Author Topic: Why you should drop IE (Read 28322 times)

PIAC · « **Reply #25 on:** October 13, 2003, 11:35:04 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Bloodworth
Well, when I try to listen to Louie FM, it gets all wacky and keeps closing and opening the same window -- even when I turn off the Pop Up Blocker.

how did you get that to fix? im running firebird (saw the light around the time when grey ninja started going on about it

) and for some reason today louie fm/live365 kept shutting the little window that pops up when you click the green 'play' button on the main louie FM page, oddly enough it was working the other couple of times previous to today :\

nitsu niflheim · « **Reply #26 on:** October 14, 2003, 03:51:50 AM »

I like IE, I have no problems with it, pop ups don't bother me because I don't visit sites that flood me with them, I get a few, but I just close them, not problem. IE opens quickly, it rarely crashes. I mean RARELY crashes, almost never. I do get the rare occasion where it stops responding, but that is almost always when I am trying to load the gamespy website, and only on my computer at work. I don't know what all you are going on about IE being so bad, what in tar-hooties are you doing to make IE act up so bad for you?

Termin8Anakin · « **Reply #27 on:** October 14, 2003, 04:01:26 AM »

yay!
a fellow user of IE who doesn't want to switch!

S-U-P-E-R · « **Reply #28 on:** October 14, 2003, 06:46:09 AM »

My IE has never crashed or frozen ONCE, maybe because I actually keep my system clean

Bloodworth · « **Reply #29 on:** October 14, 2003, 06:54:50 AM »

PIAC, I didn't really. I just changed my Live 365 settings to open the stream in WinAmp. So yes, there are still issues with Firebird, and depending on the situation, I may not use it all the time. Will need to test it a few more days.

ghostVi · « **Reply #30 on:** October 14, 2003, 07:15:49 AM »

Cheers KDR! Opera user here too. It's so much better I'm planing to purchase Opera 7.21 (already owning Opera 6). Several more features of Opera no IE user knows about, or even can imagine being there......

* Ctrl+Z! You know what that one does? It's Undo, but no, not just stupid IE text box undo, it actually reopens your accidentally closed pages

until you start using that you won't know how good it is.

* Spatial keyboard navigation. You won't touch the mouse anymore, you won't need it

One can finally traverse the links and forms of a page using the 4 arrow keys, it's instantly became of my favourite features of this browser.

* An old one IE won't ever have : open a link in the background. What do you do seeing a page with lot's of links (i.e. images etc.) you want to visit? Start clicking and hitting back/alt-tab. Well in Opera you can just put them loading in the background, one by one, with a single click, and at the time one starts looking at the first link it's already loaded (Yes this browser IS fast.)

* Best ever email client (called M2). Won't start enumerating features here.

And that's just off the top of my head, if you won't more I'll tell you all

Hope this makes some of you ppl consider trying the latest and greatest.

Cheers,
kfet

ghostVi · « **Reply #31 on:** October 14, 2003, 07:22:49 AM »

Oh and forgot another one: customisable searches. Right now if I type "g some-text" it immediately opens google search results on some-text. That way I have a set of dictionaries, reference sites, google groups and some more, each one having a different abbreviation ("how browser" opens right away the howstuffworks search on browser). I can't live without that feature.

Jdub03 · « **Reply #32 on:** October 14, 2003, 07:43:29 AM »

You can setup firebird to look just like Microsoft IE. Sweet, ill have to download it and try it out.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #33 on:** October 14, 2003, 08:30:06 AM »

Vi: Hm, I didn't know about undo... Could have saved me some trouble when hitting the wrong tab with my middle mouse button.

A thing Opera definitely has over IE is downloads starting when you click the link, not when you chose the destination. It asks you where to put the file and while you're confirming the settings it's already downloading in the background. Also tab-switching with right-mouse+mousewheel and forward /backward with hold left, rightclick and hold right, click left is something I love.

nitsu niflheim · « **Reply #34 on:** October 14, 2003, 09:05:08 AM »

my email is nice. All I have to do it get online and my email is available to me immediately. Just a single click of the mail button on the top of my browser. I use IE, and a varient used in MSN Explorer.

