What web browser do you use?

[RTK]

I use both Firefox and IE 6. Can't say that I have noticed a speed difference either? I normally use Firefox, but I use IE when I need access to certain toolbar additions.

Soquili / Nuno - I googled browser speed differences between the two after reading your posts... Found the below extensive tests (someone obviously has too much time on their hands... )

http://www.howtocreate.co.uk/browserSpeed.html

Conclusion from this test (didn't really read it mind you...) - Firefox is not faster...

Personal opinion - I have more important issues in my life to pay attention too than if my web browser saves me seconds (or what have you) of surfing time per day. It's as important to me as if I would pay attention to which hand I scratch myself with most often...

To me it's usability - with the extra junk I have installed for IE - Firefox feels cleaner and more relaxed.

Risto

[Soquili]

Thanks Risto. I appreciate you taking the time to find that information.

I was afraid I was doing something wrong and not giving FireFox a fair evaluation. The test results in your link match very close to my own.

Subjective opinions appear to make some software more appealing.

[Stuart Tetley]

I use Firefox most of the time, occasionally using IE when I come across a problem with compatibility (which is quite rare - usually a problem in FF occurs just the same in IE.)

IE7 is not an option for me, as I use Windows 2000 and see no compelling reason at present to switch to XP - 2000 does what I need, and I have 3rd party products that do all the XP stuff and better.

Eventually, Windows 2000 security support will stop; at this point, Mac OS X is most likely where I'm heading.

[vaXzine]

I use Firefox and Flock both on WindowsXP...

[Nuno]

This is a difficult thing to evaluate as you all know, and we can see many studies, but in the end, we must stay with what we really feel works better in our case. I really dislike zealots, that say "mine is better" and never hear others opinions. What I say is only my personal opinion as an user. I have both browsers here, and I really disliked when I was forced to go to IE 6... and remember that I dropped my browser project, after much invested money, because I didn't want to have a product that relied in IE...

When I said quicker I added that it depends in the number of pages opened. I sometimes have 30 or 40 sites opened at the same time. Doing that at IE was a pain. I remember it well, it wasn't not so long ago...

As for the software patches, you are right, but we know that many systems aren't up to date. But the most important thing is: IE has more vulnerability problems because it has a bigger user base, so it's a better target for hackers. So Firefox was safer because of that. Not because of the better code, but because it wasn't a target in the past.

Now IE 7 is a big jump ahead of IE 6, but I will continue to use Firefox. You know why? Because Mozilla really made an effort in making a better browser, and I think I should reward them for that.
Microsoft almost forgot browser development for years. It was smaller companies like MyIE2 / Maxthon, and I, that where trying to make it instead of IE's creator. IE 7 was only launched separately, instead of bundled with Vista, because they finally saw that they should do something, or loose their market share.

Whooo, nice exchange of point of views we have here. I almost don't have any free time, not even for billing my clients, but I've spent some time writing this for you. I really care

[GeoBen]

I use FireFox.

I prefer the interface, the 'vanilla' nature w/o a load of 'features' that i dont want and never use.

I like its extensibility. The scrapbook extension alone is worth switching for.

I AM an anti-MS zealot. I began desktop computing on a CPM machine and when MS-DOS came out, I was a big Gates fan. But i abhor greedheads, monopolists and people who insist on doing my thinking for me. MS has done more to promote home computing as well as more to restrict the nature of home computing than anyone. I still use windows, though XP will be my last version.... on to Linux/KDE as soon as XaraLinux catches up... it is the only app w/o a comparable linux version that i am wedded to. I use no other MS products.

Firefox maintains externally defined, USER defined standards. My web pages are all 100% W3C compatible and use no external plugins (no.... not even Flash). People are happy with IE7, but Mozilla is still several steps ahead. PNG? Hell.... Firefox 2 is SVG ready now. This being a vector graphics based forum, i would think we could all appreciate that. Firefox's biggest difficulty is overcoming the complacency of IE users... what good is it to include native "anti-aliased rendering, pattern and gradient fills, sophisticated filter-effects, clipping to arbitrary paths, text and animations" in a fully W3C compatible, open library (XML) based browser when most people prefer IE... whose latest version is only 5 or 6 years out of date.

yes.... i am a zealot.

geo.

I have tried the others (Opera would be my second best nominee).

[Intbel]

I use Crazy Browser for two reasons:

1. Multiple pages (tabbed)
2. In favourites folder it puts everything in alphabetical order.

[Unregistered]

I use AOL9 vr - IE7 - firefox 2 and can't see why i require another as these three borwsers are ample fo ranyone needs. As for a browser that shells IE ??? Whats the point yo umay aswell stay with IE !!!

At the end of the day it is user preference and as like many people IE over shadows others and ALL websites reconise this and so therefore you are more or less guaranteed a far more steady broswe with IE than the likes of Opera. Now security wise you maybe thinking >> If you can tell me which browser is 100% safe then i will buy the company never mind have it on all my pc's/

cheers www.xphelpgroup.com

[Unregistered]

i have loved firefox since i started with it a few months ago. only in the last few days i had problems with it after downloading from smartertools.com a stats utility, that seems to have screwed my firefox beyond repair... ie still works as crappy as it ever did, and i downloaded opera just yesterday and love it for its elegance, simplicity, and light feet; but alas, it seems to have some problems interacting with certain sites, one of them being my vdeck, which doesn't respond to it properly on certain executions. i love that it will read website text aloud to you, thought that kind of feature was a long way off for a free utility. i've been toying with seamonkey for a couple of weeks, and it's pretty cool; rather spartan, but with a few good punch features. i'm really trying to work up to a total switch to linux, which means, i guess, that i will have a whole new set of browsers to play with. yippie.

[Availor]

Well well well... looks like Firefox is winning, so who's the "smart guy" who said that 98% of all computers use Internet Explorer? Maybe it was Billy boy? I don't think he's a very objective person for that matter.... next thing he's going to claim that 98% of people use windows media player (NOT)