OT; try mozilla firefox for a windows-based web browser

JonyRR · 09-03-2004, 10:06 AM

I'm doing some back-to-back testing of mozilla firefox -VS- MS
Internet exploder, er, explorer.
firefox is looking pretty good, and renders this pelican site about 20% faster than IE6 (you maccer's are already smug about not having to deal with wintel-specific issues, so just DON'T SAY IT!!! *grin*)..www.mozilla.org

Moybin · 09-03-2004, 11:58 AM

I downloaded the Mac version and it is significantly faster than current Mozilla. About as fast as Safari, but it doesn't show the Post Quick Reply window at the bottom of the page! Weird!

However, Safari does not implement all aspects of Java, so it's always good to have a couple of browsers available on your hard drive. I avoid using IE as much as possible, but some sites, those made with MS products, usually won't talk to Safari nicely. Bill Gates at his finest.

Thanks for the tip!

JonyRR · 09-03-2004, 12:43 PM

And when I was doing real estate websites exclusively in the old days ('94-'96) I always designed for IE, as I have a long-festering philosophical beef with unix-centric entities like netscape. (Ask sometime and I'll tell you how left-wing socalist most unix gurus and C programmers are...typical products of the higher education system in the US)

rjo · 02:51 PM

Another great fan of the left wing socialist Firefox here.
And if you have only just started with Firefox then you are in for some very pleasant surprises if you delve into it.
Want even more speed.
Have a look here

JonyRR · 09-03-2004, 03:12 PM

I was picking on the unix geeks more than on the browser itself; I've never understood the open source community's anti-income stance...I sure as hell don't work for free, and intellectual property is as tangible as any other property in my opinion, 'specially it it's MY intellect that did the generating. After a certain point in time (like about 30 years of age), I'd kinda like to get paid for my code...if I didn't, how the flock can I afford a BMW??
I used to work with an absolutely brilliant C programmer...could write elagent code in his sleep; he was a retired nuclear physicist who said he was too stressed; he found C programming relaxing!!!!!!...anyway he was whining about how bill gates had too much money and power and how it wasn't 'right'..I said what was wrong with having that kind on money; this guy couldn't articulate why it wasn't 'right' he just knew it wasn't. I asked him if he was a birlliant student..hes asid of course he was...magna cum laude at MIt, etc...that's when I let him have it:
A students work for B students and C students own the company; that's why he'd always be a programmer for Northrup Grumman....I left as he was going epeliptic...

Rootboy · 09-03-2004, 04:16 PM

So, what does this all mean for a poor mac sap like myself?

Moybin · 09-03-2004, 07:24 PM

Rootboy:

It means us'ns Mac heads have to use about 3 different browsers depending on what we are doing. Gmail likes Mozilla and Firefox. Most sites will get along with Safari, until you run into a banking site, then they usually want IE.

I'm always suspicious of what some dweeb in Redmond hid amongst the rest of the code in IE, so I use it the least. But there are times when nothing else will work, and sometimes even IE is pretty kludge-ly.

Since I'm not doing finite-element analysis of a wing flying in the Martian atmosphere at Mach 10, I don't need some high end PC: the Mac works better than just fine, and I don't get the blue screen of death. Since I'm also not a high-end gamer (like Everquest) I don't need a top notch PC, either.

I'm satisfied with my computer, just as I don't need any Milwaukee iron krapola just because every other moron in North America is lined up like a lemming at the dealership.

Steve Carlton · 11-11-2004, 08:36 PM

Just downloaded firefox, and it seems excellent. Any observations from those more computer savvy than I?...

Bails · Bails's Garage

I'm also a user

rjo · 11-12-2004, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Steve Carlton
Just downloaded firefox, and it seems excellent. Any observations from those more computer savvy than I?...

Well I don't know how computer savvy you are.
See my earlier post for more speed tweeks, and if you find a page that doesn't render so well in Firfox, try Crazy Browser
It's a ripper and also free.

Steve Carlton · 11-12-2004, 06:06 AM

rjo- I'm not too savvy. Perhaps a 3 on a scale of 10? But I am viewing this site as we speak with Crazy Browser...

I tried your link above, but don't see what to do. Am I missing something? Remember, I just got the training wheels off...

How would you compare Crazy Browser to Firefox? Multiple sites within one window? Faster?

Why do these browsers work better than IE?

lemec · 11-12-2004, 06:35 AM

I've been using Firefox just about exclusively for almost three months. Very few problems. I like it, and ain't going back to IE except when I have to for my job.

ErricZ · 11-12-2004, 11:16 AM

Been using Firefox for several beta releases and the 1.0PR is by far the best. Some sites still can't be used, make sure you are using the 1.42 JRE2 for best performance. I love the tabbed browsing.

The problem I see with IE is that it lets people get away with sloppy code, whereas the Mozilla based browsers (Nutscrape incl'd) are more exacting with closing links, tables, etc.

Steve Carlton · 11-12-2004, 11:52 AM

What's the 1.42 JRE2 and how do you use it? You've exceeded my 3 out of 10 rating...

Does IE allow pop-ups or spyware intentionally?

rjo · 11-12-2004, 12:42 PM

Hmmm.
Just noticed that the link I have above opens an empty page.
It is an article about tweaking firefox for improved performance. The article is called "Putting The Fire in Firefox". If you put 'firefox' in the Quicksearch window in that page you should be referred to it. Seems to come up truncated but you can hit 'view-extended-entry' near the bottom. There are 2 other articles as well.
I did the changes as described and noticed much improved speed loading pages. There is another article on the same site that goes into it with more depth, changes depending on the type of connection and speed of computer. I haven't bothered with the second article, maybe someday.
I have been using Firefox for over a year, and before that Mozilla. I use Thunderbird for email.
Crazy Browser is a good fast browser that I turn to if a page isn't rendering properly in Firefox. One site that I sometimes have trouble with is the MotoGP site. It sometimes wont get past the 'live timing' login window, and sometimes displays the wrong time. So if it plays up I go to Crazy Browser.
The reason I prefer Firefox is because of all the extras, if you want them.
For instance.
In Firefox, go to Tools>Extensions>Get More Extensions and have a browse. I also use the Noia 2.0 theme.

ErricZ · 11-12-2004, 04:53 PM

I liked my Walnut theme, but I don't know that it made it to 1.0PR yet.

I also use Thunderbird for email... I like that it doesn't use IE as the viewer, as Eudora does. It's spam filter still needs some work, but it's getting there.

As for the JRE, it's the Sun Java Run-Time Environment 2, v1.42 ... it's just a little better than the 1.5, but maybe that was just my work laptop. *shrug* Sorry if I'm confusing you more.