I don't like using the arrow keys to navigate. I use the tab key because I use it in nearly every program I have on my computer at home and at work. Habit. And to navigate I use a mouse and scroll wheel. Shocking I know.

MSN starts downloading when you click on something, all my downloads go to a certain place then into a my downloads folder. If I am using just plain old IE I have to select the destination. Also with MSN I don't get a small pop up, but a regular browser that also has all the other files I have downloaded with there history.

MSN also keeps track of my favorties. I can bookmark a page while at work and then when I get home, just open my favorites and it will be there. I like that, with IE all that stuff stayed just on the computer you were using at the time and I would have to email the page to myself if I didn't think I would remember the link.

vudu · « **Reply #35 on:** October 14, 2003, 09:12:06 AM »

like ghost and kdr, i, too, use opera. however, one thing i can't stand is it has problems viewing certain web pages that use java/flash ads. the example that comes to mind is www.gamespy.com. for the past month (on and off) there has been a large flash ad to the right the headlining story on the main page. the ad showed up just fine, but it blocked off all the text/graphics of everything to the left and above it. if you go there now, there's a less prevalent (but still noticeable) ad just to the right of the headlining story (i believe it's for nba live 2004). does anyone else who uses opera have this problem? how about anyone using mozilla?

thecubedcanuck · « **Reply #36 on:** October 14, 2003, 09:15:10 AM »

I have tried Mozilla and netscape and prefer IE by a long shot. This whole thread just seems like a back door approach to bashing MS. I find their products work fine.

oh well.

BiLdItUp1 · « **Reply #37 on:** October 14, 2003, 09:29:58 AM »

I'm pretty happy with Mozilla, but it was painfully slow when I had to use dial up, as compared to IE. The problem is that a lot of sites are still optimized for IE and there are more programs compatible with it. Still, I like the popup blocker, tabs etc, aend the fact that its free/open sourc. I could understand why someone wouldn't wanna switch. FYI, Netscape doesn't exist anymore, in case it hasn't been said.

kennyb27 · « **Reply #38 on:** October 14, 2003, 10:39:24 AM »

For those who use Firebird:

Right now, I'm sitting at my computer. There are some 5 other usernames on it (for my siblings and parents). If I were to download Firebird would it only be used on my username. I ask because my stepbrother is a "Don't ever change anything that is Microsoft's because Microsoft is god and I am a Microsoft Certified Professional"-type person. I don't feel like having him chop my head in two pieces but I would prefer to try something that is NOT IE. Any help would be appreciated.

thecubedcanuck · « **Reply #39 on:** October 14, 2003, 11:48:19 AM »

well, I have spent all day now playing with FIREBIRD and have to say, I have changed my mind. It is way faster than IE and seems to work flawlessly. I was wrong, I admit it.

One question however, do I need a firewall with it? if so, which one would be best?

KnowsNothing · « **Reply #40 on:** October 14, 2003, 11:52:39 AM »

I don't really like to start new topics, so I will just ask here. My family is currently looking to network our house to give access to the internet from more computers than just one. Since I'm not allowed to DL on this computer, I was extremely happy that I would finally be able to do it.

But a horrible thought just crossed my mind....if the computers are linked, would getting a virus on one cause all of the computers to get the virus?

I hope the answer is no, but I have a feeling that the answer might be yes.

even if the answer is yes, I just won't tell my parents.

But I'd still like to know...

Plugabugz · « **Reply #41 on:** October 14, 2003, 12:16:07 PM »

Yes it's likely. You can turn sharing off between the computers, therefore in theory being a single pc.

KnowsNothing · « **Reply #42 on:** October 14, 2003, 12:18:32 PM »

I guess I'll do that then. Thanks for relpying.

Grey Ninja · « **Reply #43 on:** October 14, 2003, 02:51:52 PM »

My sister's computer used to give me virii all the time over our network. I caught a really nasty one from her PC once that spread all over town. lol

Anyways, I just think I should tell a story here for the stubborn IE users among us.

Valve is the name of the developer that makes Half Life, which is an immensly popular FPS game for PC. They thought the same as you guys that one browser is the same as another, and if it's not broke, why fix it? The source code for their unreleased game, Half Life 2 was recently leaked onto the internet. They spent a week looking for the breach in their firewall that allowed the hackers inside their network.

