For years, Firefox users have been crowing at me for being a dinosaur and still using IE for surfing the Internet.
“Ditch IE,” they say. “Firefox is the only way to go.”
“Why?” I ask.
“Tabbed browsing.”
“I can live without it.”
“Not after you’ve tried it.”
“I’m happy without it.”
“Firefox is more stable and efficient.”
“But IE is doing well enough for me.”
Actually, the truth was that I just didn’t feel like adapting to a new interface. It’s like changing your phone from Nokia to Sony Ericsson. Suddenly you’re all thumbs and you have to relearn everything. It’s annoying.
And then IE came up with tabbed browsing and I thought that was the end of it. One fewer reason for Firefox fanatics to rave at me.
Until two days ago.
Suddenly, IE kept crashing on me for no reason. Every few minutes, it would freeze while loading a page (mostly when I try to scroll down before the page is fully loaded) and the cursor would freeze in its hourglass-icon state. All buttons and links dead. The only clickable thing is the little red cross on the top right corner.
At first I thought it was my computer. But my other applications were working fine and it was only IE that kept crashing.
So I got fed up and downloaded Firefox.
Like magic! I visited all the same websites on Firefox and it didn’t crash a single time.
Now, I’m forced to become a Firefox user. You fanatics should be happy.
But I have complaints about it. Text in Firefox looks lame. Here’s an example:
Internet Explorer sample:
Mozilla Firefox sample:
Can you see how the text looks stronger in IE? Firefox’s text looks like the printer ran out of ink.
If I’m going to read anything at length on my monitor, I’d rather read on IE because it looks easier on the eyes.
Also, see how, in Firefox, my links are hardly noticeable.
I wonder if you Firefox users have even noticed that I have links on my blog. *lol*
After two days of using Firefox, I want to go back to IE.
The IE interface is prettier and more sleek.
IE allows you to open a new tab with just one click because it has that little tab corner sticking out.
On Firefox, you need to right click first, then select New Tab.
I suppose I could just do a Ctrl-T, but that’s different.
And, most irritating of all, I changed my blog password last night and now Firefox refuses to let me log into my blog admin. It keeps telling me that my password is wrong. And I’ve tried typing it like 20 times, very carefully. So now I have to blog from IE and risk it crashing on me.
How annoying.
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By the way, you might have noticed that I’ve just installed a new plugin called Similar Posts. It gives you a bunch of links at the bottom of each post in order to entice you to stay on my blog longer. Nothing new. Just something I wanted to add since time immemorial but kept putting off.
I’m also thinking of changing my blog skin. My side bar is getting ridiculously cluttered and I want a three-column blog theme so I can have two side bars to organise my nonsense.
I’m thinking of this one:
I want something very clean and simple and neat. This looks like it. What to do you think? I might attempt to change the blue to pink. Heh.
If you visit my blog over the next week and see any weird stuff going on, please bear with me. I’ll be experimenting with themes and plugins and widgets.
Other than that, it’s business as usual.
FF is good when it’s on its own with no add-ons.
Once you get add-ons, things get cranky sometimes…
My FF always hang with Cathay website because of Java so I use IE for Cathay…
hey babe, download windows live writer and blog from it. it doesn’t crash. well, i haven’t experienced it, at least. and i’m loving it! :) as u blog, it appears as it would on ur blog, n it looks really good. easy to use, too.
Well I feel safer with FF thou.
Dunno why.
About the fonts, think its customizable also.
That fox is cuter than a big fat “e”. hahaha
thanks for intro-ing the similar posts! shall try it out. heh. i love your current layout though….
There is only one reason to use Firefox over IE. Security. Firefox is more secure hands down. Hackers haven’t figured out or don’t care about Firefox and Firefox doesn’t have hooks into the OS like iE does.
Besides, Firefox ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hmm..I am still an avid firefox user..don’t think I’ll ever change :P
oh erm..if you are looking for a new skin..why not try K2? My fave… ;)
why not try opera instead. it’s one of the lightest browser around. load extremely fast. if you doing blogging and using facebook, i’d recommend flock.
Try a 3 column layout with the content being the left most column. Better for people surfing on mobile devices who don’t like to do left-right scrolling.
Oh, btw, the nicer looking fonts in IE7 is due to cleartype. You can turn in on for all programs (including Firefox). Read the link below to find out how.
http://samanathon.com/love-cleartype-in-ie7-use-it-in-firefox-and-everywhere-else/
FF dun hang on my cathay site leh. it works okay for me. i prefer FF. cos it loads faster than IE. I can see the links clearly in my FF.
Waffle: Ha, so FF isn’t that stable after all. But then it IS more stable than stupid IE.
