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#17412 by Littlejohn
23 Jan 2007, 13:48
Having got a nice shiny new PC (not a Mac in case anyone is wondering) I instantly downloaded Firefox so that I could could enjoy the full internet experience that is Mozilla. But....then I discovered the PC has IE7 on it.

Now I know there is a risk of this being a bit like Airbugs versus Boating, but which would it be for you - IE7 or FF2? For my money:

1) You can put Icons for your favorites in the tools section of FF, but cannot on IE.
2) But IE comes pre-loaded with a spell checker
3) IE has lots of useful buttons on like autolink, send to, Gmail and Finance. I could see the translator being useful too.
4) IE has pop up and phishing filters built in.
5) IE has Add-in too
6) They seem about the same speed.
7) IE is made by that great guy and all round good egg Bill Gates, whereas FF is made by a company that sounds like a gorilla.

Since I was introduced to FF I have been a great fan. But I can now feel myself moving back towards IE. Do I have a problem? Should I go see a doctor?
#156432 by mitchja
23 Jan 2007, 14:02
IE7 all the way here :)

1) IE does this automatically for you or you can do this manually

I've never really liked the way tabs work on FF, the tabs are much more stream-lined and just easier to use in IE.

My only gripe with IE (well not really related but..) is Outlook Express. It's in need of an update, athough it's gone in Vista and replaced with Windows Mail but I would still like the option of minimising it to the notification area as an icon in the corner next to your clock like MS Outlook does so you can leave it open all the time and not take up space on your taskbar.

The way the text on websites is displayed is also much better with IE. The fonts are clearer and more defined.

Running for cover with my flame-proof jacket on ;)

Regards
#156441 by VS075
23 Jan 2007, 14:40
Firefox all the way for me!

The problem with IE7 is that there are still bugs within the program as well as its own security problems, which Firefox is totally free of.

I converted from IE6 to Firefox a few months back and have since upgraded to Firefox 2 and refused IE7 for my laptop during a recent round of Windows Update.

Is there a doctor on board today? ;)
#156446 by Scrooge
23 Jan 2007, 14:56
I would have to go for FF2, the last version I had some issues with, but 2 seems to be rock solid. Like most things in life it's down to personal preference, I find the layout of IE7 to darn confusing, give me big simple icons to press any day.
#156448 by HighFlyer
23 Jan 2007, 14:59
Well you know my answer ... :)

Just a few pointers ...

IE comes pre-loaded with a spell checker, pop up and phishing filters built in.


So does Firefox 2.0.

I've never really liked the way tabs work on FF, the tabs are much more stream-lined and just easier to use in IE.


Same for me but with IE. You cant rearrange the tabs in IE for God's sake! You can change how/where the tabs are in Firefox and how you want them to close, either with a cross on each tab, at the end of the row of tabs or by clicking each tab. Would take Redmond years to come up with that add-on ;)

The way the text on websites is displayed is also much better with IE. The fonts are clearer and more defined.


And dig the resource hog that is ClearType to achieve it. ;)

At the end of the day, each to their own. I can see this one going on to a huge row that is really unwarranted. I dont like Internet Explorer as its a non-standards compliant browser that has aspects i do not like, such as ActiveX, which i feel are gaping security holes, and IE has become renowned as a huge security threat with the constant bugs and holes in the program. They might as well go back to the drawing board .... i mean Mosaic!

IE7 is a huge improvement on IE6 in some areas such as tabbed browsing. In return, the interface has changed a lot, too much for some home users to feel comfortable.

Firefox is probably the most customisable browser out there. If you dont like a part of it, chances are you can change it, and if not, someone will be working on an add-on for it that you can find on the development site. Firefox also grows with its user feedback and is constantly being updated in increments. You dont have to wait 5 years to get tabs! :)

At the end of the day, its only a browser - use the one you feel works for you!

Thanks,
Sarah
#156453 by Littlejohn
23 Jan 2007, 15:10
Originally posted by mitchja


1) IE does this automatically for you or you can do this manually


How?
Originally posted by highflyer
So does Firefox 2.0.

