I know this kind of overlaps the thread in Ask an Expert, but I wanted to created a more comprehensive browser poll and resource as well as pitch the poll to a more 'mainstream' audience in General Chat.

Here are a list of the main IE rival browsers with links for you to try them out if you fancy a change:

Firefox 1.02: http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/

Netscape 7.2: http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp (version 8.0 beta also available)

Avant Browser 10.0 (uses IE): http://www.avantbrowser.com/download.html

Maxthon 1.2.1 (uses IE): http://www.maxthon.com/download.htm

Opera 7.54: http://www.opera.com/download/?platform=windows

Mozilla 1.7.5: http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/

Slim Browser 4.04.004: http://www.flashpeak.com/download.php

Deepnet Explorer 1.4.1: http://www.deepnetexplorer.com/download.asp

I think that covers the main browsers. Feel free to add further ones. IE currently commands just under 90% of the global market share but Firefox is becoming increasingly popular. Which do you use and why?

Looks like you were right t020 - IE is getting a bigger share here in the "wider audience" section than the similar thread in ask an expert.

Out of that list I've tried: Maxthon, Avant, IE, Firefox, Mozilla and Netscape (years ago). Firefox is my browser of choice but I'm not going to pretend to be an IT security expert, I just like it.

Well you know what i'm going to say t020 :).

Firefox is the one for me every time, although i have spent some time recently playing with Maxthon and i must say it is quite good for a IE skin!.
It offers lots of options that Firefox has such as tabbed browsing, pop up blocker and it has lots of nice looking skins available. I also find it pretty fast too!.
It's only just slower than Firefox, and that's after Firefox has been tweaked :thumbsup:

I use IE, just because it easy to use and pretty hassle free. Tried Mozilla but i seriously couldn't get on with it. Opera was pretty good tho.

I'm a Firefox fan. I couldn't live without my tabbed browsing and ******* plugin. :thumbsup:

I still use IE as my online banking won't work with anything else but that's the one and only site I use it for.

I use firefox for most things now, its my main browser, I just love tabbed browsing! its the best thing since sliced bread!

unfortunatly I still have to use IE for the odd site, lately thats only the forums chat, which seems to randomly crash firefox, not sure if thats something wrong with firefox or the chat software?

RE: tabbed browsing, Avant browser uses tab browsing and has been around longer than Firefox (Mozilla probably stole the idea). It also has a decent pop-up and ad blocker. As it is a shell for IE it still uses IE so you won't have any compatibility issues either.

I use the latest version of IE with Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Meh, it serves my purpose... Although the pop up stopper can be intrusive at times.

I use Firefox. I can honestly say that since I switched to Firefox I have had no trouble from pop-ups and those things where your home page changes or you keep getting re-directed to a casino or something. I haven't had a single alert from the anti-virus either since I switched, I used to get at least a couple every week.

firefox is good, no popups and tabbed browsing etc. the fact that some sites still don't support it is a constant annoyance, but i'm too lazy to change.

Originally posted by t020
I think that covers the main browsers. Feel free to add further ones.


How? It says "Edit Poll (Moderators only)"

Fresco and Oregano.

Originally posted by jgharston
How? It says "Edit Poll (Moderators only)"

Fresco and Oregano.

Add other suggestions in the thread, not the poll. Polls can only go up to 10 options anyway and it's at 9, plus only mods can edit them. What are Fresco and Oregano like? URLs?

Originally posted by Rich
I use the latest version of IE with Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Meh, it serves my purpose... Although the pop up stopper can be intrusive at times.

** SHOCK HORROR **

** STOP THE PRESS **

** HOLD THE FRONT PAGE **

Rich posts in a thread started by t020 ... and there is a distinct absense of derogatory language aimed at t020 (did you forgot to mention 'eccleshall' Rich?).

That has to be a first !!!?

:P

I use Firefox Myself. May give Opera a go. Does anyone know if Firefox and Opera have bookmarks compatability?

Originally posted by Jamie
I use Firefox Myself. May give Opera a go. Does anyone know if Firefox and Opera have bookmarks compatability?

Yep, they both have bookmarks and i 'think' you can transfer your old bookmarks straight over in both of them too ;)

I use firefox because it's never crashed on me and actually works faster than IE did :)

As a Mac user I've been using Safari (which is very good), but recently tried Firefox and like it a lot. Refuse to use IE if I can get away with it.

Yeah, where's Safari in the poll, I'm sure most of the Mac users on here use it. I use Safari some of the time but mainly Firefox these days, it really does rule!

Originally posted by t020
What are Fresco and Oregano like? URLs?

Oregano at http://www.castle.org.uk/oregano/oregano2.htm

I feel like waking a few polls up today, those I havent voted on only.

I use Firefox as its alot better than IE, and you can config it as well to your own needs.

Must admit some of the choices I have not heard of so better go take a look at them.

I started with tabbed browsing in Opera, and liked it so much I actually shelled out to buy the ad-free copy. Now, of course, thanks to people like me ;) you cn pick up opera for free.

But I use IE, Opera and Firefox on a daily basis for constructing websites, or rather I use Firefox for tweaking the CSS and IE and Opera to pick up cross-browser problems.

