Topic: Pondering a switch... (Read 5283 times)

Doof · « **on:** June 13, 2003, 01:33:16 pm »

I'm kind of thinking about switching to Mozilla as my default browser. It's got some features that I definitely like over IE, but there are some negatives as well.

Anybody else using it care to comment?

gkerber · « **Reply #1 on:** June 13, 2003, 01:41:45 pm »

Mozilla even their actual releases are a bit rough.

Netscape 7.02 is free and is based on a release of Mozilla which is a few releases back from their latest.

Depending on which features you want from Mozilla, Netscape 7.02 may be a better and more stable choice.

I use Netscape 7.02 for my browser and email. Works great, and I really really don't like IE or Outlook, especially Outlook.

With Netscape's browser, you get a tabbed interface (I could not go back to something without tabs) and a pop up killer.

phelt · « **Reply #2 on:** June 13, 2003, 02:37:32 pm »

Hrm. I've found Mozilla builds to be more stable than Netscape 7.x. I don't grab nightly builds, but read the changelog before getting a new version. Other than more frequent refreshes, I don't like some of the things that AOL/Netscape's package comes with. They may have changed things though - it's been a while since I got a new Netscape version.

I use Mozilla as my default browser, with IE 6 as a backup for certain situations. I don't use plugins in Mozilla, so if I need to view some Flash or Director material, or streaming media, I'll fire up IE. You can drag URL's or links from Mozilla and drop into IE's window. I wish that Mozilla had IE's cookie handling - there are a small number of sites from which I will accept cookies so it's easier to define those manually and block everything else (IE) than to constantly deal with confirmation popups or turn cookies off (Mozilla). Keeping a list of cookies to block is far less efficient than keeping a short list of cookies to accept.

I seldom come across rendering problems in Mozilla, but when I do I can simply drop into IE. More often I automatically ignore a site that is poorly coded enough not to render in Moz. Sometimes it is not bad coding but use of ActiveX controls or IE-specific features. I ignore those sites as well, for my own philosophical reasons.

If you use extra toolbar features (Google bar, etc) in IE then you might miss those. There are sidebars for many sites, but they are generally not as robust as IE toolbars.

I find that Mozilla's options for controlling ads and unrequested content work far better, in conjunction with my firewall, than does IE.

It will be interesting to see the next major iteration of Mozilla. The stated goal is to separate the browser from the email and newsgroup component, reduce code bloat, and improve speed. Hopefully this will take less time than it took to get to Mozilla 1.0

All that said, I'm pretty happy with Mozilla. When I run into things that I don't like, I can often do a bit of Googling for answers and mod some Mozilla configuration files to change the behaviour. This is less often the case with IE.

sraymond · « **Reply #3 on:** June 13, 2003, 03:03:02 pm »

I suggest you take a look at MyIE2. It runs over IE and provides a lot of the "must haves" for a browser. The latest beta is quite stable.

http://www.ruihehang.com/myie2/html_en/home.htm

There are just too many things tied to IE that keep me from ditching MS. Now that they've won the browser way, it's quite obvious they have little incentive to innovate. I hope Opera or Mozzila force MS to reconsider! Until then, there's MyIE2.

Scott-

kiwi · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2003, 03:16:02 pm »

I've been using Firebire (was phoenix) for the past 5 or 6 months. Initially, it had a number of usability issues, however, most of those have been ironed out and now it is quite stable, slim and trim. Great popup blocking... and extensions to block ads and flash if you'd like it.

http://www.mozilla.org/projects/firebird/release-notes.html

Give it a try... it's easy to download, decompress, and you just run it in its directory, it doesn't have an installer spewing files all over your hard drive.

-kiwi

KingSparta · « **Reply #5 on:** June 13, 2003, 03:45:20 pm »

I give all my money to Microsoft.

Since I have Spent $1,000's with them maybe i can get one of those $5.00 coupons they are going to give Everyone in North Carolina since today they settled out of court here.

'Tighten Up' Charted At 01 In 1968

Listening to: 'Tighten Up' from 'The Best Of Archie Bell And The Drells' by 'Archie Bell And The Drells' on Media Center 9.1

rocketsauce · « **Reply #6 on:** June 13, 2003, 06:31:33 pm »

I would suggest using Mozilla Firebird, as down the line the Mozilla Suite is going to be replaced by the separate applications of Firebird (for browsing) and Thunderbird (for email) anyway.

I've been using Firebird and it works great. The latest milestone (0.6) is overall pretty stable (as are some of the recent nightly builds), although there still are a couple of annoying bugs. Also, using Mozilla or Mozilla Firebird generally requires some tweaking if you don't like the default settings and the Options Panel in Firebird has had a lot of the more advanced Mozilla options taken out. They can still be tweaked, but just not as easily.

Other plusses of Firebird are the customizable and movable toolbars (similar to IE) which I don't think Mozilla Suite or Netscape have implemented yet. The default Firebird GUI is very nice and again IE-ish. Of course built in cookie handling and pop-up blocking are cool. Firebird is a browser only, which is great if you don't want to use Netscape's or Mozilla's email client.* And, once you get used to tabbed browsing, you'll never go back to IE.

If you're looking for something more tried and true that doesn't require too much tweaking, go with NS7.02. If you want some of the more cutting edge features (along with some bugs) go with the latest Mozilla Suite.