I thought you had to load spell checker as an add on. But I look again, and you are right. I think I would have to admit that FF beats IE here, as from what I can see you have to run the spell check in IE (c/f FF where it highlights spooling errors ottomatikly).
Originally posted by highflyer
which i feel are gaping security holes
But I don't visit those sorts of sites so no security hole for me. In fact I only seem to go to multimap, ebay and some site called britflyer.

Agree about the interface change. The first time I looked I just closed it down with in seconds - too much too soon.
#156460 by HighFlyer
23 Jan 2007, 15:23
There are actually quite a lot of comparisons and reviews online which are very fair:

ZDNet.co.uk

Winner: Firefox 2

Firefox 2 still rules the browser roost for now, despite a much improved version of Internet Explorer. The most obvious new feature for IE 7 (tabs) has been in Firefox forever, and the security additions from Microsoft aren't enough for us to allay concerns over new possible exploits. Lastly, the extensibility of Firefox 2 is its knockout punch, and IE's add-ons cannot compare. The flexibility and customisability of Firefox might be best suited to more advanced Web users, but it has earned its spot at the top of the browsers.


PC World Review

Of the two rivals, Firefox remains the better application. Since IE users will have to adjust to a new layout and interface anyway, this might be a good time to give Firefox a try, then watch IE 8 play catch-up again in five years.


These two have Firefox as the winner, but are fair in raising all the good points and improvements in IE7.

Thanks,
Sarah
#156493 by MarkJ
23 Jan 2007, 18:27
IE7 - tried em both and preferred IE7

As Sarah says - "so what" - use what you feel comfy with and as ever have a look at what else is out there to keep yourself up to date!!
#156557 by RichardMannion
23 Jan 2007, 23:00
Originally posted by VS075

The problem with IE7 is that there are still bugs within the program as well as its own security problems, which Firefox is totally free of.


You are on drugs right? Totally free of?
#156585 by catsilversword
24 Jan 2007, 06:44
I still haven't downloaded IE7 - would love to, but people I know have done (all of whom use BT as their ISP) - and thenhave had their machinery crash and die and be largely unrecoverable. Down to something BT haven't done, apparently. I'm very apprehensive of even trying....[:0]
#156588 by p17blo
24 Jan 2007, 08:37
Are you having a laugh? Is he having a laugh?
But on a serious note IE missed the boat, by about 2 or 3 years and made IE7 pretty much in the image of FF.

Everything you have said for IE can be said for FF. You may have to find the plug in but they ARE available.

The only downside I see for FF is some pages are built correctly but this is mainly down to website coders not writing pages to an agreed standard, but even then FF has the ability to open up a tab and display pages using the IE engine - Can FF do that - And don't even bother coming back with 'It doesn't need to' or 'Why would you want to do that'.

FF all the way in my book.

Paul
#156596 by MarkJ
24 Jan 2007, 09:56
Originally posted by p17blo

The only downside I see for FF is some pages are built correctly but this is mainly down to website coders not writing pages to an agreed standard, but even then FF has the ability to open up a tab and display pages using the IE engine - Can FF do that - And don't even bother coming back with 'It doesn't need to' or 'Why would you want to do that'.


Hmm - Im not sure I understood that last bit!!
#156598 by Littlejohn
24 Jan 2007, 09:59
I think what is meant is that on FF some sites do not display correctly, but that you can always use the IE engine to correct the problem
#156603 by Scrooge
24 Jan 2007, 10:07
Originally posted by sailor99
I think what is meant is that on FF some sites do not display correctly, but that you can always use the IE engine to correct the problem


Yeah there are some sites that FF have issues with, I just use IE for those very few sites that FF has issues with.

