Warning: Potentially Stupid Computer Question Enclosed!

[Lady Christabel]

Opera, hands down

I have IE, Netscape, Mozilla, and Opera on my computers and almost exclusively use Opera. Once it's configured properly, it's a dream and fast as greased lightnin'. I only use IdiotExplorer when one of my whiney relatives doesn't like Opera and just MUST check their email or the world will end in a fiery ball of whine. I swear, it's as slow as Christmas and not nearly as fun (the browser, not the relative, although...). Mozilla has a few of the quirks mentioned that make it a little annoying, but overall it's tolerable. I don't like to use Nutscrape on sheer principle, but I will if necessary.

I think the main things I love about Opera are:

~nicely coloured skins to choose from (mine's pink!)
~personal toolbar is a quick on/off from the main window, not the top nav bar
~any toolbar can be customised to show the items you want
~any toolbar can be placed (top, bottom, left, right) where you want
~if you want to work in 2 pages or 10 pages, you can open them in the same window and use the pages tab across the top (see screen shot below)
~can block all pop-ups or just unwanted ones and the ones you request will still come up
~can choose to dump all cookies when you close the browser so nothing nefarious ensconces itself; I need to enter my password the first time I go to a site that day but big hairy deal!
~can have Opera identify itself to servers as other browsers; mine is set to identify as IE, but it's not!


...and the bestestest feature ever invented in the history of mankind...

~change the zoom size on each individual page. Mine is set to read at 100% or as the author intended. However, on those days I'm not seeing too clearly or on pages where the font is ridiculously small or large, I can change the zoom from 20% to 1000% and make it as small or large as my old eyeballs choose. Amen. Pass the bread!

Check the screen shot of me typing this message. Note the other pages at the top of the window (Google, eBay, Hotmail, IMDB), my faves open on the side, tiny ad bar across the top...

 

[sheath]

Thank you all for the advice! This is a thread I will have to go back and read in-depth with every browser I try, because there is SO much info here. That's great!

I'm still playing with Netscape, and I like it so far. My only problem with it, thus far, is that I don't like the bubbly icon thingies at the top...makes me feel like I'm playing with a kids' computer game program or something.

And getting to my bookmarks is a bitch.

Tomorrow I'm going to try Mozilla, then Opera, then whatever else I can come up with that is free and easy to download. I'm going to give each one at least a few days of use.

Thank you again for all the advice. Feel free to chime in with more, because I'm sure I will have more questions in the coming days!

S.

 

[incognito989]

I'm still playing with Netscape, and I like it so far. My only problem with it, thus far, is that I don't like the bubbly icon thingies at the top...makes me feel like I'm playing with a kids' computer game program or something.

Ah yes. The default 'Modern' skin. I hate that one too. Way too bubbly.

Firefox has a decent skin - I've attached a SS of it to this post. Much nicer, and you'll probably (just guessing) have a better selection of skins that work with with any mozilla than you would with a netscape.

See, here's the deal with netscape. Maybe helpful.

Netscape was going down the tubes, so as one of its last breaths (after it got acquired by aol) was to release the source code for the browser to the public, the nuts and bolts that make a program a program. Anyone can get the code, modify it, and make their own tools/browser with it.

This codebase was named 'mozilla'.

Starting with netscape version 6, all 'netscape' the browser was is a customized version of mozilla, with added AOL goodness (AOL icons, instant messanger, and a couple of other features)

Since then other releases of netscape have come out, recently 7.2. However, the individuals in AOL who were tasked with producing the netscape browser were laid off, fired, or re-assigned to other departments:

http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/07/28/1218202&tid=114&tid=218
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/08/17/1646255&tid=114&tid=120

So, the future of 'netscape the browser' is undetermined. Your future upgrade path may just be to mozilla, or they may come out with 7.3, 7.4, etc..

Just so you know, in case they stop making them, that mozilla is very very similar.

But really, I'm happy to see others trying things other than internet explorer. Whether that's mozilla, opera, firefox, netscape, or any other third party browser. It's one of the first things I emphasize when I 'fix' (remove spyware, adware, and other assorted junk picked up with long term use of IE, usually) peoples computers. It takes a lil getting used to after years of using IE, but it's rewarding...