Also, no matter which browser you decide on, I recommend installing the Tabbed Browser Extension as it adds a lot more tab configuration options.

If you haven't already, I would recommend spending a little time reading through the Mozillazine Forums to get a sense what's going on with the whole Mozilla/Firebird project.

Rob

* You can choose to install both Netscape and Mozilla without the Mail & News component if you don't need them.

Links:

http://www.mozillazine.org/

http://forums.mozillazine.org/index.php

SillyDog701 offers a couple of minimal versions of Netscape 7.02 which have a lot of the extraneous stuff (like AIM, Mail & News and Net2Phone) stripped out. I've used the Standalone version and it's great.

http://sillydog.org/

http://sillydog.org/forum/

escaflo · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2003, 01:46:02 am »

I am using Mozilla 1.4rc1 and I have to say I like it. Been using it for quite sometimes (the Mozilla browser). Tried firebird but because it doesn't installed itself (you just d/l the zip file) I have problem getting some plugins to install to it.

Anyway, Mozilla is good but sometimes there might be some rendering quirks that only IE can solve. Usually those time is when those ppl who design the webpage never accomadate for other browser other than IE which is a shame as Mozilla is way way better in terms of HTML standard. It only loses out on XML as far as I know. In terms of CSS and HTML, Mozilla is one of the most standard compliant browser available.

I believe Mozilla is also better than the Netscape release as a lots of bug have since been fixed after the Netscape release version. But that's my opinion.

NoCodeUK · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2003, 02:12:04 am »

I'd say go with Mozilla Firebird. I have been using this at work and it is very stable (ie it has never crashed on me at all) and has some great features and extensions. Tabbed browsing but with the tabbed extensions you can do things like lock a tab and get it to update every twent or thirty seconds - great for seeing when INTERACT has updated at work! Also has mouse gestures via an extension. Google search built in to the tool bar, pop up blocking, ad blocking very good. As soon as it has proper XML support on a par with MSXML I will use it exclusively.

Adam

kiwi · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2003, 04:10:43 am »

Quote

Anyway, Mozilla is good but sometimes there might be some rendering quirks that only IE can solve. Usually those time is when those ppl who design the webpage never accomadate for other browser other than IE which is a shame as Mozilla is way way better in terms of HTML standard. It only loses out on XML as far as I know. In terms of CSS and HTML, Mozilla is one of the most standard compliant browser available.

Yeah... uncompliant/incorrect code is displayed as such... and the browser does not try to fix it like IE does. But that's not that big a deal. Just d/l firebird adn give it a try. It's really easy...

kwake · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2003, 06:23:01 am »

I like the Opera browser, although it's not great with Java yet.

Main reasons I like it is its look & feel, tabbed interface (much like the Lotus Notes Client which I also use), mouse gestures and the multi-function Hotlist feature.

It also features ad-blocking support (other than its own ad bar at the top right until you buy it (much like Incredimail)).

Check it out: http://www.opera.com/

escaflo · « **Reply #11 on:** June 14, 2003, 06:43:09 am »

Quote

Yeah... uncompliant/incorrect code is displayed as such... and the browser does not try to fix it like IE does. But that's not that big a deal. Just d/l firebird adn give it a try. It's really easy...

Tried Firebird before. But still using Mozilla now. I can live with the quirks.

zevele10 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 14, 2003, 08:23:57 am »

Doof

If you want to try Netscape , DO NOT download it from Netscape with all the AOL s..

Use this link to get legal AOl s.. less version

http://www.sillydog.org/

I love Mozilla ,but there is few things that you cannot use or do compared to IE.

........................Listening to: 'Home on the Strange' from 'It's About Time' by 'Doof' on Media Center 9.0......
Did not know you are an eletronic/trance artist........

zevele10 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 14, 2003, 10:48:31 am »

I suggest you take a look at MyIE2

-=-=-=-=

This one look great ,i have to give it a try.

Again ,the same question i allways ask when speaking about browser:

Any download manager works with this browser ?

Galley · « **Reply #14 on:** June 14, 2003, 11:57:04 am »

Nothing but Opera for me!

sraymond · « **Reply #15 on:** June 14, 2003, 11:57:22 am »

Quote

Any download manager works with this browser ?

There is a FlashGet plugin for MyIE2. I've never used it, but if it works as well as the Google toolbar plugin, it will be as good as IE alone.

Scott-

KingSparta · « **Reply #16 on:** June 14, 2003, 12:46:18 pm »

Netscape Version 1.0

iCamp · « **Reply #17 on:** June 15, 2003, 07:23:05 am »

Safari

sirshambling · « **Reply #18 on:** June 15, 2003, 09:45:28 am »

I'd go with MyIE2 as well - looks just like the new MC9 - is everybody sold on pale blue???

John

zevele10 · « **Reply #19 on:** June 15, 2003, 11:44:37 am »

Galley is right , Opera is really good.

But i cannot set a download manager to work with it.
Direct click i mean ,not the 'click back for...'

kiwi · « **Reply #20 on:** June 15, 2003, 01:35:48 pm »

So Doof, have you tried any of these other programs yet?

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: Pondering a switch... (Read 5283 times)

gkerber

phelt

sraymond

zevele10

zevele10

sraymond

zevele10