Firefox V Internet Explorer

[master]

Hi All,

I would like to start a debate on the 2 most popular internet browsers, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer. Give your views on whats the best, why and the flaws of the other one. My reason for doing this is that i've only recently discovered Firefox, but i'm torn between the 2 of them!

Let me know!

[renegade600]

if you search this forum, you will find theres already been comparison of the two - several times

[Rainbow32]

There's really no debating. FireFox for safe surfing.
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h127/Rainbow1953/avatar-link.gif

[master]

Just providing a place where people can give me their views on the best web browser, if you don't mind.

Keep those view coming, I am trying to find reasons why I should use Firefox over IE

[oracle128]

There is no answer. It's up to personal preference. Or would you rather I just list the arguments, rebuttals and myths that you know everybody is going to use?

[master]

Yes please!

[oracle128]

"Firefox is more secure than IE!"
False. Symantec have, several times, found more flaws in Firefox over IE.
http://software.silicon.com/security/0,39024655,39152423,00.htm
http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/20/1359203
http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/25/177226

Firefox is NOT immune to exploits. No software is. In fact, I'd go so far as to say the majority of infections are due to bad browsing habits, rather than the fault of the browser. Using Firefox is NOT a "fix" for someone who has no security software, or internet safety awareness. Education is the only fix here.

"Firefox is inherantly more secure - open source means the development community has the ability to spot flaws"

Counter with "Firefox is inhernatly less secure - open source means the hacking community has the ability to find and exploit flaws"

Or, substitute IE, "open source" with "closed source", and swap negative statement with positive. Both types of licensing models have pros and cons.

"Firefox has better/more features!"
True

"Firefox has extensions, IE doesn't."
False. Both have extensions. Firefox is just easier to develop extensions for (not because it's open source, but because the code structure better allows it). IE has extensions/plugins/addons to counter just about every feature FF has.

"IE is faster!"
False. FF performs several tricks to help pages load "faster". These tricks are mostly enabled by default. IE requires several option changes and registry hacks to do it, and most are disabled by default. Additionally, Firefox uses more memory and CPU time, due to its standalone rendering engine. IE uses components built into Windows.

"By using Firefox, you're safe from IE flaws and exploits!"
False. IE is an integrated Windows component. Even if you don't use IE the browser, you still have IE the rendering engine on your PC (if you use Windows), which can still be taken advantage of. The only difference is, the explots have a slightly harder time getting onto your system in the first place. The majority of attacks come from users accepting them, not the browser - malware bundled in otherwise legitimate applications are one example. IE's rendering engine is also used legitimately in a variety of other applications - anything from help files to RSS readers, to many alternate browsers that simply provide a new front-end to the IE engine.

Users of search engines other than IE are actually worse off - they have to deal with IE's flaws, as well as the flaws of their own choice of browser.

"IE doesn't follow web design standards properly (HTML, XHTML, CSS)"
True. IE includes several proprietary tags, attributes, structures, etc. In particular, it renders CSS differently from the standards/other browsers. This is because when IE was developed, these standards didn't exist - at least, not at the level of importance they do now. The problem is that IE has barely received an overhaul of its engine since those times, and unfortunately, IE7 looks to follow this pattern to some degree.

Neither Firefox nor Opera follow all web design standards fully either. There is currently no web browser that fully and properly supports all web standards.

"IE is more forgiving with faulty code/markup"
True. Whether this is an advantage or disadvantage is up to the individual user's abilities.

Vulnurabilities are directly proporitonal to user base and increase with access to source control.

Opera has a low user base and is closed source. Therefore, few vulnurabilities. In short, no one cares.

Firefox, on the other hand, has a moderate user base but the source code is right there, the vulnurabilities are ripe for the picking. Hence why the vulnurabilities are high but the turnaround time to fix them, also quick.

IE on the other hand, high user base closed source. High vulnurabilities because of the high user base but potential hackers have to work harder.Source: http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=197559&cid=16188037

The truth is Firefox probably has as many bugs, security holes, memory leaks and other vulnerabilities as Internet Explorer 6 (both without any patches or updates).Source: http://digg.com/security/Hackers_Claim_Zero_Day_Flaw_in_Firefox

Is that what you wanted to hear? These are just the topics that came off the top of my head. There are many other points to consider. But in the end, what it eventually comes down to, is you choose the browser that works best for you.

[master]

Cheers, thanks for giving everyone a chance!