Firefox, with the web developer toolbar, is the swiss army knife of debugging websites. Especially being able to edit CSS on the fly.

I use IE myself, as personally I like it better than others i have tried like firefox and Netscape back in the day. I dont have many problems.

I found Firef****k used to crash, and lost focus in applets that needed JRE - now I interchange between Opera & Avant, and but have the main three IE, FF and Opera, and interchange between them when writing sites.

:)

firefox with the ieview extension
and occasionally ill use safari when im on my boyfriends powerbook. but overall i prefer firefox.. its easy to use and i dont have any problems with it

ps for those who use and adore ff, what are some of your must have extensions?
for me its foxytunes (iTunes will actually have a stop button!), *******, ieview and my gmail (now googlemail) notifier.

i just wish weatherfox was more accurate here.

Firefox everytime :thumbsup:

one word......hm or is it really 2?

firefox

Originally posted by melthebell
one word......hm or is it really 2?

firefox
LOL

Btw, I think your your sig is ace :)

Can't recommend Opera Highly enough - especially now it is free - tabbed browsing is the way forward, and the mouse gestures feature is great!

I only use IE now very ocassionaly for websites that will only work in IE, but they're generally not worth viewing anyway!

Originally posted by andwal
Can't recommend Opera Highly enough - especially now it is free - tabbed browsing is the way forward, and the mouse gestures feature is great!

I only use IE now very ocassionaly for websites that will only work in IE, but they're generally not worth viewing anyway!

At least Opera can handle Java applets FFS.

Originally posted by kentboy119
At least Opera can handle Java applets FFS.

Which is presumably why andwal "Can't recommend Opera highly enough"?

Why the FFS?

Originally posted by kentboy119
At least Opera can handle Java applets FFS.

I once tried Opera and thought it was a bit crap really, soon went back to IE, and apart from a brief period of trying Firefox a while back I've always used IE to complete satisfaction.

arnt mozilla and fire fox the same thing. mozilla firefox browser

Firefox on Win 98 (IE removed;)).

Mozilla and/or lynx under Linux.

Not too keen on Opera.




Originally posted by Kerri
ps for those who use and adore ff, what are some of your must have extensions?


Extensions?

Got extensions comming out of my ears here, including:

NoScript:thumbsup:
*******
PDF Download
HTML Validator
DownloadWith
Streetmap
WayBack
WhoIs
TabX
Dr. Web AntiVirus Link Check:cool:
FormFox
SearchStatus
TabBrowserPreferences
ShowIP (currently broke:()
MimeTypeEditor

Originally posted by Zinger549
arnt mozilla and fire fox the same thing. mozilla firefox browser


No.

Firefox is simply a web browser.


Mozilla is a suite of progs (inc email client, news reader etc), or the underlying core code of the above (or something like that:)).

Originally posted by sccsux
No.

Firefox is simply a web browser.


Mozilla is a suite of progs (inc email client, news reader etc), or the underlying core code of the above (or something like that:)).

Although to be fair there is a Mozilla browser as well as the popular Mozilla Firefox!

Alex - :)

Originally posted by kentboy119
Although to be fair there is a Mozilla browser as well as the popular Mozilla Firefox!

Alex - :)

But is only available as part of the mozilla suite (which includes: Web-browser, advanced e-mail and newsgroup client, IRC chat client, and HTML editing).

There is also flock, which uses the mozilla engine, but offers some interesting built in blogging and bookmark sharing features. I don't think it's going to be the world changing browser that the BBC website hints at though.

http://www.flock.com/

Originally posted by Kerri

ps for those who use and adore ff, what are some of your must have extensions?
for me its foxytunes (iTunes will actually have a stop button!), *******, ieview and my gmail (now googlemail) notifier.

Just found this thread! :)

I love Firefox and since using it for the first time I've not used any other browser. eee, it's grand!

My extensions are.......... Screen Grab, Streetmap, WellRounded, Customize Google, Answers, Flags, Gmail delete button, Nuke Anything Enhanced, Scrapbook, Open Link In, Calculator, Fasterfox, TargetAlert, Reminderfox, ChromEdit, CuteMenus and HammerTime.

ChromEdit makes advanced tinkering a doddle! :D

I use Lukol, I find it suits me with all the 6 engines it uses.


Happy Days!

The only Lukol I can find is a metasearch engine, rather than a browser? (http://lukol.com/)

I downloaded opera, didn't like it so uninstalled.
Coincidence? but OE was totally screwed,

took ages to load and wouldn't allow me to read my e mails.
Now use firefox and thunderbird except for those sites which require IE.

Firefox... so many brilliant add-ons. My fave is the 'I must not fear' one. Priceless.

Originally posted by woodseatsjon
Firefox... so many brilliant add-ons. My fave is the 'I must not fear' one. Priceless.
Lol! I used to have that, but I got rid of it along with a couple more extensions- ones that I hardly ever use. There are some truly excellent ones. The HammerTime one is excellent- very funny. I couldn't be without Nuke Anything Advanced or TargetAlert- almost all of them, in fact. I can spend HOURS on the Firefox Extension site. I have it open in another tab now! :D