what browser do you mostly use?

[nexosis]

what browser do you mostly use?

[nexosis]

I mostly use firefox...of course lol

[felgall]

Used to use Opera but version 9 has problems so switched to Firefox since there aren't any other decent browsers for windows.

[mickeyy]

I prefer using Firefox for everything. The add-ons like the Web Developer toolbar, AutoPager, AdBlock, and Firebug make it a joy for browsing the web.

[nick1988]

I prefer using Firefox for everything. The add-ons like the Web Developer toolbar, AutoPager, AdBlock, and Firebug make it a joy for browsing the web.

And the addon 'Thread Necromancy' is also very useful :)

[Joe Micheal]

I also prefer to use Firefox.

[primefalcon]

Well there does seem to be interest in this old topic so I'll contribute....

I use Firefox as my main browser, I do have chrome, opera and safari also installed but none of them come close to Firefox in pure usability

[attasz]

I use Opera,i just love it's mousemove commands,makes much smoother the surfing.As for development i use Firefox,it's plugins are really great,i'd be in serious problem sometimes without Firebug.

[Excavator]

Is this how bored we are? We have to dig up a 3 year old thread?
I used to like IE5 but it won't run on my Windows7 so I switched to Netscape 6.3. If I have problems with that, I run IE6 from a Command Prompt with full permission.
This way I can see teh web.

:rolleyes:

[bazz]

actually I am bored. no, seriously; had a dayful of coding and no days off in about 6 months and I have reached the point where, I seem not to know anything I learned over the past four years. need a break me thinks.

thought I would satisfy my addiction to the web and check out a frankenpost or two :D

browse with what you choose, is what I say. code with Firefox and test with most of them for tweaking.

[aussieroo1]

I use Firefox 80% of the time, and IE for the remaining 10%. The add-ons for Firefox are pretty useful for me.

[sentril]

I use Firefox, Explorer and Chrome. Firefox mostly because of the add-ons but every once in a while I'll use explorer and chrome just to see if a website comes up properly.

[wakayi]

Sure use the firefox

[bcarl314]

I use Netscape Gold. No JS, No CSS. And that's only when lynx acts up! :D

Is this how bored we are? We have to dig up a 3 year old thread?
I used to like IE5 but it won't run on my Windows7 so I switched to Netscape 6.3. If I have problems with that, I run IE6 from a Command Prompt with full permission.
This way I can see teh web.

:rolleyes:

[Dean440]

Tie between Chrome and Firefox. I'm kind of more partial to Chrome.

[effpeetee]

Maxthon Browser - Just to introduce a fresh touch to this oldie.

[primefalcon]

Lynx is also FTW :-)

[aimhigh]

Chrome is a bit faster but I still prefer FF because of it's add ons.

[primefalcon]

For pure speed, nothing beats the Lynx

[cyrus709]

I use Firefox 80% of the time, and IE for the remaining 10%. The add-ons for Firefox are pretty useful for me.

You might have an error in your math :rolleyes: im just saying.....

[zeeshan_2011]

I mostly use Google chrome.

[dmcdaniel]

Mostly Firefox but I find myself using Opera Mini a lot on my phone.

[jfreak53]

I use to LOVE Firefox!! But in the recent years it has become a MEMORY HOG!! Especially once you start adding addons which I have to have my addons.

So I moved over to a small one based on mozilla called k-meleon. It doesn't have addons but it runs the same as FF use to run when it was new!! I love it for daily browsing.

Then for my wife I have her setup on Opera, I like opera it just has problems with scrolling and it drives me crazy.

But recently I have been doing work on Chrome since it now has firebug!!! YEY!!! And other addons.

Then of course I NEVER use IE, piece of junk!! ha ha

I just use it to test sites on to make sure they work right.

[amstel]

So I moved over to a small one based on mozilla called k-meleon. It doesn't have addons

Not true:
http://kmext.sourceforge.net/

[drhowarddrfine]

I use to LOVE Firefox!! But in the recent years it has become a MEMORY HOG!!Not true. In fact, in recent years, memory usage has gone down, not up. Especially once you start adding addons which I have to have my addons.Of course! Adding stuff to anything always increases its size and it's true of all browsers.
I like opera it just has problems with scrolling and it drives me crazy.
Not aware of any such thing.
But recently I have been doing work on Chrome since it now has firebug!!!Firebug Lite which doesn't have all the functionality of the full blown Firebug. Chrome's built-in inspector is very good though.

[jfreak53]

Not true:
http://kmext.sourceforge.net/

SWEET! Never knew it had those, thanks for the share!!

[amstel]

Not true. In fact, in recent years, memory usage has gone down, not up.Of course! Adding stuff to anything always increases its size and it's true of all browsers.


I am sorry but I have to disagree with you. Both those statements are completely wrong.