[scipio6]

I've been using FireFox for about 7 months and find it works better for me.
The main feature I like is the tabbed browsing. When I had dial-up, It was nice to be able to load a new link while working with the first one. The ability to switch back and forth between links was nice too.
The customization abilities are a lot better than IE. I found the themes and extensions have a lot more flexibility in personalizing the browser, especially things like the favicon picker.
I think oracle128 is right. It's what works best for you.:thumbsup:

[master]

http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6086798.stm

[mobious_1]

There it is strait from the experts. Firefox 2.0 TOTALLY POWNED IE 7

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-10442_7-6656808-1.html?tag=bubble

[chapper]

I might as well stick my nose in here and mention that the latest Opera is REALLY worth checking out :D
I only use FF & Opera since a long time, for what it's worth. Don't worry a lot about about security risks.

[mobious_1]

Opera's a lite browser, it's up there with Firefox in terms of quality. I like Firefox cause it has more acsesable options, but if your the kind of guy who ALWAYS has full screen turned on, Opera is for you. I'm not speaking form experience though.

[oracle128]

The "experts":Rafe Needleman, editor at large for CNET, covers new online applications and is launching a new CNET Web site about them: Webware.com.

Peter Butler is senior editor for CNET in charge of Download.com reviews.

Elsa Wenzel is an associate editor for CNET who reviews hulking office suites, tiny apps, and Web services.

[mobious_1]

Your point? All of these people have made careers out of reviewing software.

[oracle128]

Editors don't do the reviewing, they manage the content. And none of them are web designers or browser experts.

[mobious_1]

If you look at ANY official CNET software review it will say "Editor's Review".

[oracle128]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copy_editing

[mobious_1]

That doesn't prove anything, for two reasons.

1) It doesn't change the fact that the editors make the reviews on CNET Download.com
2) It's Wikipedia. I never trust that.

Your just mad that Firefox is better then IE.

[oracle128]

1) It doesn't change the fact that the editors make the reviews on CNET Download.comIt doesn't matter. I've written reviews for this site, therefore, by your logic, I must be just as qualified as them. In fact, I'd be more qualified, since I'm both a programmer and a web developer. And I say that there's little difference between the two, they both have advantages and disadvantages.
2) It's Wikipedia. I never trust that.
Ah, you must be one of those people who says that everything on Wikipedia must be false, but only when it proves you wrong. I've met your type before.
Would you believe these sources then?
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/editor
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/edits
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/editor
It's funny how you disregard content produced, verified and critiqued by millions of people, many of whom are experts or at least have experience in the topic; but when 3 unqualified people, who have jobs totally unrelated to the topic, state their opinion, you value it like the word of a god.
Your just mad that Firefox is better then IE.A) I'm not mad about anything.
B) I, personally, prefer Firefox and use it, and avoid IE whenever I can. If anything, I'm biased towards Firefox. But that's just me and my personal preference. I don't fool myself into thinking that FF is greatly superior than IE when it's not, or that it can do anything that IE can't - technical facts which I pointed out many posts ago, but which people with the "I'm using it, so it must be better!" mentality refuse to believe.

[renegade600]

Personally I use cnet for reviews for hardware and software guidance. What I like about them is they also provide user reviews. As long as you only use them for guidance and not point of fact then, imo, you cannot go wrong.

As far as which browser is better, they all have their uses. One of the biggest problems with ff is with their bookmarks. I have lost bookmarks in the past and it is fustrating. MSIE 7 - I just plain don't like - maybe because its so new and different. Opera - I wished it had extensions like ff, widgets don't hack it for me.

[wingless]

Haven't used IE in a long time, but it never had all the free addons, extentions, or themes as Firefox. And I mean all kind of free extentions. This makes it a whole lot better than IE for me, plus its always been trouble free.
And I've never lost any bookmarks.

[oracle128]

Did someone say Free (http://www.ieaddons.com/default.aspx?cid=home&scid=0) Internet Explorer (http://www.download.com/Internet-Explorer-Add-ons/3150-12512_4-0.html) Addons (http://toolbar.google.com/T4/?rd=f) and (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie6/previous/webaccess/tbwlpapr.mspx) Skins (http://www.davebax.com/ieskinsbg.html)?

[sentee]

I use all three, I like IE because it is compatible with what Microsoft has to offer as far as security features. I have Firefox, and Netscape. I tried Opera a while back. I don't transact business so I don't have to be concerned with anyone taking advantage of my personal or business assets. I appreciate all of the suggestions. As far as who the experts are... this is the "place to be", obviously, we are all here. I have been computing since bbs in the late eighties, and this site never ceases to amaze me. If I had to vote? As a former acquaintance of mine used to say, "You already be knowing".