One thing I have noticed is that the FF spell check has issues with the english spelling of words, such as colour, damn yank programmers [:p]

you can get around this by adding this extension

https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/dict ... lang=en-US
#156610 by Scrooge
24 Jan 2007, 10:34
Also this is a nice site for FF2 tweaks link
#156622 by HighFlyer
24 Jan 2007, 11:04
Firefox adheres to the W3C standards - these are 'rules' if you like on how websites should be coded. W3C is headed up by the chap that wrote the original URL, HTML and HTTP language specifications.

IE does not follow these rules, it abides by its own coding, and worse, creates Microsoft websites to the same poor standard. This is the only reason that some web pages do not display properly in Firefox, Safari, Opera and other browsers. Its not the browsers at fault, its down to poor programmers creating sites for display on IE and not to W3C standards. (Convening to W3C rules allows websites to be read by screen readers for disabled people, and lots of other crucial areas, hence the importance for a standard).

But - as others have said, you can download an IE Tab for Firefox that will display pages as IE does (it uses the IE engine) and you can also add-in the 'User Agent Switcher' which tells the website what browser you are using. You can use this to tell the website you are using IE and it will display appropriately.

I really cannot see any legitimate reason for using IE if you are an everyday home Internet user. Nobody in my office uses IE, we have no need to.

Thanks,
Sarah
#156624 by mcmbenjamin
24 Jan 2007, 11:11
FireFox - Not Microsoft. Has a spell checker
#156627 by Littlejohn
24 Jan 2007, 11:17
Originally posted by mcmbenjamin
FireFox - Not Microsoft. Has a spell checker
Microsoft has one, but FF has an add in you have to find[:w] But for my money the FF one works better.
#156632 by HighFlyer
24 Jan 2007, 11:25
Originally posted by sailor99
Microsoft has one, but FF has an add in you have to find[:w] But for my money the FF one works better.


No, in version 2.0 of Firefox the dictionary is included, you do not have to download it - Jeremy, you may be getting confused from when we were running the Beta, where you did have to manually add the dictionary.

Firefox 2.0 *should* come with en-US and en-UK, but if you only have the en-US dictionary you can add in en-uk or any other language from the Dictionaries page

Thanks,
Sarah
#156633 by Littlejohn
24 Jan 2007, 11:28
Originally posted by HighFlyer
Jeremy, you may be getting confused from when we were running the Beta, where you did have to manually add the dictionary.
Yes I am. I did not realise the non-beta version was out, and am still working with the beta.

One thing that is a marginal annoyance on FF, and I am sure Sarah is going to tell me how to sort it (although I may not understand!), is that when you click on one of Pete's 'open thread in a new page' mega-thursels, FF does not recognise the new page bit.
#156636 by HighFlyer
24 Jan 2007, 11:48
when you click on one of Pete's 'open thread in a new page' mega-thursels, FF does not recognise the new page bit.


Come again? When you click on anything, it should open in a new tab - is that what you mean?

Thanks,
Sarah
#156649 by Littlejohn
24 Jan 2007, 13:28
Yes, that's what I mean, and it doesn't.
#156653 by BelfastFlyer
24 Jan 2007, 13:35
I've found IE7 takes a while to start up sometimes, Firefox works like clockwork though. It still shocks me how many sites aren't firefox compatable these days!
#156669 by HighFlyer
24 Jan 2007, 15:02
Originally posted by sailor99
Yes, that's what I mean, and it doesn't.


Is it opening in a new window of its own? If so, it's either how you have your tabs set up in options, or the web page code is specifically telling it to launch a new page, which is odd as Firefox generally deals with 'target=blank' pages by sticking them in a new tab.

PM me specifics (as in which URL's/links) and i'll take a look :)

Thanks,
Sarah
#156736 by VS075
24 Jan 2007, 19:55
Originally posted by RichardMannion
You are on drugs right? Totally free of?


Was meant to say that Firefox is free of the bugs that harm IE7, but yes Firefox does have its own set of bugs.

And what is everyone's problem on here saying that I'm on drugs? I've already been accused by GJ of taking crack cocaine and now a mod has joined in.[:0] I think I'll go off and cry now!
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