Browser options

MichiganRed · 15-01-2005, 00:39

After doing a bit of research on different browsers, I would like to get some opinons from those of you who might have experience using them.

I have read quite a bit about Firefox but am somewhat gun shy because of the extensions (many people report that they are buggy and difficult to install) and the Mozilla connection. Granted, my experience with Mozilla is limited to Netscape Navigator, which in my book equals spyware, so perhaps my fears in that area are groundless. Since my computer skills seem to fall quite a bit short of "Expert" status, deciphering and using the multitude of available extensions is a bit worrying.

I have also looked at others such as Avant and Maxthon but they seem to be nothing more than front ends for Internet Explorer tarted up with some flashy plug-ins that do nothing to eliminate the inherent insecurities of IE.

Opera seems to be a rather solid program but I'm not too keen on forking over $40 just to surf the 'Net. Yes, I know there is a freeware version, but trying to browse through the advertisements would, quite frankly, drive me insane.

Any additional options or information/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Beccas_Baby · 15-01-2005, 04:20

the opera freeware version is rather good michigan, i use the freeware version of opera and it's not the confusing to be honest.

entwisi · 15-01-2005, 10:12

Mozilla has never had spyware connections. With Netscape you did get Real Player which was bundled as an option which is reknown for it.

Firefox is superb. Out of the box it supports Tabbed browsing Pop up stopper etc. The extentions are very easy to install and to be honest most people just get the ad-block extention and maybe Tab preferences. I woul dheartily recommend getting it. Remember it is OPen Source so if you feel that strongly you can even check the source code to see if there is any spyware in there. However, if there was it would be spalshed all over the net and it qute simply isn't.

Some people like Opera, I never seem to gel with it. The ads aren't that intrusive and as long as you are on BB then it won't slow down your browsing.

If you read many other threads you will find that I don't use Windows so I have futher options available to me. Most browsing is done in Konqueror(Part of the KDE suite) although I love Dillo as a lightning fast but low spec tool. I have also been known to use Lynx(command line tol).

HTH, HAND

MichiganRed · 15-01-2005, 22:57

Thanks for the responses. I've decided to give Firefox a go on my laptop (not used for much more than surfing the 'Net anyway so won't be much trouble to put right if something goes amiss). I'll let you know how I get on.

vorlon24 · 16-01-2005, 19:47

The only problems I have encountered with Firefox is that it won't work with an application I use for my job, and it is not compatible with Unipass, so I am still having to use good ol' ie6...

jamesicus · 05-12-2006, 04:42

Of course, what are being discussed here are Graphical Browsers -- and the most popular ones at that. There are other User Agents (Browsers) used on the Internet -- Textual Browsers, Screen Readers, Speech Synthesizers, Braille Interpreters, etc. Here is an overview:

http://jp29.org/ua.htm

Following is a tabulation that depicts the number of extant Graphical Browsers in use:

http://www.w3.org/People/mimasa/test...-types/results

Following is a tabulation of the current market share for Graphical Browsers -- read the caveats:

http://www.upsdell.com/BrowserNews/stat.htm

BTW, Microsoft does not recognize XHTML documents served as content (MIME) type application/xhtml+xml. for MSIE 6.0/7.0. Their stated rationale is set forth at:

http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2005/09/15/467901.aspx

The foregoing decision by Microsoft has had a profound effect on the usage of XHTML as outlined at:

http://jp29.org/test.php

entwisi · 05-12-2006, 08:06

seems a strange thread to resurrect?

BTW, just goes to show how times change as well,

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

Some people like Opera, I never seem to gel with it. The ads aren't that intrusive and as long as you are on BB then it won't slow down your browsing.

That was the, Opera has been free of ads for some time now and it is pretty much teh only browser I use now. At work under Windows, at home in Linux. Its a well spec'd stable piece of software.

WillowTheWhisp · 05-12-2006, 08:14

Lol I hadn't looked at the date of the earlier posts and was just thinking that Opera is ad free! I still tend to stick to FireFox though.

jamesicus · 05-12-2006, 08:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

seems a strange thread to resurrect?

Yes, it was something I came across when I was browsing the Forum for areas of interest to me during the Adelaide Test tea break -- just passing the time away -- now after the match result I wish I would have turned off my PC and gone to bed!

James

KIPAX · 05-12-2006, 14:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesicus

I wish I would have turned off my PC and gone to bed!

been there , done that, havent we all

jamesicus · 05-12-2006, 15:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Lol I hadn't looked at the date of the earlier posts and was just thinking that Opera is ad free! I still tend to stick to FireFox though.

Firefox has had some problems along the way but it is now a really excellent standards compliant graphical Browser (my own choice) -- especially for Web authors and developers. The drop-down tool and information menus are invaluable IMO.

Opera is also a first rate Graphical Browser, as is Mozilla.

James

KIPAX · 05-12-2006, 16:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesicus

Firefox has had some problems along the way but it is now a really excellent standards compliant graphical Browser (my own choice) -- especially for Web authors and developers.

eeererm excuse me?

As a web developer I want to see what 90% of people on the internet see.. therefore I use IE. Whats the point of only seeing it in what maybe 10% (at most) of the internet use..

jamesicus · 05-12-2006, 16:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by KIPAX

eeererm excuse me?

As a web developer I want to see what 90% of people on the internet see.. therefore I use IE. Whats the point of only seeing it in what maybe 10% (at most) of the internet use..

Graphical Browser market share has changed considerably over the past year:

http://www.upsdell.com/BrowserNews/stat.htm

Web developers and authors maintain an array of Browsers (graphical, textual, screen readers, et al.) available in order to check the function of their documents (Web pages). And, of course, if documents are composed using validated (to standard DTDs) HTML Markup and Cascading Style Sheets, then interoperability -- correct rendering in all Browsers -- is assured.

James

KIPAX · 05-12-2006, 16:20

I agree with your last paragraph.. so doesnt that validate my argument against your first post saying developers prefer X,Y browser?

As for site stats... This from the very site your offer us re stats..

Quote:

Caution: stats mislead. Caching distorts raw data; audiences vary for each site; methodologies vary for each survey; surveys miss or omit important details; surveys mis-identify browsers or other user agents; small sample sizes exaggerate fluctuations; and stats don't count those who stay away because their browsers are not supported.

jamesicus · 05-12-2006, 16:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by KIPAX

I agree with your last paragraph.. so doesnt that validate my argument against your first post saying developers prefer X,Y browser?

As for site stats... This from the very site your offer us re stats..

I didn't say. or mean to imply, that Web developers as a whole prefer any particular graphical Browser -- only that Firefox is my personal choice. I have no argument with your premise -- it is a matter of personal preference and choice.

Yes, indeed, graphical Browser usage stats are to be examined and digested with the caveats to which I referred always in mind. But one thing is clear: the days when MSIE could claim 90% (or so) of graphical Browser share are long gone.

James