Latest Firefox update problems

[kamui]

From the user point of view - I use IE 6 and IE 7 beta, Opera 9 beta and Firefox 1.5 (on several machines) - I must say that even the latest version of IE is way behind Opera and Firefox.

 

Today I prefer Firefox above IE and even Opera because of the extremely useful Firefox extensions like Gmail manager, PDF download, Quicknote, Bookmark Synchronizer e.g. and because of the expandable searchbar (Wikipedia, Dictionaries, Amazon from different countries, torrent pages e.g.); and not to forget that you can change the look of Firefox and Opera quite easily while you are stuck with the same IE look since over half of a decade.

 

While even the upcoming IE 7 is years behind the other browsers it wasn't planned for 2006 originially. The reason that IE 7 beta is already available is due to the success of Firefox. Without Firefox MS wouldn't have invested much manpower and money to (try to) upgrade IE this year. The latest news is that the final version of IE 7 is postponed until December. While Firefox 1.5 is already superior above IE 7, the next generation of Firefox (2.0) is to be expected in early autumn 2006 already. I wonder when IE 8 will come out...

 

It is the same like with the missing desktop search function in Windows. MS planned to introduce an usable desktop search function with Windows Vista earliest, but when Google Desktop came out MS had to react. In cases like this only the competition by equal players puts enough pressure on MS to care for the needs of the users.

 

PS: for what ever reason I never liked the available add-ons for IE like Avant Browser or Maxton. There was always something which didn't work for me (like tool bars being too fat, e.g.). I prefer to deal with the 'originial' stuff.

[bibblies]

To me, all the things you mention are just user "gimmicks" - skins, expandable search bars, PDF download, desktop search, etc. They're not genuine new technologies that will move the web on. They're hanging on the coat-tails of Microsoft in this respect.

 

I'll give you another example - DHTML. Microsoft first brought out a decent implementation of this technology that lets you change things on the page, without postbacks, in IE4 - many years ago. By contrast, Netscape (at the time their main competitor) belatedly produced their own version of this called "layers" which let you control a fraction of what MS let you do. MS's vision made many things possible.

 

It's broad technologies like these that move the web on, not little gimicky tweaks. Firefox and Opera like to cast themselves as the risky new kids on the block but often they implement only safe old technology dressed up with these tweaks and if you all used them, nothing would get better.

 

(Of course, you still need competitors around just to keep MS on their toes...)

[bibblies]

kamui said:

...and not to forget that you can change the look of Firefox and Opera quite easily while you are stuck with the same IE look since over half of a decade.

Hang on, this isn't correct (and indeed you contradict yourself later when you mention Avant, etc!)

 

IE is customisable and Microsoft encourages this - its core is used by Avant and others to produce their own look and extra features over IE's engine.

 

In fact, in many applications you think of as desktop ones, you might not even realise you're using such an IE core.

 

The Avant site mentioned it was skinnable. This, I think, is typical Microsoft. They give you a customisable core, document it for developers and leave it up to them to do this kind of tweaking if they want it (and I, for one, didn't - I get bored of these things after 10 minutes. )

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

"firefox offeres to remember the passwords for that sites."

 

Ok, I never use that.

 

Sanuk!

[kamui]

For you, extensions might be gimmicks, for me they are extremely helpful (actually tabbed browsing is not a gimmick and not to have it is a real annoyance).

I use Extensions daily (often a several times a day), at home and at work. They make my work much more comfortable and faster.

As I said I have no idea of coding, but the *usability* of IE 6 is completely outdated and IE 7 is, besides tabbed browsing which is offered by Opera since years, not much better....

 

I mean, a browser is probably the most used software at computers by millions users. Therefore I find it an impertinence by MS to let millions of users work with outdated software which could have been improved years ago - concerning usability and security.

 

Concerning add-ons like Avant Browser. For me they are like a tuned VW Gold with a lot of plastic. The might look nice and sporty, but they will never become a Mercedes Benz... (Even the skins are much less and not as good as Firefox or Opera skins)

[carlton68]

texascity,

when your extensions are so nice and so hard to find: save a copy of your extensions to the harddrive.

 

KS,

still you might have fucked up the profile by just copying.

 

Bibblies,

as you have more knowledge about browsers I've got a question for you. My niece was using IE6 for about 18 month. during that time the 'temporary internet files' clogged up to a nice 3.4GB. No big files, only hordes of small files. I couldn't get rid of that mass. Tried it in IE, clear cache, history and such. Tried to clean the harddrive. Nothing worked. In the end I just deleted the mass manually, crossing my fingers. Seemed to work, even IE didn't miss it. But why was it that much in the first place? Slowed down creating backup images a bit.

You have any idea?

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

"still you might have fucked up the profile by just copying. "

 

Updated drivers yesterday and I have not had a problem since. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Sanuk!

[Boo Radley]

Firefox is also more secure than IE. If you go to the spyware support forums, all the posts from people requiring help with hijacked browsers (eg CoolWebSearch) are running IE. I have as yet never seen a Firefox hijack. That's not to say someone won't figure out how to do it one day though.

[SoiledCowboy]

Maybe a reason why Firefox doesn't encounter these specific problems is a bit like the difference between a Porsche Carrera built to travel at 300+ kmh and a Morris Minor flat out at 90 kmh...the Porsche has inherent complex, design capabilities that the Morris Minor will never encounter simply because the Morris doesn't have the "goods" to achieve things that the Porsche could...in other words, you can't exploit (spyware, adware, malware etc etc exploits) the greater functionality and design of the browser if it isn't there to begin with in the first place. IE is a Microsoft product and therefore will always be a target for malicious intent...if Firefox ever becomes a MS product, then watch the exploits of this browser go beserk...for the meantime though, Firefox is still a minor browser and the malicious intents etc are directed at the major web browser, that's always been IE.

I'd rather take the necessary precautions and still drive a Porsche than settle for the safety and abilities of a Morris Minor!

[bibblies]

Boo Radley said:

Firefox is also more secure than IE. ...

I refer you back to Firefox myths.