Page 1 of Alternative internet browsers?

I read yesterday the Microsoft`s share of the internet browser market has dropped below 90% for the first time....

So what are the alternatives to IE and why should I use them instead?

julianf

Firefox, because it`s better ;)

The main one nowadays is Mozilla Firefox. (www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/)

From a general view, it`s a small compact prog - a 5Mb download - doesn`t hog your whole system, not intertwined with windows the way IE is. Also less likely is the amount of security incidents.

Browse wise, it has tabbed-browsing and a popup blocker. It also has support for `extensions` -3rd party plugins that can do a variey of useful things. E.g. - I have FoxyCast installed - which gives me a current weather forecast icon in the toolbar. Also I have FoxyTunes - which I can use to control my iTunes from within the browser.
Also you can set up quick searches - e.g. I can just open a new tab and type `tv seinfeld` - which will take me straight to the search results for `Seinfeld` at TvTome.com.

Overall, quick and small, and very customisable. Give it a shot. Oh aye - it`s Free!

Another one I used to use was Opera, which has the same features as Firefox, just about, but i think you have to buy it.

craig


*This message was brought to you by Glagnars Human Rinds*

This item was edited on Friday, 4th March 2005, 08:49

firefox, firefox, firefox, firefox, firefox, firefox..

Look into my eyes, not around the eyes, not above the eyes, look into my eyes..

You`re under!

Right, firefox is a million times better then IE becuase IE is just rubbish.. ok... get firefox now!

You`re back in the room!

My DVD collection





Gamertag Database

What I`m listening to

I`ve been using Firefox since before it was Firefox and it is great. To echo what others have said...

I much prefer it to IE because of tabbed browsing, and the search bar being customisable to search google, imdb, amazon, ebay, whatever you choose.

Tabbed browsing is great. In my bookmarks I have a folder called "DVD reviewer". In that folder is a bookmark for each forum. When I select that folder from my bookmarks, there is an extra bookmark which opens each forum in a new tab. Much better having 12 tabs in 1 browser than 12 IEs open!

Also it isn`t as prone to security holes, doesn`t start to install things left right and centre.

Pop up blocker is there by default.

Soem of these things can be dopne with IE but you have to dl loads of things from all over the place. With firefox, you just go to Firefox extension page to find all the useful (and not so useful) plugins you may want.

Works fine with all the websites I go to regullary, including online banking etc.

Actually, There are 3 sites I use IE for.

1) Windows update
2) Trend Online Virus Scan
3) Panda on line virus scan.

At work the network manager didn`t want me to install it (doen`t trust what he doesn`t know/understand, loves MS, scared of anything else ;) ) So I installed it, and gave it a skin to look like IE :)

Al

www.admars.co.uk

This item was edited on Friday, 4th March 2005, 10:49

and how cool are Gestures!!! :D

However, can anyone tell me how to use the tags from this site? Fed up typing them in manually..

Ste

Ste,

Have you tried the BBCode extension? It gets you most of the way there for stuff like urls and smileys.

Nick


Download it here

Just to add a comment from someone still batting for IE!!

Firefox is ok, but I`m not a lover of the tabbed browsing-too easy to click the wrong X and it all disappears!! That`s just a personal thing, but I don`t find it any quicker than IE, as a lot of people seem to say.

My take on it all...IE does all I want, it`s already on my system, I`m used to it, I like it, so why change?

Have you used the latest version of Firefox? My one pops up a warning if I try to close a page containing more than one open tab, to make sure I really want to.

There`s a check box in Firefox options that, when checked, will cause the program to warn before closing multiple tabs. Firefox is the bee`s knees, but some sites still need IE. However, there`s a handy little plugin called IEView that lets you instantly open any page you`re viewing in Firefox in the MS browser.

Some other extensions I have are:

TinyURL creator (most useful)
Google Preview (again, useful)
Dictionary Search
Spellbound (spell checking)
Adblock (essential for Reviewer) ;)
BBCode (also essential for boards that don`t support Firefox)
FireFTP
Translate (uses BabelFish without having to vist the site)