Firefox Myths

Firefox Myths

Very cool link, many of the myths I found myself using FF, I dumped FF and went back to Explorer maybe 3-4 months ago. Not a single complaint since. Bookmarked the site, I'll take a tour through later.

Thanks MT.

I've been a Firefox user for nearly a year now, but I have grave reservations about it. I recently upgraded to v1.5 but 1.5 seems to have a serious bug whereby Internet access, by either browser or e-mail client, can become impossible on occasions. Individual websites also suddenly become temporarily inaccessible. Initial loading of Firefox is still horrendously slow, even after creating a new profile. I've been sorely tempted to return to IE6. Unfortunately, this latest Firefox bug has corrupted IE6 as well.

Very diplomatic answer Relic. I have rarely seen one of these threads get much further than multiple "proofs" from the bastion of first ammendment speech rights (the internet) whose "facts" or "studies" contradict one another - only to collapse into a morass of flame throwing barbs. I like the fact that there are so many browsing alternatives and a person can let their own experience be their guide.

heh. I can see people dumping Firefox....for say Opera but IE? Do you people have a computer death wish? heh.

Originally posted by Sampson:


Strangely enough, the IE flammage started right after your post, hahahahaha.

I was enjoying FF, much quicker page loads, very fast browsing, I was impressed. Then I upgraded to 1.5. Bad move. Tried the next beta. Even worse, and went back to "Exploder".

I know that everyone(OK, FF fanboys) claim it is so much more secure than IE, but the fact remains that IE is THE most common browser, so it is the most often attacked.

As FF has just realized, now that their browser is so popular, it's vulnerabilities are being exploited. MS has been number one forever, so they were the ones being attacked by hackers, and they were the ones that looked like they couldn't build a secure browser.

Now that FF has climbed the "browser ladder", they are getting a glimpse at what IE has had to put up with for so many years, people will hack them if they are popular. Now, FF has to deal with coming out with security patches, something they are not used to, and it's biting them on the butt. This is what happens when a developer becomes complacent in that they think they are safe. x)

Originally posted by dosfreak:


Not at all. I've never had a security issue with IE, and I've been surfing the net since '98. I do run a hardware firewall, and I control my security settings. Checking for updates for IE also helps quite a bit.

In fact, IE comes out with security updates on a regular basis, as they admit that there is always someone trying to hack their product.

FF doesn't want to admit this.

Ignoring that your house is on fire won't prevent it from burning down. FF has to address the issues it has with security, openly, otherwise, things can only get worse.

I do find it amusing that people slag IE when they admit there are security issues, but applaud programs that do everything in their power to deny security issues. Who, actually, is more trust worthy?

BTW, I didn't dump FF over security, it was the instability of the browser that finally made me swap back to IE.

I originally dumped IE because it was slow, it's not slow anymore, in fact, it's as fast as, or faster than the last version of FF I used. I liked FF because of the tabbed browsing. I now use my ISP's(rogers.com in Barrie, ON, Canada) version of IE, which also gives me tabbed browsing. I have all the features of FF, and more, and it's rock solid.

"Computer death wish"? I think not.

I thought Rogers used Yahoo browser.

Internet Explorer is as safe as any browser if you just take the time to setup the security zones and not use default settings.

I have been using IE for 10 years and have never had a virus or spyware problem.

Yes, you could say it's the "Yahoo" browser, but it's just a skin and some add-ons, otherwise it's IE. Works very well for me, no matter what you call it.

Couldn't resist this for those who use IE - now there is a safer way to surf the net - eCondum (this is not a joke) and it is free: http://www.amustsoft.com/econdom/ Not quite sure that the imagery of "entering a website" or of a "premature shutdown" will ever have quite the same neutral meaning ever again.

Have a gander at this thread: http://www.ntcompatible.com/Microsoft_acquires_Opera_t33841.html

eCondom, that's rich, heh heh heh

Seems the M$/Opera story was just a rumour. Too bad...

If you think about it, if M$ was to buy out Opera, they would most definitely transfer the technology to IE. nVidia wasn't stupid when they bought out 3DFX, I mean this is a much cheaper way to gain technology, let someone else develope it for you, then buy them out.

"eCondom", heh heh heh, as if!

Updated!

v1.0.1

Performance Myths - Firefox is the Fastest Web Browser
Performance Myths - Firefox is Faster than Mozilla
Security Myths - Firefox is the Most Secure Web Browser
Feature Myths - Firefox Blocks all Popups
Feature Myths - Firefox is the Most Standards Compliant Web Browser

Putting Flaming aside, I have no doubt that Firefox is way WAY over rated. People that say Firefox can do A, B, C and D rarely realize (or admit) that you need to download and install additional software (extensions) to accomplish such advanced tasks. Opera on the other hand can do most of what FF can, with no additional extensions. Its download size is smaller, AND its install size is smaller.!!!!I know I am pushing Opera here, but its for a reason!

Yeah, Opera is great.

I never understood the IE love tho.

I'm visiting my parent's. They've bought a new computer so they have this P4 3.0ghz HT machine loaded down with tons of crap.....and of course they use AOL & IE.

So I'm currently surfing the net with IE (ughh) because I swore to never touch their machines again (So I'm not going to install anything). (They always blame me for the slowness of their machines.....even tho they buy the cheapest computers they can find).

Anyways I'm surfing with IE after not using it for years...

Impressions:
(Default IE settings vs Default Firefox/Opera settings).

IE doesn't seem to cache as much as Firefox/Opera.....which is terrible on this 56k modem operating at 28800 baud.....

Page loads are ALOT slower (mostly due to IE not caching as aggresively).

Download manager sucks. It sucks in Firefox too....but not as bad. Opera is better than both.

Can't really judge the popup situation since this machine is loaded with tons of IE toolsbars...so it wouldn't be fair, but we all know that by default IE is worse than Firefox/Opera.

Sites that use transparent images still look as crappy as ever in IE......

I can't use tabs! Medieval POS browser.... (Again...default config).

IE eating up tons of memory. (Again machine is loaded down with crap and only has 512mb of memory with 461 being used....yeah....I only have AOL and 2 IE browsers open right now....the rest is services). Probably all of those toolbars chewing up IE memory.

IE crashing usually crashes explorer too. Yeppeeee!!!

Saving web pages is a hell of alot slower. (Again...probably cache).

and finally.....

I just feel unprotected and well "dirty" using a browser that MS has refused to do anything with except security fixes for the past 6 years (okay...I'll give 'em 5).....and only decided to update because other browsers were starting to erode their market....and to make it look like Vista offers something new.....plus the fact that MS isn't going to offer IE for 9x/2K.....and the fact that they'll probably not develop IE after Vista is released........

I like supporting projects that are developed constantly....not left in limbo for years and only developed when MS decides to just make $$$ and not good will among their customers.....

Updates:

v1.0.2

Performance Myths - Firefox Achieved 10% Market Share in 2005
Security Myths - Firefox is More Secure by not using ActiveX
Feature Myths - Firefox fully supports the most important W3C Standards

Fable (Definition) - A fiction or half-truth, especially one that forms part of an ideology, usually widely believed but possibly just pulled out of one person's butt. While Firefox is a decent Web Browser, there are numerous Fables I spread around the Internet regarding it just so I can debunk them. Hopefully if I advertise this on every technology-related message board on the Internet under a dozen or so different names, enough people will click on my ads to make me filthy rich.

http://nanobox.chipx86.com/FirefoxFables/

Lol.

Does anyone realy think their system is 100% secure?