What Web Browser do you use? And Why?

[TechPro]

Asking partly out of curiosity, partly to get your opinions.

Links to the browsers in the poll (in case you're wondering one or more)

• FireFox http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
• IE7 http://www.microsoft.com (got Windows?)
• IE6
• Safari http://www.apple.com/safari/
• Opera http://www.opera.com/
• Avant Browser http://www.avantbrowser.com/

Some more browsers (you may not have heard of ...)

• Netscape Navigator http://browser.netscape.com/ (isn't this dying?)
• Slim Browser http://www.flashpeak.com/sbrowser/
• Flock http://www.flock.com
• Lively Browser http://www.livelybrowser.com/
• aeroFox http://www.aerofox.org/
• GuerrillaBrowser http://guerrillabrowser.biz/
• TheWorld Browser http://www.ioage.com/en/index.htm
• McGruff Kid Safe Browser http://www.tuki.com/

Usually, I use FireFox unless a site requires IE. IMO the excellant add-ons (AdBlock, BBCodeXtra, Tab Mix, NoteFish and more) take FireFox FTW!

IE7 (with absolutely NO add-ons or 3rd party toolbars) comes in second. Barely.

I recently tried Opera and while it has some nice things to it and is quick... some things totally annoy me and it's adblocking ability is really weak (when compared to AdBlock for fireFox).

Once I though Safari might be a nice choice ... but I soon found that Safari is only good ON A MAC 'cause the Windows version leaves A LOT to be desired. Even then, on the Mac FireFox is often better.

Have not tried any of the others ... yet.

What do you like? And why?

[Krom]

FireFox. Browsing the web without adblockplus is really not an option anymore.

[d3jake]

I use Firefox mainly, and IE6 when I need to view a IE only page. I absolutely shunned IE7 due to their messed up interface (compared to IE6). Clearly, if I wanted to use it I would take the time to sit down and figure out where things are, but since I don't, I haven't. Also, the lack of a good Adblock program doesn't fly well with me. And If I remember correctly, the default IE7 doesn't have the standard File - Edit - ... Menu, and when I want to get at something, I want to use those instead of sending out a search party for the function. As well as the tab bar. I was under the impression that the tab bar was for...oh..I dunno... TABs! But apparently I was wrong because M$ in it's infinite wisdom decided to put the favorites menu in there.

Also, FF isn't made by M$, which is a major bonus for me.

[AceCombat]

I use FF and IE6 for IE only pages and features

[Kyouryuu]

Firefox, because I like the plug-in support and use AdBlock and DownloadHelper all the time.

That said, the stability of Firefox seems to continue its downhill trend with every new version. I can't believe the thing is still filled with memory leaks so many versions later. But then I suppose bug fixing is the unglamorous part of open source. >_>

[grizz]

Mainly FireFox. I use IE to open the Descent.cx game browser so I can join the game directly from there, and a couple of forums I participate in don't display properly in FireFox.

At work I have to use IE6 because the IT manager won't let us change.

He doesn't like FireFox, and his anti virus of choice isn't compatible with IE7.

[CDN_Merlin]

Firefox @ Home <-- Customization
IE 6 at work. <-- No Choice here.

[DarkShadow]

FireFox. Browsing the web without adblockplus is really not an option anymore.

Totally agree!

[Sllik]

Firefox almost exclusively with the rare IE6 when absolutely necessary.

[Xamindar]

I use firefox because there is no IE for Linux

[Sapphire Wolf]

Firefox, because it is safer for me to use it.

[Nosferatu]

You forgot to put lynx in the list

Sorry sorry. JK.

I use FF for all the reasons already stated.

[WillyP]

I use FireFox. I have IE 7, Opera, Safari and SeaMonkey to test my websites with. I haven't had any stability problems with FF. IE 6 gained a reputation as a security risk, IE 7 blocks a lot of things like ActiveX and JavaScript by default. It's rather annoying to have to allow it at each occurrence, though I suppose I would discover a way to allow it by default if I wanted to use IE on a regular basis. I left IE 6 on my wifes lappy so I can view my sites on IE 6. (but she only uses FF.)

[Spidey]

IE7 because it came with the machine, I have all the security and blocking I need with my security suite and because I’m not a MS hater…..Oh yea and it works.

