Key Post: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

Brendan Burgess

Brendan Burgess

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Based on an Irish Times article, I switched from I.E. to Firefox and have found it better from a user's perspective.

I have my most common favourites available as tabs and so they are visible at all times.

I open new windows as tabs, which makes switching around much easier.

I gather that it is more secure, but I don't know much about that.

But one problem, which is annoying. If I start typing in a sit, it autocompletes it for me as I.E. does. But if I press enter to accept the autocomplete, it brings me to the wrong site. It always brings me to my office email site for some reason?

I am interested in others' views of Firefox and if you have the same problem as I have.

Brendan
 
Re: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

Made the same switch some weeks ago, but have never had an issue.

What is annoying though, is that when I click on a link in an email, it will use an already open browser window instead of opening a new browser. probably a setting which I will get to!
 
Re: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

Ocras,

Go to Tools - Options - Tabbed Browsing and you will see a setting there that relates to links.

Brendan, I haven't had that problem
 
Re: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

Hi Brendan,

Ive been using Firefox for a number of months now and find it great.

I like the find facility Ctrl+F which opens a find bar at the bottom of the screen.

I like the tabbed browsing. I have set my home page to four tabs.

From Firefox Help:
Home Page as Tabs

Instead of using only one web page as your homepage, you can make your home page a set of tabs. Select your favorite web sites and open them in tabs in a single window.

Select Tools > Options> and open the General panel. Under Home Page, press the Use Current Pages button. Now when you press the Home button, your favorite web sites will load with just a click.
Click to expand...

I also like the download manager.

The Download Manager is a feature of Firefox that allows you to track and manage your past and current file downloads. It is a convenient way to escape the clutter of multiple downloading windows while still preserving access to download statistics.

The Download Manager will appear when you download files, when you select Tools > Downloads, and when you type Ctrl+J on your keyboard.
Click to expand...

I have down loaded a few extensions of which bandwidth tester and gmail notifier are currently my favourites.

ajapale

[broken link removed]

edited to correct multiple tab home page instructions
 
Re: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

I also have switched, but one gripe I have relates to an java script which doesn't run properly. I think its relates to the LAN/firewall I am connected to, its a work application but for home use its a thumbs up!

Brendan, after about a week of usage on IE my adaware found numerous threats, with Firefox everytime I run adaware I dont find a thing, so I think its much more secure from that point of view!
 
Re: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

But one problem, which is annoying. If I start typing in a sit, it autocompletes it for me as I.E. does. But if I press enter to accept the autocomplete, it brings me to the wrong site. It always brings me to my office email site for some reason?

Brendan, I have been using Firefox since V0.9 and apart from a few sites that are hardcoded for IE, have not found any problems.

I find the Find feature very useful (and much quicker than IE's find dialog which takes ages to open) and the tabbed browsing is addictive - don't know how I would live without it.

Apart from [broken link removed], it is much safer than Micro$oft's browser.

I have not seen the problem you describe.

Stupid question #1 - Don't suppose there is something in your Proxy settings that is different to your IE setup?
Studip question #2 - You've tried clearing your cache?
 
Re: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

What is annoying though, is that when I click on a link in an email, it will use an already open browser window instead of opening a new browser. probably a setting which I will get to!

FireFox allows full control over how links are opened (in new tabs in existing windows, in new windows etc.) but you may have to root around in the tabbed browsing (or tabbrowser preferences extension) configuration options to find the appropriate settings. Unfortunately I can't check for you now as I'm stuck with Internet Exploder at the moment... :\

But one problem, which is annoying. If I start typing in a sit, it autocompletes it for me as I.E. does. But if I press enter to accept the autocomplete, it brings me to the wrong site. It always brings me to my office email site for some reason?

Are you sure that the autocompleted URL is not simply highlighted in the address field or drop-down list but not selected when you hit return?
 
Re: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

Been using Firefox since before it was Firefox and the only gripe I have is with sites that have only been tested with IE. Don't know how I ever lived without tabbed browsing and quick searches.

