There is a free ad blocker available for Opera.
OperaAdFilter

http://www.monroeworld.com/operafilter/index.php

I find it clumsy compared to Firefox with Adblock. I use Ad Muncher so the point is moot for me. Ad Muncher works with everything.

I'm sorry if came came out as a flame waiting to happen. I use all three web browsers, all have good and bad points.

 

Thanks for the info.

Acadia

 

Internet Explorer market share drops below 90 percent in Europe

Link

Chicago (IL) - Mozilla's Firefox browser continues to steal market share form Microsoft's Internet Explorer around the globe. According to a report released by a German Internet advertising firm, Firefox has grown to more than 5.5 percent, while the Internet Explorer drops below 90 percent for the first time in years.