[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Updated Web Browsers: Which One Works Best? here

[Yert]

Good article, and you didn't even forget Opera.

On a side note, now that the Browser Wars are back in full swing, three cheers for competition.

[pcworldbtg]

I prefer Seamonkey for three reasons: integrated browser, email, and editor.
When in the browser, I can email something directly without opening a separate application. I don't like having to deal with multiple apps open when one will do.
When I am in email, I like to be able to jump to the browser to check some info, a URL, or grab some data to inclued in the email.
I use the editor to make a home page and subpages filled with sites I frequent. For example my front page has 15 news sites, auto sites, church and bank sites, travel, tools, shopping, etc. Tool, for example opens a subtable with Lowes, Kmart, Enco, Harbor Freight, etc.
When I find a site I want to add to my list, I copy the url, jump to the table, hit editor, insert the url and descriptive title, then go on about my business. The bookmark feature is not nearly as immediate or powerful as this.
I have tried separate browser and email apps, but they are so cumbersome. The editor function is just not easily available.

[vogon55]

Eh, SeaMonkey isn't mentioned at all, what with Multizilla & Prefbar & all; Opera is faster than the rest of them and has something no one of the mentioned has: paste & go function, to mention just one of its qualities!
With the MS history I wouldn't even consider IE8 - only if you're a great fan of patching! I'm using both Opera and Netscape (now SeaMOnkey) from their beginnings!

[darklightning]

Seamonkey is outdated, insecure and basically an abandoned project of mozilla. Mozilla is the same company that makes Firefox and Netscape reccomends Firefox after they stopped supporting Netscape.

[Darkmonk]

Firefox is superior. It can do ANYTHING with add-ons. I hate it when you talk about features; with add-ons, Firefox can Have them all, and a million better ones too. I think you need to get used to the bookmarks icon in Firefox; I love it, now. Under the hood, Firefox is better, as well.

[pcworldbtg]

Ok, you say it is superior and can do anything. I have downloaded every version of Firefox, Seamonkey, and Safari. I can barely tell the difference in speed, but there is a great difference in utility with the all in one browser. That makes it much faster for me. The Seamonkey team has released numerous upgrades over the past 6 months, so I don't think they are behind at all. Far more usable for me.
Tell me what all the plug-ins are for Firefox that will let it seamlessly go back and forth between browser, email, and editor. I would be interested to know.

[seanbickford]

I'm also glad that Opera was mentioned, but disappointed that it wasn't included in the comparison. Really, truly, in my opinion, there is no reason to use anything else besides Opera. It's not perfect, but it's the best option. It must be disheartening to Opera developers to see Firefox steal all their ideas and get credit for it.

[pcdos]

Agree w/seanbickford, Opera really should've been part of the primary comparisons (it rounds out the top 4 html rendering engines). Flock uses the Firefox (gecko) rendering engine and can generally be considered a tweak (like maxthon and many others).

For less than the size of most other browsers, Opera delivers an email client, RSS, widgets, Password Manager, superb customization, Torrent support, download manager, session support, security and speed (many of these features appeared first on this browser, including tabs). Let's not forget it's top-rated html/css support. It deserves to be included in these comparisons as a primary choice - if only because they've earned the right as unsung leaders with over ten years of hard work in this area. It also happens to be the only browser/company still active after the browser-wars.

It's this kind of never give up spirit while producing a first-class product (for a ton of platforms ever since the early days) that should be recognized.

[jhenz]

I just hope that with all the updates given, web developing companies wouldn't have a hard time with compatibility issues regarding some programming languages. :)

Difference Between Internet Explorer 7 & Firefox 2

[slider9499]

as a user that simply uses a browser to surf the Net, listen to some tunes and watch and download an occasional video - is ther any REAL reason that I would need to switch from IE? Going on the premise that if it ain't broke don't fix it; I really do not have any problems with IE.

