Defection back to IE, anyone?

I just tried out the MSN toolbar and not only does it have tabbed browsing, but a password manager that really works. Now it is the most beta product I ever recall trying out--changing from one tab to the next caused the entire browser to flash annoyingly, and I had to poke around the settings for the password manager to get it working as smoothly and seemlessly as Firefox' does.

But it did raise a question. Soon, all of the features that I switched to Mozilla for (security, stability, password manager, and tabbed browsing) will be available on IE. Frustratingly, I'm still having problems with Firefox freezing with Adobe and not recognizing plugins.

I wouldn't think of using IE as my main browser right now, b/c of the incredibly primitive stage of the features on the MSN toolbar. But I can read the writing on the wall, and foresee IE 7 with these features working much more stable. I'm wondering if/when this happens, what I will do. Will anyone consider changing back to IE? Honestly, I have no delusions about the benevolent intentions of MS , but I have gotten tired of the annoyances of a browser that I switched to because it worked, and IE didn't. Now IE isn't freezing my comp, handles plugins much better than FF, and will soon have the features (password management and tabbed browsing) that I've grown to love in FF. Is anyone else considering a switch back?

I realize that some adhere to open-source software either as having better functionality (although it is debatable here), or for philosophical reasons (I have no problem with people getting paid for their efforts, tech or otherwise). I can't hope to convince anyone who would adhere to Opera or FF b/c of philosophical reasons. But am I teh only one who has been getting a better experience with IE lately than out of FF?

I have posted this here in a forum where flames and trolling are at a minimum, if at all. Let's try to keep this thread going without any insults if possible, please.

 

Not really. And I seriously doubt that IE 7 will be the panacea of browsers. My understanding is that it STILL rides on the old shell so what's the point? They've fancied it up a bit... put in some window dressing but it's the same old IE. AND you have Microsoft's history of patching things in a very slip-shod and untimely fashion compared to the almost instantaneous patching that takes place in Firefox. Oh... I'll "look" at IE 7 but I'd never seriously consider making it my default browser, just as I'd never seriously consider making OE my default email client. AND then we have the predatory nature of Microsoft. Have you forgotten how they deal with their competitors? I'll stick with the Open Source folks for the foreseeable future.

 

Hi Paul and James,

No matter how IE7 turns out, whether or not its the same old IE - we'll see, the FF and Opera folks are due great thanks for giving MS a well deserved kick in the behind, W/O them, MS would have done nothing about IE.

I have IE as the default on one installation and FF on another - switch between the two no matter which is the default. However I must say that I find myself using IE more, simply because more sites are accessable with it than w/FF. Also got fed up with all the Java nonsense - hopefully that's settled down.

Regards - Charles

 

Hey Charles, long time no see.

As far as the old IE just dressed up, yeah that's true--but with one major change (as I outlined above). I'm getting much better performance now (in terms of not freezing, and reading plugins) from IE than Firefox. This is directly the opposite of the situation a year or 2 ago, when I switched to Mozilla.

As far as "MS behaving badly" is concerned, I guess I'm less concerned about that than I was before--as well as aware that it was the advent of IE that forced Netscape to stop charging for their browser, which itself was a good thing. I see Google as set to become the next hated behemoth in the computing industry, with its own googlewatch site. I'm seeing a pattern here--perhaps its just that I'm begining to feel that the great mass of anti-MS sentiment I've come across all these years has been a waste of my time--if you like it use it, if not use something else.

At any rate yes Charles it was only the rise of Mozilla that pressured MS to improve IE. For that, it deserves much credit.

 

Hey I just saw that I'm a senior member of this board. I wonder if I can get any discounts at restaurants.

 

If you find them!

My two cents, in reply to the question. I would expect that IE work better, because it is part of the operating system, and many websites have no regard for other browsers. I, actually, have nothing against Microsoft, or else I would be using another another OS (I did try Linux, and it is a pain, and can't afford a Mac). But, I am boycotting websites which will not make the necessary adjustments to be used in nono-IE browsers. To me Yahoo is biggest offender.
So, why bother if you can get the same thing elsewhere?

 

Is that true ?

I think IE just setup and better geared to work with ( or along side of ) Windows. That is my choice of answers.