What they found was that Microsoft allowed several critical security holes to go unpatched for months, and that allowed the hackers to install keystroke logs on a few of their computers through holes in Internet Explorer. With access to usernames and passwords, they were eventually able to download the source code for Half Life 2.

This isn't something that's simply a "matter of preference". I bet you all got the Win XP patch a while ago that made your PC restart every 5 minutes didn't you? What if I told you that there are security holes in IE that are almost as bad that REMAIN UNPATCHED? It's gotten to the point that there's a class action lawsuit against Microsoft for failing to secure software (IE) that is vital to the operation of government and business.

KnowsNothing · « **Reply #44 on:** October 14, 2003, 03:20:57 PM »

Nitsu- thanks.

Well, actually, there is no "lock the toolbar option" for me (i'm still using ME, haven't gotten around to switching). My brother figured it out, but I'll thank you anyway.

*dances with GIR*

EDIT: my biggest mistake ever!!! This belong in some other thread. If you see nitsu, send him in this direction.

*is embarrassed*

Berny · « **Reply #45 on:** October 14, 2003, 03:26:47 PM »

Sorry, to join the party late, but Grey Ninja, if it makes you feel any better, you converted me to Mozilla a few months ago. I only touch IE when I need to get something off my *OLD* favorites. Once they are all one Mozilla, I will have no need for it. And I will find a way to incinerate it. I will find a way...

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #46 on:** October 14, 2003, 03:33:02 PM »

I use IE just because it's there...I don't really care for it, but it lets me run through my cable without me having to do much anything

Thankfully I don't have anything important on my laptop...

Grey Ninja · « **Reply #47 on:** October 14, 2003, 04:07:13 PM »

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I don't really care for it, but it lets me run through my cable without me having to do much anything

As does any other browser.

I set up Firebird to run on my computer at work too without much difficulty. I just had to copy over the proxy settings from IE, and I was good to go. Our computers at work are supposed to be running only MS products, but Firebird is small and easy enough to install that I was able to sneak it on. I don't really have a need for many of Firebird's features at work, and of course the security issues wouldn't bother me, but I like the debugging aspects of Firebird better. The Javascript console is much more complete in Firebird I find. Since I am a web developer, that's very useful for me.

Quote
Sorry, to join the party late, but Grey Ninja, if it makes you feel any better, you converted me to Mozilla a few months ago. I only touch IE when I need to get something off my *OLD* favorites. Once they are all one Mozilla, I will have no need for it. And I will find a way to incinerate it. I will find a way...

I'm glad that you like it as much as I.

But I think I should probably mention that Firebird automatically creates a bookmark folder for you with your imported IE bookmarks. It did for me way back when anyways. I haven't touched IE for so long that I think I deleted it on my computer, or I would show you a screenshot.

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #48 on:** October 14, 2003, 04:16:03 PM »

Yeah, but the truth is I'm just too damn busy(/too damn lazy) to get another browser...

Sirmorphix · « **Reply #49 on:** October 14, 2003, 07:26:58 PM »

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What they found was that Microsoft allowed several critical security holes to go unpatched for months, and that allowed the hackers to install keystroke logs on a few of their computers through holes in Internet Explorer.

I've been following this quite closely, as an avid HL fan. But as far as I know the hackers got in exploiting issues with Outlook. Do you have a link about the IE problem? (On another note, I spent 2 grand on a new PC built from the ground up for HL2, so it better come out this Christmas, or else it will be a dark day for all)

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This isn't something that's simply a "matter of preference".

Yes it is. There are known security issues with Windows, and there are plenty of alternatives to windows, but I still choose to use it. Just like IE, which has known problems, I choose to use it. It is a matter of prefrerence. Just because it has security flaws doesn't mean that there is no longer a choice. IE isn't perfect, but neither is any other browser.

KnowsNothing: Yankees! The curse of the Babe must live on! I'm not really into baseball, but ever since I learned about the curse of the Babe, I've always wanted to see it live on. There aren't enough popular curses these days. I just want to see the losing streak of the Cubs and BoSox go on.

News:

Author Topic: Why you should drop IE (Read 28322 times)