As for security issues, I sue Norton and have found it to be very useful in blocing malware and spyware from my PC. I had McAfee and thought it was horrible. It literally let in a worm that totally destroyed my pc annd I needed to completely reinstall my system software.

Although I can see a need to switch if you are a designer or lean more towards the creative side of things, but for the average Internet user, I simply do not see the need to do so.

Would be interested in hear feedback on these comments.

Peace

[pcdos]

slider9499 (Would be interested in hear feedback on these comments),

The last thing I want to get into is a browser argument (they're petty) but I stopped using IE many years ago because of the security issues associated with the browser. It wasn't until Firefox came along and put pressure on Microsoft that the company cared about doing anything related to fixing the browser and updating it to make it more user friendly. A google search will reveal a plethora of warnings, even from government agencies, to stop using IE. A search for ActiveX will also reveal alot more info. If this wasn't enough, they often use their browser to force upgades to their next Operating System or Application since they continue to tie it into the system itself (as oppose to a standalone product). This integration with the OS causes additional security issues.

I'm not saying that the latest iteration of IE is bad (since I don't use IE at all - neither do any of the users I support), only saying that Microsoft's lack of concern for my data and their very long history on how they (don't) treat serious consumer concerns remains the reason why I won't use MS products when given an alternative. In this age where government agencies, big business and hackers are all trying to get to your personal data - I just feel safer using another viable solution. Opera is my choice but don't ever force this on anyone else.

btw, Sliders - one of the best shows ever!

[Evildave]

The biggest reason I would say NOT TO use IE (or Microsoft's mail programs) is compatibility. 100% compatibility with every exploit designed to take over your Microsoft branded OS. 100% compatibility with ActiveX, the worse idea EVER in client software. Someone could write you a nice ActiveX control to delete your partition table and overwrite random sectors on your hard drive until your computer crashed if they wanted. You couldn't prevent it. Years after Microsoft 'fixed' all the bugs that 'let malicious code execute because a picture popped up in your inbox', they're STILL fixing those bugs!

Just staying away from 'odd' sites isn't enough. People go around cracking web sites and redirecting them to the 'odd sites' that look just like the real ones. Most people dismiss that 'I'm about to install a plug in' warning and let it install anything from any site at any time, rendering whatever security has been engineered into the system useless. Especially since it's 'Whack a key' or mouse 'Muscle memory' buttons people are trained to dismiss with endless repetition, like in Vista.

After all these years, people are still writing nasty things that exploit the standard availability of Microsot's 'Address Book' to flood all of your friends and family and coworkers with X-rated spam in your name.


Mix it up a little. It doesn't matter WHAT browser or email client you use (I use Firefox and gmail's web client), as long as it is NOT Microsoft's.

1. Don't use IE, Outlook, Outlook Express, Microsoft Mail, etc. As I said, 100% compatibility with the vast majority of viruses, worms, spyware and all manner of malware. When criminals write this stuff, they save time and money by developing it for the #1 prevalent combination OS, email and browser. It's called a 'monoculture', and they're always bad. Be the 'mutant' that doesn't die from the latest, nastiest blight because he/she ran something different.

2. Don't let ANY browser remember form entries and passwords. Go into the settings and turn that crap OFF! Remember them yourself. If something does get in, your phone number, mailing address and shopping habits will be wide open (you pecked it into dozens of online shopping forms) and your bank password will be appreciated when they crack your uploaded password cache about five minutes after they get it.

3. You don't need different passwords for every site, but you do need different passwords for every IMPORTANT site. Too many people use the same login/password for everything. Is your PC World password as important as your bank password? What happens if 'PC World' gets hacked and the username/password database is compromised? Nothing much. Of course if someone gets their hands on that list and starts trying those user names and passwords on high value web sites like PayPal, Ebay, major etailers like Amazon that remember your credit card, banks, credit card sites, etc., and you use the same login everywhere, chances are good you'll get boned. Change your important passwords!

Reasons to use Firefox...