Daphne Maia: Windows Live Writer looks good. Will try it out, thanks for the recommendation!
Ashtar83: Oh, is that blue-green thing a fox? haha. I didn’t realise.
nadnut: Yeah, I love my current theme, too. But I need 2 sidebars. I wish my theme’s author would make one with 2 sidebars!
Mike M: Okay, that sounds like a good reason to use Firefox.
Jason Ho: Ok, I’ve downloaded it. It looks complicated, though. I mean, reading about it. Guess I’ll fiddle around with it soon.
Tianhong: Er… I dunno. Because nobody I know uses Opera? I’ve seen Flock, but it’s too colourful and cluttered. As you can tell, I like things clean and neat. :P
wee: That’s a good point. I never thought of it. Damn, why didn’t you tell me earlier? I spent 4 hours earlier trying to customise that theme to my liking. Doh. :P Now I’ll have to go find more skins. I haven’t really found any I like with the sidebars all on one side. I think blogs look better with the bars on either side.
And, wow! Thanks for telling me about ClearType!! I’m happy now! Heh.
Sentosa Girl: Yeah, I guess FF does load a little bit faster than IE. Do you have ClearType on, too? Now I can see my links better.
If you want your fonts to look nicer viewing websites, you should go Safari / Mac. Firefox is no brainier better than IE overall, not because of tab features, but security as well as the the ability to support plugins.
hongkiat: Unfortunately, I can’t afford a Mac. :P Ok, I’m convinced now. I shall keep my Firefox. Thanks, lol.
By the way, I want to add that Firefox isn’t displaying my sidebar widgets properly!!! Once in a while, a widget will go missing and there will be a big blank space in the middle of my sidebar. O_o
Half a day later, it will appear again. Then half a day later, another widget will disappear!
It all looks good on MY Firefox, but then I’m using a Mac. Once you decide to get yourself a REAL computer… :o) One step at a time
FF is definitely the way to go for Windows users, I can’t even stress this enough on a technical point of view. IE is pathetic in rendering websites according to web standards, I am sure you have read about the massive fine they received, and that played a part in it. FF is the all round better browser.
If you want to make a new tab in FF, CTRL + T works for me. Or if you want the 1 click option:
Go to View > Tools > Customize Toolbar
Drag the new tab icon onto your toolbar and voila.
I am using Safari. Mac has a Safari for Windows too but the last time I tried it, it wasn’t stable, not sure whether the full version has been released yet though.
I’m using a Mac so don’t want to and can’t use MSIE. Anyway Firefox works fine for me. The last release kept crashing but now its ok.
“On Firefox, you need to right click first, then select New Tab.”
Double-click on the empty space next to the tabs ;)
IE all teh wayyyyyy! XD
I don’t really like FF that much. It looks…weird…and strange compared to IE, and some music won’t display for some reason! My version, barely any music works. Apparently FF thinks the music is gonna hack me or something *rolls eyes* (I used to have Mozilla FF since IE had some weird virus, but IE7 is better now)
But so many people use IE…and some things will work in IE that don’t work in FF, and vice versa.
The sucky thing about IE is, on my computer (very ancient), it won’t let me get IE7. I’m stuck with some ancient IE version, and it’s SO annoying!! Sometimes the site crashes, and EVERY STINKING TIME I try opening the 2nd page of comments on Youtube it just keeps having that loading sign. Grrrrr.
Well, anyways, good luck XD
hmm.. im using ie, ff, and opera..
and i think that ie is not even a match for the other two.. :meh:
and between ff and opera.. i thing both are having their own good point.. its hard to tell which is better.. but i think i like opera a bit more.. (its not about which is better.. its about which one you prefer better.. ;))
the strong point of opera is its cached browsing.. but sometime it’ll anoy you.. (like the cookie problem on login.. etc..) other than that opera have its own download manager and notes.. you can typed down any note youd easily forgot.. beside that i like the easy way of controling image that you dont want to load.. and if you want to load it you just have to click one button.. (in ff you must decide wether to show image or not.. not flexible..)
what i like most from opera is ‘mouse gesture’ you can open a new tab with holding you right mouse buttn and drag it down a little..
well its true that ff with its various plugin also have mouse gesture plugin.. this is what makes me appreciate ff a bit more.. lol..
practically.. ff with its plugin can become anything you want..
but the drawback is it’ll become dumb and dumber the more you add plugin.. (if you dont know what plugin youre adding..)
and did you noticed that you can drag the tab on both ff and opera and put it anywhere on your tool bar.. ??
the only strong point of ie is that this guy is almost everywhere available.. i mean you’ll get ie if you install windows right.. ??
and if youve used ff or opera you wont even think of using ie anymore.. (except for some site that says ‘ie only’..)
well but there is ff portable and opera usb.. so thats not an issue anymore..