 

[incognito989]

Crud. Forgot the attachment. Here...

<edit> had to size it down and super-compress it to get it to 'fit' on lit. Guess they don't like us high resolution users! </edit>

 

[H0wl]

IE...eh...not so bad.

I just use Zone Alarm Pro and that takes care of the malware for me.

I live with the other annoyances.

 

[manofsteel52]

me too. now i only fuck women.

I see you understand completely!

 

[Dstorage]

I keep all 3 on my computer- opera, netscape, and IE. There are some places, like sears.com for example that are jerks and usually only IE works. However, Opera is my favorite and has been for a while now. I use the free version and I hardly notice the ad bar on the top.

 

[CoyoteTales]

Heya sheath --

Opera user here. Downloaded it one day and never looked back.

* Tabbed windows are a blessing -- I use 'em to have two pages back of WFMS to refer to while writing posts, sometimes.

* It eats all pop up ads if you use the setting 'Open requested pop up windows only.'

* Clearing the cookies, cache, and address bar on logout.

* A specialized tab for download, and run-from-download page for sounds.

* Pretty darn good speed. You also can't beat free. (When I get some cash together (ought to be around November or so) I'll buy the full version, but the freeware version only has the disadvantage of having an ad bar up at the top. It runs on my old 140 MHZ machine with little problem as long as I don't have anything else open.

* And it's not IE.

-CoyoteTales

 

[sheath]

I had a feeling Netscape was somehow connected with Mozilla, simply because during the installation and setup, the word "mozilla" came up half a dozen times as it ran through files.

I've learned how to navigate Netscape, and it's alright, but not all that stellar. Not much different from IE. Next, on to Mozilla!

Thanks again for all the advice...

S.

 

[EJFan]

mozilla v. firefox

sounds like a god damned godzilla movie. lol.

anyway... in case you hadn't found out yourself, i just wanted to mention that there's a mozilla SUITE and a firefox browser. the suite is VERY similar in appearance and function to the netscape browser.

the firefox browser is sub-version-one so it's still a beta test product (v .9.2 is current) but quite funtional. as i said, i'm in love with it.

if you want the matching mail client the thunderbird is nice too. i think using outlook or OE with firefox is soooo much a a fashion no-no... like wearing green with orange.

 

[sheath]

Re: mozilla v. firefox

sounds like a god damned godzilla movie. lol.

anyway... in case you hadn't found out yourself, i just wanted to mention that there's a mozilla SUITE and a firefox browser. the suite is VERY similar in appearance and function to the netscape browser.

the firefox browser is sub-version-one so it's still a beta test product (v .9.2 is current) but quite funtional. as i said, i'm in love with it.

if you want the matching mail client the thunderbird is nice too. i think using outlook or OE with firefox is soooo much a a fashion no-no... like wearing green with orange.

Okay. I admit, I hardly followed ANY of this. So...should I download the SUITE or the BROWSER? And how do I tell the difference in what I am downloading?

*blushing amidst her ineptitude*

Thanks.

S.

 

[incognito989]

Re: mozilla v. firefox

if you want the matching mail client the thunderbird is nice too. i think using outlook or OE with firefox is soooo much a a fashion no-no... like wearing green with orange.

Guilty!

Of the fashion thing, as well as the Oulook thing. I tried thunderbird back when it was just released, and never got into it. The first iterations were very crashy, and the newer ones don't seem to import the mail well once you get past a few hundred megs I have enough mail to fill a cdr with backed up in outlook (business stuff, as well as personal...) Maybe someday I'll try again, though that import process was painful last time...

Also, if you're running firefox .9.2 you'll want to update to .9.3:

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/08/04/2245224&tid=154&tid=1

 

[incognito989]

Re: Re: mozilla v. firefox

Okay. I admit, I hardly followed ANY of this. So...should I download the SUITE or the BROWSER? And how do I tell the difference in what I am downloading?

The browser-only is 'firefox', and can be found here sheath:

http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/

The entire suite which contains the email application and some other goodies is here:

http://www.mozilla.org/products/mozilla1.x/

What you want to download depends on your needs. I've been pushing firefox on everyones pc's that I've fixed. Eventually firefox is going to become the 'core' of the 'new mozilla', as that's where most new development is going (making it smaller, faster, better)..

