IE vs. Firefox

This is an argument that's been bugging me for some time... is Firefox better than IE? I'm not going to go into my personal stance, but I will talk about the ignorance of people who like to suck on the nipples of Mozilla...

While I do prefer IE, people constantly tell me that Firefox is so much better. Now... I really hate it when they tell me this because they already know my stance on the issue. Whether you like it or not, there are a lot of sites that I visit daily that Firefox can't read. If there were more sites that were Firefox compatible, sure, I'll download Firefox, because of security and all that mumbo-jumbo.

That is my argument when it comes to people who shove Firefox up my ass. Do you want to know the first thing to come out of their mouth?

"Well... your computer sucks."

I pity every single person who's ever used that line on someone. You know why? It's ignorant. How do YOU know what my computer is like?

Arguing with someone about Firefox is like arguing with a Jehova's Witness about religion.

End Rant.

Originally posted by Legend
Whether you like it or not, there are a lot of sites that I visit daily that Firefox can't read. If there were more sites that were Firefox compatible, sure, I'll download Firefox, because of security and all that mumbo-jumbo.

I don't want to sound like I'm defending Firefox, because I really don't care what browser people think is the best. But sites not displaying properly is not totally Firefox's fault. The problem is that any untalented computer illiterates can build a crappy web site based on browser specific features not supported by competitors' browsers.

If only web designers bothered to validate their HTML code at validator.w3.org... then their web site would display exactly the same in any browsers.

Another annoying thing, many web designers are trying too hard to turn their web site into a Star Wars movie. Turn off Javascript in your browser and suddenly that site looks like a blank page. It's scary the number of web designers who fail to grasp the concept of publishing simple text and images, I mean, links changing color and Flash animations are pretty and all, but if a plugin is missing in your browser the page should display as text and images by default, not into a blank page. That's the web designer's fault.


[edit on 22-7-2006 by ufia]

I totally agree with you on this, however I do use Firefox. I haven't noticed that it can't load some pages very often, and in fact I probably didn't need to see those anyway. It is due to web standards alone, which seems like an oxymoron if there is compatibility issues between browsers and websites - go figure.

Anyway, the main reason I use Firefox is because after using IE since I cut teeth on computers, one day it quit working at all and wouldn't load any more than surfing beyond a few pages before I got the good old error report page. Since I am really good at formatting hard drives and reloading the orignal OS with IE included, my computer should work exactly the same as it did new, with the exception of MS windows updates, which I used to download like a religion. Seriously though, after this, nothing ever made IE work again, with reformatting, re-installations, etc. I even used different original copies of Windows to the same effect. My theory is that after a while, MS does and will change codes and updates so that the software will never work correctly again, and when this happens you would have to - guess - buy new software.

I can't see how they can stay in business without making more of the same old stuff and calling it new. Anyways, since Firefox is open source and plenty of people believe in making it work, I probably shouldn't have to worry about paying to have the newest version that will work to a certain level. The difference is that I know there are no connections whatsoever that I have to pay anything for the compatability of Firefox and my OS or any plug-ins or whims of a commercial software provider. I can accept it not working the 1 or 2 percent of the time.

we'll see what IE7 is like, but for now, firefox is customizable. the themes are nice, but the thing that really makes it for me are the little add ons. i can block _javascript from anywhere, i can block photos, ads, frames...PLUS, i can run itunes from my browser, i've got tabbing options, and i've got that totally awesome bookmark toolbar. the funtionality of firefox is totally awesome, i'm so done with IE. the only thing i use it for is when there's a WMP plugin required...i gotta get on that.

Anyway, the main reason I use Firefox is because after using IE since I cut teeth on computers, one day it quit working at all and wouldn't load any more than surfing beyond a few pages before I got the good old error report page.

I think that might have been your computer's fault... Unless I'm wrong, and I have yet to come across that problem. I'll let you know when I have to download Firefox when this problem arises for my computer. I don't know why that could have happened, though...

Originally posted by Legend

Anyway, the main reason I use Firefox is because after using IE since I cut teeth on computers, one day it quit working at all and wouldn't load any more than surfing beyond a few pages before I got the good old error report page.

I think that might have been your computer's fault... Unless I'm wrong, and I have yet to come across that problem. I'll let you know when I have to download Firefox when this problem arises for my computer. I don't know why that could have happened, though...

Neither do I understand the problem. I even had a newer computer with the same original disc for Windows with IE and it does the same thing. I cannot get around this IE problem with surfing a few pages without getting an error report, and this is also with two different original Windows discs (not copies). I do use Win98, which is being dropped for support as you know, so perhaps this is why. I really do feel MicroSoft has the code set up to not work or degrade in certain ways after a while so that most people will upgrade to the newest version. I happen to like Win98 because it works well for me and I have computers running on XP that don't do anything more than 98. Why should I change OS' when I am happy with what it does now? Anyway, I will stick with whatever works, and I hope you do the same, but I feel that eventually you will find a reason that makes you switch to a browser that isn't molested by a commercially underlying agenda.

I seriously wouldn't be surprised if there were a shadow code put in by Microsoft that makes Win98 or ME expire after a point. It's just like that to MAKE their customer upgrade to XP for that extra little buck. I mean... check out what they're doing for the Xbox 360.

Heh, if you think MS wants you to switch to XP over the older versions think again, as soon as Vista begins shipping they are going to begin a very swift campaign to get everyone to migrate over which I believe they have outlined in various news stories.

Its not just web standards like CSS and XHTML which cause IE to often flake out and not display a page correctly but also try messing with PNG graphics and their alpha layers, it makes IE booger them all up.

A personal gripe I have against IE is its integration with the operating system and its effect on security. If my FF install gets hosed up by some kind of crap-ware from the internet I can easily remove and reinstall it, but when IE gets hijacked (which seemed quite frequently before I switched browsers) it would sometimes result in a complete format and reinstall.

Also look at this piont, most other browsers such as Opera, Mozilla and FF, Flock, etc are under constant development where MS on the other hand has only focused on bug fixes for their browser for several years now, and they still have tons to iron out it seems. Active development means new features and functionality, which if software is to surivive in this fickle world of computing it must do and do it well.

And for the record I'm definately not a Mozilla fan-boy, quite frankly their problems with memory consuption drive me up the wall when I find FF to be consuming 45% of my available ram just on four tabs. Besides, we all know that Links is the top browser out there