Well the main one is a nice little setting in "Edit->Preferences->Privacy->Always clear my private data when I close Firefox", with a button to set what to clear (I clear everything, every time). Turn it on. Unlike IE that has historically made inaccessible logs of everything you do with the browser, Firefox can 'forget' your session after you close Firefox. Turn off 'Remember Passwords', too. Nothing can make stored passwords safe. Nothing.

Why would you want it to 'forget' things? Besides visiting off-color web sites? Besides corporate policies for spying on the company's portable PCs? Besides privacy, in case someone pokes around inside my computer? Because the browser can temporarily 'remember' web sites you visited during your current session, accept cookies, remember forms in case of errors, etc., and then when you close it, it will forget - erase everything.

Another nice feature, yeah Add-Ons. Adblock Plus and Adblock Updater, and Flashblock. The internet is so much nicer with these installed. No banner ads, no animations with noisy sound effects popping up in your face after they choke your browser to a crawl. The first two simply filter typical ad sites. You can pay $50 a year to install a proxy server that blocks ads in IE and stays up to date, or you can get a free, simple plugin that doesn't remain running after you close the browser. The Flashblock one replaces Flash content with a button to load and play Flash content on demand. So you go to a web site with a bunch of flash nonsense on it, you can click the big, middle pane with the content you want, or decide "Oh, it's just full of cartoons and has no useful content", like most car company web sites, but you can find that out right away rather than at the end of a 14MB download of crap. Also, if you go to YouTube or LiveLeak, and you spot a dozen interesting things to watch, you can open them ALL in tabs and play them as you get around to the tabs, rather than have the computer choke when it tries to play a dozen videos all at once. A lot less back-button pressing and scrounging around retracing your steps.

All of these plug-ins are free and also have settings to temporarily or permanently 'ignore' certain sites. Some of the AtomFilms based sites break down if the ad-blocker of any sort blocks an ad. AtomFilms COULD simply serve up the ads themselves as part of the movie clips, but no, they choose to have an external and well-recognized ad service inject ads, and have the content quietly fail to play with no explanation.

[hamidasadeni]

where is opera?
(it is faster and better than all of these browsers)

[Evildave]

It was mentioned 10 times alread. It's not faster under Linux. You gotta run it under WINE.

[darklightning]

Tell me proof in a study that Opera is faster. FF3 is better than anything.

[lituus]

Opera has always been a great browser, I've just never been able to get used to it. 9.5 beta is shaping out to be pretty good. Historically, Opera is faster at implementing standards support and innovative new features.
I hated IE6 & tried Firefox2, but was never happy with it. At the time, I would use Opera; later when IE7 was released, I switched to it & stayed there primarily because of the add-on IE7Pro. Recently I gave Safari 3.1 a whiz, & it felt amazingly snappy (fast/responsive). I almost gave up on IE7 due to the increase in speed. But, I couldn't replicate IE7Pro functionality or use a Phishing filter (although it slows down browsing). What's made me kick off from IE7 is Firefox 3. Much faster than FF2, much prettier, addressbar, bookmarks are amazing. Feels as snappy as Safari 3.1. Goodbye, IE :-<
now, wait a minute: I still installed IE8 beta, and look forward to how it shapes up eventually. C'mon Microsoft, try hard and make IE8 worthwhile in time...

[Knifeblade]

All I know is the 3 beta is still too buggy for me, so I reverted back to 2.0

[GaryY]

I use avant browser it loads faster than all of them i've tried all and avant is easier to use.and faster on cable than the rest

[slider9499]

All good points. But as I mentioned, I NEVER had any major problems, security or otherwise with IE. Now I know it is fashionable to beat up on MS, but in reality they do make great products that work - at least for me they do. For what I use the Net for, I simply do not the benefit of switching to a different browser at this time. I will take a closer look at Opera 'cause it does sound very interesting. I did try Firefox and Mozilla and just could not get used to them, even after several weeks of exclusively usingthem.



I appreciate all the information.



Peace