 

[sheath]

Ah...I understand perfectly now. Thanks!

S.

 

[EJFan]

thanks! i didn't know they were up to .9.3 yet... i'm going to go get it now! yay!

sorry i missed your question, sheath, but it seems you have all things in hand. i don't like the suite... too much like netscape. i like the stand alone browser (firefox).

i only wanted to point it out because you seemed to not like netscape so i didn't want you to get the suite and be like, "hey... this is the same friggin' thing!"

let us know what you think.

 

[sheath]

i only wanted to point it out because you seemed to not like netscape so i didn't want you to get the suite and be like, "hey... this is the same friggin' thing!"

let us know what you think.

That's exactly what I would have said! LOL

Thanks for all the help. I'll let you know what happens. If I don't log onto lit for a long time, you know I blew up the computer.

Hey, with me? It could very well happen!

S.

 

[sheath]

Okay...question. Again.

I've noticed that when I click on MSN in my favorites to get to hotmail...if I'm using Netscape, almost EVERY time, it directs me to some sponsor site...it could be a car rental site, a dating site, whatever...but it only happens when I click on MSN. Is this just some weird thing, a fluke of me clicking the mouse too fast for the browser or something, if that is even possible...

Hell, I don't know. Does that normally happen? It's getting REALLY fucking annoying.

S.

 

[Sarah Bethany]

Mozilla is generally faster for me than IE although I use both. I detest netscape though and always have. It's incredibly slow for me. Mozilla cuts down on my pop up ads and spyware problems that I got with IE.

 

[Weird Harold]

Hell, I don't know. Does that normally happen? It's getting REALLY fucking annoying.

MS has been accused of making their sites incompatible or difficult to use with any browser except IE. Your experience would seem to support those accusations.

Of course, I pretty much avoid any site with MS in it's name because of graphics, ActiveX requests, and excessive cookie requests.

An inadvertat double clisk is possible -- what comes up on the MSN page where the cursor was when you clicked when you finally get to the page you want? (or on the page you left under the favorites menu?)

 

[sheath]

MS has been accused of making their sites incompatible or difficult to use with any browser except IE. Your experience would seem to support those accusations.

Of course, I pretty much avoid any site with MS in it's name because of graphics, ActiveX requests, and excessive cookie requests.

An inadvertat double clisk is possible -- what comes up on the MSN page where the cursor was when you clicked when you finally get to the page you want? (or on the page you left under the favorites menu?)

Today, I tried it by simply using the keyboard, not the mouse. That way I KNEW I wasn't double-clicking. Sure enough, out of the three times I tried, two times brought up sites other than MSN.

When I do finally get MSN up, it is the page I anticipated...the general home page.

S.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

one warning if you use mozilla...because of the version of the bulletin board system that is used here you have to tinker with your Moz settings so that you can simply click a link to open a pic otherwise it will open a window and then a dialog and ask you what program to use to open it
if that made any sense???
there is a work around but its a pain
also installing plugins isnt as easy as just clicking on a link sometimes like things for java or flash
other than that its a great program

of course you could also use Lynx

There's a work around for that? I did some searching on that but never could find a way to get it to open the file without asking what to open it with.

I didn't really see any difference in speed between IE and Firefox.

 

[manofsteel52]

There's a work around for that? I did some searching on that but never could find a way to get it to open the file without asking what to open it with.

I didn't really see any difference in speed between IE and Firefox.

That's funny, on my machine, IE is much faster than Netscape or Firefox, I just hate the security issues, and I'll say it one more time, those damn popups!!!!

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

The new SP2 integrates a popup blocker with IE. However, Google toolbar also has a blocker.

 

[linuxgeek]

MS has been accused of making their sites incompatible or difficult to use with any browser except IE. Your experience would seem to support those accusations.

Of course, I pretty much avoid any site with MS in it's name because of graphics, ActiveX requests, and excessive cookie requests.

An inadvertat double clisk is possible -- what comes up on the MSN page where the cursor was when you clicked when you finally get to the page you want? (or on the page you left under the favorites menu?)

As far as I'm concerned, Micro$oft admited it when they made a multimillion dollar settlement to Opera when the Opera crew proved there was broken code in Micro$oft's site that was only present when the browser was not IE.