Firefox vs IE

[cmpgeek]

i have heard several good things about the Firefox browser and was wondering something. If i download and install Firefox, can IE still be used on the same PC? I have roommates that cringe everytime i hear about a new program and want to try it out... shoot - my one roommate will go to her grave with Windows 98 SE on her PC if she is able...

They dont use my PC often, but i just want to know whether or not i am going to have to show them how to use Firefox right away (because there wouldnt be the option for IE), or if it can wait so that i can learn my way around with it before i start showing it to them...

Also, while checking out Firefox on the Mozilla website i saw that they also have an alternative to Outlook. i believe it is called Thunderbird. Has anyone here tried it? I am looking for some opinions on it and am also interested in knowing whether or not you can view newgroups through it... my online classes are set up in a newsgroup setting and since Outlook does not accept newsgroup settings, i am having to use OE - which is ok; but is also seriously a PITA.

i would appreciate anyone's/everyone's opinions on this...
thanks :)

[Ken Puls]

Hi Nomi,

Absolutely, you can keep IE as well. I run both at work, as FireFox does not render my banking website very well, and both at home so that all my stuff is in FireFox and my wife's in IE.

I have FireFox setup as default at work, so I have another shortcut to IE elsewhere. At home IE is still default, so I have to conciously choose FireFox.

No experience with the email client, but I think Zack is using it.

Also check out this thread (http://www.vbaexpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1460). It graduated from XBOX to FireFox too.

Cheers,

[cmpgeek]

thanks for the link! i actually had never looked at that one because i wouldnt know an XBox if it bit me on the ankle lol... i had not even seen a GameCube until this past summer when my roommates son came for a visit...
(i miss the original Mario Bros ... :bawl )



thanks for your opinion - that along with what i have read in the other link have already told me that i need to try this... i will wait to hear from Zack or whoever else may have Thunderbird before downloading that though as i am in the middle of a class right now and dont want to do anything without talking with someone who is already using it...

thanks again!

[Jacob Hilderbrand]

FireFox is great. I still have IE installed and it works. I use it whenever I want a reminder of why I am using Mozilla now.

It's free so you got nothing to lose by trying it. I haven't tried Thunderbird yet.

[Zack Barresse]

(i miss the original Mario Bros ... :bawl )

Did you know Colo and company are working on a SMB made in Excel!?! Thought you'd like to know. ;)

Re FireFox:
Of course an excellent program. Like mentioned before, and I'm like Ken with our wives still having an IE fetish, you can have multiple browsers on one machine. I have four on my home pc: FireFox, IE, Netscape & Opera. I keep them on there for testing websites and features (e.g. our new chat, etc.). I like Opera, and it's quite the same with their features as FireFox.

Upon installation you will be prompted to bring over bookmarks from other browsers. This will not take them out of the other browsers, but rather just copy them. You can customize from there. It will prompt and ask you if you want to make it your default browser, and will do so with IE until you select one and uncheck the 'Ask me at startup' box. I delete all shortcuts of IE except for that in my quick launch toolbar (w/ Windows), so that's where I direct my wife when she takes over my pc. ;)


Re ThunderBird:
I visited, I downloaded, I installed, I loved! :D
I like it very much, and yes you can view newsgroups with it. Like any other program, you will find bugs, this is why it pays to visit the site every few weeks/months to check for newer versions. I had all of my emails/contacts in Outlook, which TB took over seamlessly (OL 2000) and rather painless. Which is good because I hate Outlook, I'm just no good at it, can't get it to do what I want it to. :dunno

[cmpgeek]

thank you so much Zack! i just downloaded the file for Firefox and it looks like i will be going back for Thunderbird in just a minute :)

[cmpgeek]

Zack,
is it possible to import hotmail accounts through Thunderbird? so far that is the only glitch i have found...

[Zack Barresse]

Hmm, that's an interesting question. I don't know. But I'll find out and let ya know. :)

[cmpgeek]

i have noticed that Firefox does "mess up" my reply window for my MSN groups, so i am having to use IE for that; but otherwise i really like Firefox... i LOVE the tabbed browser option!

i also noticed that - unless i overlooked it - Thunderbird does not have a Calendar feature like Outlook :( ... i was hoping i could abandon OE all together... i prefer Outlook over OE, but Outlook wont read newsgroups...

i think in my spare time and with my vast programming skills i am going to create a program that reads regular mail, newsgroup mail and has a calendar feature like in Outlook... (ha ha ha)... ok, enough daydreaming - it's back to work i go... :cool:

[XL-Dennis]

I?m using Linux as much as possible for both e-mail and access to W3 ;)

[cmpgeek]

I?m using Linux as much as possible for both e-mail and access to W3 ;)isnt Linux an OS like Windows? I have heard of it, but i have never even seen screen shots of it and am not sure what exactly it is... also, what is W3?

sorry if i am asking stupid questions, but my knowledge of Windows only looks impressive when compared to my knowledge of any OS outside of the Windows family and anything before Windows 95... lol

[XL-Dennis]

Hi cmpgeek,

First of all, there exist no stupid questions but there exist a lot of stupid answers ;)

W3 = World Wide Web

Yes, Linux is an operatingsystem and use also a graphic interface. The major different compared with Windows is two-folded:
- High control of the operatingsystem
- The softwares are usually available under open license which many time make the
softwares available for free.

Kind regards,
Dennis

[cmpgeek]

W3 = World Wide Web

i just want to hit myself on the forehead and say "duh" LOLOL

i will have to look up information on Linux... does software that works on Windows work on Linux, or is it more like how the same program has different downloads for Windows and Macs?

how do PC games run on Linux?

[Zack Barresse]

There are still some things you cannot use firefox with. Such as Windows updates (can you believe it, MS being picky?? who knew!?!?), Office updates, McAfee updates, etc.

Also, in regards to tabbed browsing (a favorite feature of mine alsoo) if you do not have version 1.0 you have a fairly severe security risk that has been identified. It was a bug that could have been used as a hacking method.

I am sure that Thunderbird will be getting a Calender in future releases/upgrades. :)

[mark007]

You want to check out the extensions for Firefox - in particular the web developer one is very cool. If you're in to that anyway!

:)

[Zack Barresse]

As discussed in another thread, some good extensions ...

http://www.vbaexpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1460&page=3&pp=10

.. scroll down, #26 I believe.

[shades]

Of course on the Mac side, MS stopped all development on IE 2-3 years ago.

On OS X Safari is the standard browser, but I have FireFox and like some of its features better than Safari. But I haven't noticed that it is any faster than Safari. I think IE is still packaged, but I have never used it on the eMac.

For OS 9, iCab and Netscape were my primary browsers. Had to keep IE for certain sites.

[cmpgeek]

You want to check out the extensions for Firefox - in particular the web developer one is very cool. If you're in to that anyway!
:)
i love creating amateur web pages... unfortunately - when i started back to school for my BSN all that stuff got pushed aside :(

it's been really getting to me lately... i have to keep reminding myself that this is going to pay off someday... (I have been a R.N. for 13 years now, but in order to become certified in nursing informatics i have to take a certification exam of course... But you have a BSN before you can even sit for the test! oh well - enough grumbling...)

thanks for all your opinions guys! yall are the best!