1: you can change the default font
2: you can open a new tab without right clicking.
3: it’s user problem
click on tool>option and explore……..
,j00 n00b, i pwned you…lol.
1) text font can be adjusted via tools > options > content > fonts and colors
2) I am using Sea Monkey which is the next generation of Firefox but in beta stage and so I have Firefox as a backup. The IE is my backup’s backup when you get some cranky website that refuse to render in any browser except in IE.
3) I did a little review of all 3 browsers last year.
Read here -> http://jaywalk.blog-city.com/sea_monkey.htm
I use Firefox because it let’s me download stuff in megaupload, which is a hassle doing in IE (registry hack). :D
Jesta: Ok. I need a sponsor. :)
darran: Thanks for the tip! The customise toolbar interface is actually quite cool. Better than IE’s one.
Derrick: Good for you. Want to co-sponsor my mac with Jesta? Haha.
Genkisan: Thanks! That’s helpful too! :)
plushiehamsta: Well, you just showed that every browser has good and bad. I guess it’s really then up to individual taste. Which “good” you prefer and which “bad: you don’t mind having. :P
zield: Thanks for sharing your feedback. I guess I’ll stick with FF for now. I didn’t know there are plugins to install. Don’t need any right now, anyway!
binary_0011:
1. I already tried changing the font. It didn’t help. It was actually a ClearType issue.
2. Doesn’t make you sound smart by saying something can be done without then suggesting the way to do it.
3. I actually googled my problem and found that many others have the same problem but there is no solution anywhere to be found. But anyway, I tried clearing my cookies and cache and it was ok after that.
Pwn you back! :P
JayWalk:
1. As mentioned, I did try that but that wasn’t the solution. :P
2. Sea Monkey? Haha, that’s cute.
3. Thanks for the link!
modchip: Ok, that’s totally foreign to me.
Your post inspired me to update mine. Thanks. Hehehehe.
A few things… You can hold the CTRL-Key and left click and it will open in another tab.
As for the fonts appearing ugly, that’s because of settings in Windows. Not so much to do with FF itself. I don’t know if you use XP or Vista but I recommend changing the settings from standard to clear type.
After which, you can almost certainly dump IE, for good. :)
modchip: Haha. Good for you.
xizor2000: Yeah, I’ve already gotten several suggestions on how to open a new tab. I now have the dilemma of choosing. lol. And I’m viewing through ClearType now. Suddenly the world looks clearer, lol.
There are all kinds of pluses for using Firefox. And with open source, many developers add cool plugins to make is work better, faster.
Oh and BTW. A 3-column blog works well. The posts get longer and thinner, but you get a whole lot more on the page.
The 3 column layout looks good : )
Mike M: My posts won’t get longer and thinner because I’ll be using more width in a 3-column layout! ;) So the size of the entire blog will be wider.
kein: You mean the picture I posted? Yeah, but now I think I’ll be looking out for something with both sidebars on the right side. As Wee pointed out, it’s friendlier for mobile surfers.
Too open a link in FF (in background) use middle mouse button.
it will open in new tab, but behind current 1 .
Every thing you said is Ok.
But one of the best feature in FF is Customization.
you can create FF as you wanted to see it.
So you cant say that its not good, FF is BEST. and Its Rocks
As a web developer I have encountered FireFox having trouble in the past properly displaying web content. I have had to go through hoops to get it to work properly in that browser. Also, IE is so much more capable in terms of what you can do programatically in it. Just my 2 cents worth.
Go to options>contents>fonts&color to make your font look better in firefox. Firefox pwns IE and always will. (but Chrome is better than the both of them combined)
If you haven’t figured it out by now (old article and all, I randomly found this page by google), there’s a ton of keyboard shortcuts you can use to ease surfing.
ctrl+T : new tab
ctrl+shift+T : open last closed tab (practicle when you close a tab you didn’t intend to)
ctrl+L : go to adress bar
ctrl+tab : next tab
ctrl+shit+tab : previous tab
ctrl+[number] : goes to tab #[what was type] (only useful up to 10 tabs, though)
You can also customize by a whole lot Firefox, which you can’t do with IE. I personally added Download Statusbar, Clear Fields, No Script, Save Session, Stop Autoplay, Tab Catalog (highly recommended when you have alot of tabs to surf through), GreaseMonkey scripts, Stylish and Toolbar Buttons which adds a whole bunch of useful toolbar buttons to the list.
I’d give a description of every one of them, but that would probably be unnecessary. I’ll let you discover them.
The IE8 on my laptop doesn’t work. When I try to enter a site address and press enter. It doesn’t navigate to the page.
So, Safari 4 for PC for me! :D