[mistercool2]

IE7

I was reluctant about upgrading from IE6 to 7 but after using it for almost a year I'm very happy with it. I didn't care much for Tabs in 6 and haven't missed it a bit. Since the last Microsoft update four or five days ago, I haven't had to close one pop-up or pop-under ad but I can hear them being blocked - Pop!

d3jake - you can either right click on the Status Bar and select Menu Bar or hit Alt on your keyboard whenever you need it.

WillyP - those script and/or ActiveX control restrictions can be annoying but personally, I like having the choice of allowing them or not. If you haven't already checked, and want to bother with it, you can change your Security settings -
http://www.helpwithwindows.com/techfile ... -safe.html
but I prefer the default settings and deal with it on a page by page basis.

I've heard more good than bad about Firefox but as long as there are IE only web sites and I'm not missing out on anything (that I know of), I don't see the point in having more than one browser, other than testing web sites as WillyP mentioned. If Netscape hasn't changed dramatically, (haven't used it for years) it should be dead. As far as the others on the list - not a clue.

I guess it's kinda like asking someone to recommend a good restuarant.

I'm sure my curiousity will get the best of me and I'll have to check out Firefox, but probably not till the next version.

[d3jake]

I read an article on slashdot.org about a highjacked web page that was infecting users just by visiting the website with your browser. The article also commented that the only browser affected thus far was IE, Opera(or was it Safari) and Firefox users were unaffected.

[Xamindar]

IE7 because it came with the machine, I have all the security and blocking I need with my security suite and because I’m not a MS hater…..Oh yea and it works.

Let me guess....Norton Internet Security?

[Bet51987]

I'm with mistercool2. I tried FF but switched back to IE7.

Bee

[Pandora]

Safari. its quick, uncomplicated, and renders beautifully.

[akula65]

I use Firefox. I started using Netscape Communicator and Navigator over ten years ago and continued to do so until 2006. I am accustomed to the Mozilla layout.

Also, I switched to Linux as my primary operating system for day-to-day use in 2006 as well, so Firefox was a natural choice since it worked on both systems. I sometimes have to transfer operations to an old notebook pc running Win98 SE when I am doing maintenance on my main machine, and it's a snap to transfer the Firefox and Thunderbird profiles.

[Jeff250]

I use Firefox, because writing and using Firefox extensions is child's play, and its developer tools pwn. I'm generally impressed by Opera too, as it seems to render large pages much faster than Firefox. I generally don't have much regular access to Safari, but from what I've been able to gather, again, a very nice browser.

IE is a sad pos that I hate having to develop for. Thank God for IE's conditional comments feature--this way the other browsers don't ever have to see the bogus IE code (much more elegant than IE CSS hacks IMO).

[Cuda68]

FF at home
and
IE at work <--- No choice or it would be FF

[Testiculese]

Firefox. Using the internet without Adblock, Flashblock or tabs isn't worth using.

I also use DownThemAll for MP3Sparks.com, IGet, ShowIP, and Download Statusbar.

The only time I have to open IE (v6) is when in the MSDN subscriber downloads pages...otherwise IE is like driving a Yugo everywhere when there's a Porsche in the garage.

[Pumo]

Firefox, and IE7 only if i want to download webpages as .mht files...

[BUBBALOU]

firefox (IE7 for 1 website)

Firefox Required Plugins

Adware Plus 0.7.5.3
Noscript 1.4
IE TAB

[heftig]

Firefox. The customization rules.

Firefox, and IE7 only if i want to download webpages as .mht files...

You might want to take a look at the UnMHT extension.

[Pumo]

You might want to take a look at the UnMHT extension.

Ok, i will check it. Thanks for the tip!!

[DarkHorse]

Both IE7 and Firefox. Some sites still don't work properly on Firefox, and some of them get utterly broken on IE7.

[BUBBALOU]

Both IE7 and Firefox. Some sites still don't work properly on Firefox, and some of them get utterly broken on IE7.

That is what IE TAB FireFox extension is for

[Foil]

IE7.