Memory usage can never go down in firefox, I will explain that in the next point.

adding extensions to browsers does not increase the memory usage or cpu cycles. that is regular browsers.
for example you can add many extensions and plugin or widgets to browsers like opera and internet explorer and like k-meleon, the performance will never change. the startup speed remains the same, memory usage is hardly affected. firefox on the contrary increases memory usage with every add-on and the performance degrades dramatically that you can't even have more than 5 or so extensions without making the browser suffer.

why does that happen? because there's a very big difference between firefox and other browsers. in fact the different is not only between other browsers but any other application.

the difference is, normal applications and programs are written to make use of the os api. that's the operating system main interface so they use a language that communicates with that api to draw its UI. those programs are commonly known as native. for example you write your program in c or c++ or delphi or objective or even .net you are then coding to make your program use the operating system own UI. so if you're writing for windows, the program will use cairo api, for linux you can make your program either use kde or gtk+ and for mac your program will use the coca lib(carbon lib for classic mac mode) etc etc. this makes the program integrated with the os you are running and properly manages memory and resources overall, it's the natural and proper way to code your applications.

all browsers you can think of use the os api through proper coding languages, like internet explorer or k-meleon or chrome or opera. except of course for firefox and other mozilla clones like flock.

all mozilla products do not make use of the os native widgets and are written in a non-natural code called xul. it draws the ui like your toolbars and windows and menus etc with xul. xul is not a proper runtime because it's an html markup language.

in other words, firefox does not really have a real interface.. it's like a mask or an html page made to took like a program. so what happens because it's not an os integrated program is that it can not manage memory properly and suffers from memory leaks and if you use it for a long time you will find it that it has decided to hog all your ram and make your system very slow. this will never happen of course with any native application.

because firefox is not a native application, the more you add extensions into it, the more it becomes slow and takes longer to start that because normal programs have extensions that are made to communicate with the operating system. the operating system takes care of the ui that extension will be creating while the browser will be only responsible for the function that extension adds to browsing. so you get a nice integrated system between the os, the browser and the extension and your memory remains the same and your startup time doesn't change either.

in firefox or in xul programming, extensions do not communicate with the os in any way. so the browser has to perform both the duties of a browser and the os in drawing the interface and that's why it addons degrade its performance and speed, because everytime it starts or during browsing it has to draw the ui for the extension which should have been the os job.

with every release memory will have to increase in firefox, that is because the gecko engine gets bigger and has more code. in a proper program it will not really be affected because it still relies on the os to perform many tasks but in a xul language where the os is doing nothing the memory increases and the leaks also increase. they can trick you at first to make the browser run with some limitations so it appears that it's using less memory than before but when you have surfed for a bit, the memory goes up right away.

xul has a memory leak that has never been fixed and will never release your ram unless it was started. sometimes even a restart doesn't help much and the memory is still high so you have to wait a bit till the memory has been released completely.

any developer will tell you that this is very bad programming but mozilla chose xul against the advise of some its own developers , mainly for 2 reasons:

1- the xul code was passed over from the netscape nglayout and it was easier for mozilla to work on it than to properly code in a different language

2- xul makes cross-platform programming easier. that is, instead of properly writing in a different language for each os like windows, mac or linux desktops. they just write in one language for all and then compile according to the target os.

[drhowarddrfine]

I am sorry but I have to disagree with you. Both those statements are completely wrong.

Memory usage can never go down in firefox
Firefox uses less memory than IE and Opera (http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2008/03/firefox-3-goes-on-a-diet-eats-less-memory-than-ie-and-opera.ars)
Now that's from two years ago and not the link I was looking for from two months ago showing greater improvements in 3.5 or 3.6.

why does that happen? because there's a very big difference between firefox and other browsers. in fact the different is not only between other browsers but any other application.

all mozilla products do not make use of the os native widgets and are written in a non-natural code called xul. it draws the ui like your toolbars and windows and menus etc with xul. xul is not a proper runtime because it's an html markup language.
Mozilla products are NOT coded in XUL but are written in C++. XUL is a combination of XML and javascript for the user interface (and not HTML as you claim).
so what happens because it's not an os integrated programNor is Safari or Opera or Chrome as you claim. IE is the only one that is and, perhaps, not as much as it used to be. In fact, Mozilla/Firefox is coded using the same general methodology as all the other browsers.

The whole post is based on your total misunderstanding of how Mozilla/Firefox is put together. Are you aware the same guy who wrote Mozilla also wrote the first code for IE?

[Azzaboi]

I use to use Firefox 100% of the time, since Win7 however I tend to just use IE8. It's leeched a lot off Firefox and seems more compatible with shockwave content.

Chrome is good, but it's actually spyware from google and had some major security holes early on, because IE is blocking the way they track users now!

[amstel]

Firefox uses less memory than IE and Opera (http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2008/03/firefox-3-goes-on-a-diet-eats-less-memory-than-ie-and-opera.ars)
Now that's from two years ago and not the link I was looking for from two months ago showing greater improvements in 3.5 or 3.6.

