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Browser Question

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 11:47 am
by Chaos Cricket
Okay, I'm sick of how buggy IE seems to be on my damn computer. I'm using Windows XP Home, and was wondering if anyone out there could recommend a decent, stabel browser for my internet surfing needs. I'm not a big fan of the tabbed windows (like in Opera), but I can deal with them if the stupid program will work better than my current one.

Any suggestions?

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 11:59 am
by RPin
I'm quite happy with Firefox. The only thing that annoys me about it is how slow it loads forums and pages, and how the clicks only work after the page loaded.

Other than that, it's quite a browser.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 12:04 pm
by Jops
Mozilla!!!


'nuff said!

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 12:10 pm
by [geoduck]
I'd agree that "straight" Mozilla or Mozilla Firefox is the way to go, but Opera works just fine, as well.

And you don't have to use tabs if you don't want to...

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 12:46 pm
by Ruxen
I'm a loser and I use Netscape. It sure beats IE though, and it does have tabs but there's an option for you to turn them off. I've also used Mozilla and it's a good browser but I stand by my Netscape.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 12:54 pm
by Jeffy
ummm.... why do you have problems with IE? Even my Windows 95 computer runs it without a problem...

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 1:04 pm
by Chaos Cricket
It's not anything major, just a couple of annoyances. First, IE keeps deciding to just create a new folder entitled "Links" in my Favorites folder at random. And by "at random" I mean basically every time I open up the Favorites folder. Also, when I try to load some websites, I get this "PerfectNav" thing. It's like something's hijacked the browser and redirects it to that page. Eventually I can get into the page I wanted to actually go to, but it's a pain in the ass. I've run Ad Aware and Norton Anti-Virus, and came up with nothing related to that stuff (though I was able to clear out a lot of spyware on my machine...ugh). It still does the PerfectNav thing and I keep getting those damn Links folders (I deleted 30 of them last night in the space of about 2 hours). I'm hoping a different browser wouldn't give me these problems, though that may be a vain hope.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 1:05 pm
by Alschroeder
I agree with most who go with Mozilla Firefox, but another good one is Avant, at http://www.avantbrowser.com---free download, IE like interface (it takes the IE platform and corrects a lot of the mistakes and holes), doesn't allow pop-ups, new windows open WITHIN the main browser window---a superior browser. I design web pages, and have to check a large variety of browsers, and my wife does too--she prefers Firefox by a hair, I prefer Avant by a hair. But those are the two best ones out there. I like Opera, but it takes too long for the pages to load and practically all the images have to be loaded for it to show ANYTHING.---Al

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 1:12 pm
by Esoterik
I'm using Firefox and I love it. I don't find it to be slow loading pages or forums at all. About the same speed as IE on my computer.

I love the tabbed browsing and pop-up blocker.

Also, it's less forgiving on HTML code, so when I'm writing a page, I know if it shows up fine in Mozilla it'll look fine on any browser.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 2:14 pm
by Psiogen
Safari, biatches!

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 2:25 pm
by Garasade
The problem with IE is that MS built it without any serious concern for its potential to be used by nefarious means to infiltrate one's computer. I am getting a bit tired by the incessant updates that appear from time to time that addresses another security loophole that needs mended, although I applaud the kind of diligence on MS' part to limit the risks.

Another problem, which is but a nagging problem is that MS seems to basically restrict the operation of Java code on the browser, citing the conditions on their court settlement with Sun.

There are some articles now that further divulges on this problem, you'd probably seen these:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s ... p/22103407

http://slate.msn.com/id/2103152/

I will try to stay away from Explorer until the release of the service pack for XP.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 2:28 pm
by LAGtheNoggin
Don't even touch Internet Explorer, seriously;

Seriously.Seriously.
Esoterik wrote:I'm using Firefox and I love it. I don't find it to be slow loading pages or forums at all. About the same speed as IE on my computer.

I love the tabbed browsing and pop-up blocker.

Also, it's less forgiving on HTML code, so when I'm writing a page, I know if it shows up fine in Mozilla it'll look fine on any browser.
What he said. I converted yesterday and it hasn't failed to impress. I'm guessing it acts differently with a 56k though, it's fine with my cable connection, a little faster than ie even.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 2:53 pm
by War
I find that image caching tends to be more reliable with Firefox so it's faster on 56k as well.
I don't know about other people, but I'm running 5 computers with XP on them here, and I've had IE's temp files screw up and stop caching images on every one of them at some point. Not nice on 56k.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 4:38 pm
by McDuffies
Chaos Cricket wrote:It's not anything major, just a couple of annoyances. First, IE keeps deciding to just create a new folder entitled "Links" in my Favorites folder at random. And by "at random" I mean basically every time I open up the Favorites folder. Also, when I try to load some websites, I get this "PerfectNav" thing. It's like something's hijacked the browser and redirects it to that page. Eventually I can get into the page I wanted to actually go to, but it's a pain in the ass. I've run Ad Aware and Norton Anti-Virus, and came up with nothing related to that stuff (though I was able to clear out a lot of spyware on my machine...ugh). It still does the PerfectNav thing and I keep getting those damn Links folders (I deleted 30 of them last night in the space of about 2 hours). I'm hoping a different browser wouldn't give me these problems, though that may be a vain hope.
Actually, IE was crashing on my old comp, on W95. Then I downloaded Mizzila and it works fine, although slow.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 4:49 pm
by Xmung
mozilla.


yep. mozilla.

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 4:54 pm
by Chaos Cricket
I'm sensing something of a pattern in the responses here...think I'll end up trying a Mozilla browser. Thanks everyone!

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 5:18 pm
by Joel Fagin
ruxen wrote:I've also used Mozilla and it's a good browser but I stand by my Netscape.
Um... They're the same thing. Netscape is just Mozilla with the logo changed and, as I understand it, AOL spyware included.

Firefox is a far better browser than Mozilla and purportedly faster than Opera but it's still in Beta right now. Indeed, I can't get it working on my own computer very well. I'd say it' worth a try, though.

- Joel Fagin

>>

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 5:45 pm
by Melody
I use the "do not go to stupid sites" technique and IE has never failed me. But if you do go to a lot of stupid sites, I think another browser is a lot better.
garasade wrote:Another problem, which is but a nagging problem is that MS seems to basically restrict the operation of Java code on the browser, citing the conditions on their court settlement with Sun.
Sun makes the Java plugin. Microsoft stopped distributing its own due to that lawsuit thingie. Maybe your computer still has the MS plugin.

Re: >>

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 6:09 pm
by Joel Fagin
Melody wrote:I use the "do not go to stupid sites" technique and IE has never failed me.
Yeah, but Keenspot is currently a "stupid site". It's got spyware in the ads.

- Joel Fagin

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2004 7:05 pm
by Chaos Cricket
I think I end up accidentally visiting stupid sites. Someone could make a lot of money if they developed a Stupid Sites Detector.