I was using FF for about 3 or 4 years, but migrated to IE7 a few months ago, since it has most of the FF features I was using on a regular basis (like tabbed browsing). Plus, I honestly just got tired of all the web pages that didn't work in FF (though I never tried the IE plugin for FF, thanks Bubbalou, I may try that).

[Testiculese]

What pages are you talking about? I've never hit one outside of Microsoft.

[Krom]

I've run into a few places in state government sites that don't work properly (or at all in some cases) in anything but IE.

[Flabby Chick]

Firefox here, simply because it's a lot faster here than IE. I 'm drumming my bleedin' fingers on me desk waiting for sites to load that in FF pop up like a penis on the beaches of Brazil.

[Aus-RED-5]

FF pop up like a penis on the beaches of Brazil.

ROFLMAO!

[TechPro]

What pages are you talking about? I've never hit one outside of Microsoft.

Some of HP's web pages don't work in anything but IE. Being an HP authorized tech, it's a pain.

Usually it's sites either coded specifically for IE (uses something that only IE does, or what was done only works in IE) ... or sites that use Java runtime (which I despise anyway) ... or uses embedded calls to plugins common in IE but not elsewhere.

In nearly every instance, a good web site designer could have easily avoided those issues.

[WillyP]

I wonder if IE 8's new rendering engine will break all those IE only sites.

If IE8 acts like IE8 by default, then IE8 might break group two’s websites (and not just break them in quotes: we’re talking about scripting, here). Breaking millions of sites is unacceptable to Microsoft’s brass and to the creators of those websites. It’s to prevent that breakage that Microsoft’s browser developers came up with the new switch. To do its job, the new switch must work the same way the DOCTYPE switch originally worked: namely, it is activated when knowledgeable developers opt in; otherwise it is off by default.

With DOCTYPE switching, “off by default” means “in (non-standards) quirks mode.” With version targeting it means “the same way IE7 rendered this content.” The behavior is the same in both cases: if you want improved rendering, you opt in.

Group two that is referred to means all those "unenlightened" web designers that wrote code to IE's well known quirks. i.e.: all those sites that don't render well, or at all, in non-IE browsers.

[Jeff250]

Does Microsoft ever have anything to market other than backwards compatibility? So, \"no, but it will still suck.\"

[WillyP]

“Unless you explicitly declare that you want IE8 to behave as IE8, it will behave as IE7.”

When you put it that way, it does sound kinda nuts. No matter what future version of IE you’re using—be that IE8 or IE80—if the developer hasn’t added the appropriate meta tag, you’ll be viewing the site as if in IE7.

The theory is that there are millions of websites that are put together clueless web designers: Personal sites, the school's football coach, the owner of a local business... they write in WYSIWYG editors, and they only know to test in the browser that came with their machine, that is, ie 6 or 7.

But I wonder how successful MS will be at emulating IE7 in IE8? Supposedly IE8 is getting a whole new engine, it is reported to have passed "Acid test 2".

So it seems very odd at first when you hear 'IE8 will behave exactly like IE7 by default' until you understand that the switch to IE8 behavior is done by the knowledgable web designer who wants to take advantage of IE8's better, more standard rendering. Presumably the WYSIWYG editors (and page wizards) will opt in to IE8 eventually, so new pages will be more standards compliant.

[Red_5]

FireFox all the way;

-Safer
-Faster than IE
-Simple to use, but easy to find advanced features
-It just seems a whole lot better than everything else I've tried.
-Ooh. And it's themeable.

[Jeff250]

But I wonder how successful MS will be at emulating IE7 in IE8? Supposedly IE8 is getting a whole new engine, it is reported to have passed "Acid test 2".

I doubt there will be emulation. There will just be the IE7 renderer and the IE8 renderer.

So it seems very odd at first when you hear 'IE8 will behave exactly like IE7 by default' until you understand that the switch to IE8 behavior is done by the knowledgable web designer who wants to take advantage of IE8's better, more standard rendering.

Knowledgeable webmasters have been doing this for over a decade. You declare the standard that you want the browser to adhere to in the doctype, which is the place in the document where you declare the standard that you want the browser to adhere to. Now because Microsoft's implementation of the standards were (intentionally) broken, I need to introduce some "I really mean it this time!" meta tag? My bogometer just pinned.