Mozilla products are NOT coded in XUL but are written in C++. XUL is a combination of XML and javascript for the user interface (and not HTML as you claim).
Nor is Safari or Opera or Chrome as you claim. IE is the only one that is and, perhaps, not as much as it used to be. In fact, Mozilla/Firefox is coded using the same general methodology as all the other browsers.

The whole post is based on your total misunderstanding of how Mozilla/Firefox is put together. Are you aware the same guy who wrote Mozilla also wrote the first code for IE?

you are completely misinformed, even mozilla developers will not agree with you. i'm talking about the interface not the engine.

you don't appear to distinguish between the gecko engine and the interface.
the gecko engine is indeed written in c++ that's why it can be embedded in non xul interfaces like epihany, galeon, camino or k-meleon. the interface of mozilla products(not the gecko engine) is pure xul.

ie is not the only one using os native..again you're confusing the interface with the engine, the trident os embedded. opera uses the presto engine and chrome uses qtwebkit but the INTERFACE is native os widgets just like IE just like any program, irfanview, photoshop, paint etc

chrome might appear different because it is skinned. a bitmap skin covers the entire UI but beneath it is os native api just like any other proper application.

you'd be surprised of what i know about mozilla development and its history.

[amstel]

xml+js= html MARKUP language

[drhowarddrfine]

I use to use Firefox 100% of the time, since Win7 however I tend to just use IE8. It's leeched a lot off Firefox and seems more compatible with shockwave content.However it's technically inferior in just about every other way and holds back the web from advancing.

Chrome is good, but it's actually spyware from googleOh? What does chrome gather about you that you don't want them to have? What does it get from you that every web site you visit doesn't also gather?

[drhowarddrfine]

you are completely misinformed, even mozilla developers will not agree with you. i'm talking about the interface not the engine.Yes. David Baron and Boris Zbarsky tell me that every day.

you don't appear to distinguish between the gecko engine and the interface.
the gecko engine is indeed written in c++ that's why it can be embedded in non xul interfaces like epihany, galeon, camino or k-meleon. the interface of mozilla products(not the gecko engine) is pure xul.You said:
all mozilla products do not make use of the os native widgets and are written in a non-natural code called xul.

ie is not the only one using os nativeI thought you said embedded earlier but I don't feel like re-reading it. You say you understand FF is written in C++ yet fault it cause it's written in XUL. Even if you understood it's only the interface writte in XUL you still don't seem to understand where the majority of processing time is spent and that's on the XML/HTML and javascript engines. the trident os embedded.Ah, so you did say embedded.

you'd be surprised of what i know about mozilla development and its history.
Many moons ago, Boris Zbarsky tried to recruit me to work on Mozilla but I just didn't/don't have the time as much as I'd like to.

[Apostropartheid]

Oh? What does chrome gather about you that you don't want them to have? What does it get from you that every web site you visit doesn't also gather?

I hope to god that it's a joke.

[drhowarddrfine]

xml+js= html MARKUP language
Now you show you don't know the difference.

[drhowarddrfine]

I hope to god that it's a joke.

There is no god and anyone who's concerned with chrome does make me laugh.

[Azzaboi]

From what I've heard there are serious security flaws in Google Chrome, so I never really tried it. It was labeled spyware and allowed danagerous java to auto execute early on. I assume that Google would of patched it. The reason Chrome was created in the first place was the threat of not being able to fully track IE8+ users specially with the inPrivate Mode. I wasn't saying tracking is a bad thing.

I still use Firefox, but IE8 isn't as bad as it previously was (ok so it's still pretty bad). I really hate how they go off the HTML standards completely. I guess a lot of you guys hate IE guts and creating for both browsers?

[drhowarddrfine]

From what I've heard there are serious security flaws in Google Chrome, so I never really tried it.There was a problem a year or so ago(?) that was promptly patched.
The reason Chrome was created in the first place was the threat of not being able to fully track IE8+ users specially with the inPrivate Mode.The reason Chrome was created was to get browser vendors off their butts and help speed up the web and move things forward. Chrome is open source and other browser vendors are invited to steal their code for their own.

I guess a lot of you guys hate IE guts and creating for both browsers?

No web developer worth his salt likes developing for IE.

[Apostropartheid]

There is no god and anyone who's concerned with chrome does make me laugh.

Do you mean concerned as in involved or concerned as in worried about?
I've always liked how you say stuff with such utter conviction =)

[drhowarddrfine]

Concerned as in worried about. I find it laughable that anyone thinks Google has a guy in a back room that pores over the data from millions of Chrome users picking apart every inch of their data and reports it to someone nefarious and evil who's out to get you, embarrass you, get your money, hold you up naked for all the world to see then bleeds you dry.

[oracleguy]

Ok, this thread is old and has gone way off topic. Thread closed.