If you click Tools->Options this will open a window for you to edit some prefernces. Select the 'Advanced' settings (the cog-like icon). Under 'Tabbed Browsing' (expand this if necessary) you get the options for 'Open links from other applications' which are (1) a new window, (2) a new tab in the most recent window or (3) the most recent tab/window - select which ever is your preference.
 
Re: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

Been using Firefox since before it was Firefox and the only gripe I have is with sites that have only been tested with IE

Me too - since it was FireBird. One thing to note is that sites which do a simple browser header check and reject, say, non IE browsers can be accessed by downloading the FireFox extension which allows FireFox to masquerade as various sorts of browsers as far as request headers go. This would probably have worked for . Of course sites that exploit browser specific features and don't cater for others can be a problem. The two that cause me most grief are Windows Update and [broken link removed] for example. For these I am forced to downgrade to IE. :\
 
Re: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

Hi Monsieur Bond

Thanks for those suggestions, but they didn't work.

It seems that there are lots of similar problems according to the [broken link removed]

Brendan
 
Re: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

Now that bugbase link I posted is bringing me to PayPal????


Brendan
 
Re: Anyone using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer

I like Firefox especially the tabbed browsing and the ability to clear everything (cookies, cache, history etc) with one click.

The one thing that annoys me is that a button in the top right of the screen tells me that 'critical updates' are available but I can't seem to access them. It looks for a ftp site but just sits there spinning its wheels.
 
Autocomplete

(possibility re the autocomplete thing). IE shows the autocomplete url on the address bar line, Firefox has it under the line. You have to scroll down (using the down arrow) to select the url in Firefox, if you press "enter" without doing this it'll go elsewhere. I'd really need to see what keys you're hitting :)
 
Re: Autocomplete

Ho Hmmmm

That sounds like a good explanation. I will experiment with that. I can't seem to replicate it at the moment.

Brendan
 
Re: Autocomplete

I have a quick question that is kinda related. In IE when a drop down list appears in for example the Google search box you can delete any of the options by pressing the Del button. How can you do this in Firefox?
 
Re: Autocomplete

Now that bugbase link I posted is bringing me to PayPal????


Whatever about it going to PayPal the link that you posted is incorrect due to the way that ezBoard automatically prefixed the H_T_T_P_S method specifier with H_T_T_P etc. (without the underscores obviously).
 
Re: IE 7: So much for Firefox

IE 7: so much for Firefox

By Molly Wood, Senior editor, CNET.com
(c) Copyright 2005 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.

At this year's RSA Conference 2005, Bill Gates announced a new, Windows-free version of Internet Explorer designed to be more secure and to crush the rising Firefox threat. OK, he didn't specifically say that last part, but you know what? That's what's gonna happen.
Click to expand...
[broken link removed]

Personally, I will stick with Firefox - Micro$oft have too much dominance in this market already.
 
Re: Keys

Thanks hmmm, knew it had to be something simple!
 
Re: Keys

Personally, I will stick with Firefox - Micro$oft have too much dominance in this market already.

I personally would never cut off my nose to spite my face in this context. If Microsoft came out with a browser which was as competitive, standard, stable, secure, full featured and extensible as others then I would have no hesitation in using it. However for many years now this has been the case with IE. Zealous supporters of one browser over another should bear in mind that few are perfect and all software packages have their bugs. I have been using FireFox (neé FireBird) for a long time now and really like it but have had some hairy moments with it - e.g. several crashes once I moved from early alphas to the 1.0 pre-release and then full release and only last weekend my home installation somehow screwed up my profile causing FireFox to crash on startup every time necessitating the deletion of my old profile and recreation of a new one (something that most average users would probably not have a clue about!). Having said that I reckon FireFox to be the best browser by far right now and would wholeheartedly recommend it but I personally would steer clear of "religious" attachments to any computer platform or applications.
 
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