BillyBob

 

Doesn't make any difference how you or I put it. The fact remains that IE is integrated into Windows. See how easy it is to remove it.

 

One of the major security holes in IE is ActiveX. If Microsoft can ever come up with something more expedient in their programming, then yes, it would be logical to use the browser that is built into the OS. Even Microsoft admits a problem with COM/ActiveX.

 

But with Spyware Blaster and MS Anti-Spyware, isn't the ActiveX threat greatly diminished?

Before I entirely commit to going back to IE (this would only be attempted after they fix their tabbed browsing and password manager), I would try it for a month and see if my spyware levels remained rock bottom as they have with Firefox. But again--wouldn't this not be nearly the threat it was 2-3 years ago, without these programs? At this point I can only ask b/c I don't know.

 

I suppose the question I have is: why bother? What could you possibly find in IE that you don't already have in Firefox? Now... I can appreciate that our curiosity is going to be piqued when IE 7 comes out. And no doubt we'll all give it a test-drive. But why bother with IE 6?

The other thing I hear a lot is this: there are so many sites that don't open properly with FF that only seem to open with IE. Really? I don't surf all over the friggin' internet so I wouldn't know. My life is NOT the internet. I spend an hour... perhaps two at tops on some days on the web. Most of my time is spent at work, in the garden, with friends and family. Thus the short time I do have for the internet, I rarely seem to run into these problem sites. I can't imagine they exist in abundance. Certainly for me they're completely and utterly unimportant. So... why not just be a happy camper in Firefox and when IE 7 comes out... well... play with it for a bit to satisfy your curiosity?

 

James, as I said in my earlier posts, what I find in IE 6, right now, is a browser that doesn't crash, and that recognizes plugins all the time. Right now, FF doesn't do that. As far as the IE sites are concerned, I am glad that you don't mind them--but my bank is one of them, and I find them so often that my favorite FF extension is IE View. These at least are the major concerns.

 

All right... that's cool. I hear you if it's your bank.

About all I can say is: good luck. I certainly won't be joining you and I seriously doubt anyone else will, given IE's security risk factor. But I do wish you all the best.

 

It is interesting that most banks have accepted gecko-based browsers. Initially, hardly any did, but after it was recognized that with the simple changes to their websites, the problem has essentially disappeared. I deal with six or seven banks, and there is no problem at all. Quite interestingly, one of them cautions the user that IE6 requires one of thre critical updates to be used for payments. This caution does not apply to Netscape, Mozilla, and other gecko browsers.
I am positive that many people who have not known anything IE, would be baffled by Firefox, etc., and as webpages are oten used to be used in IE, there may be some rendering problems. My attitute is to inform the creator of the webpage, and if there is no satisfactory response, there are many other websites like theirs. I have yet to see anything which disqualifie Firefox and other such browsers. But, I know them inside out, while I don't know IE, nor do I care to complicate my life. It is matter of preference and of being accustomed.

 

Fwiw

Been using NS since the beginning and now, FireFox. FF, she ain't broke and I'm not 'bout goin' 'round and fixin' it!

Never even tried IE; not once! IE? Wot's dat?!

Bob

 

IE 'enhancement'

One thing y'al might want to try is Maxthon (http://maxthon.com/), an IE add-on with features similar to FireFox, etc. Ya, I know it's still IE, but.....worth a look perhaps.

 

Another Alternative

Or, if you must abandon Firefox, SlimBrowser, another IE shell.

 

I never really cared for FF that much myself.......IE6 works pretty good for me so far.

 

One thing that attracted me to the MSN toolbar is a password manager. Maxthon and the other IE shells that have a password manager simply use a limited version of RoboForm, which places limits on the number of passwords. I didn't like the MSN toolbar, but after they fix the bugginess of the tabbed browsing feature, I will give it another spin. At that point, with password management and tabbed browsing, I think I'll be fine without an IE shell (although I might want to slap a skin on--who knows?).

 

Well... it appears that you are alone among those who currently use Firefox who want to return to IE. I can't imagine anyone returning to such a security nightmare. If you really must give up on Firefox, at least try Opera. It's a decent browser suite (email client and RSS feed) and will offer you security, skins, tabbed browsing and a host of features IE currently does not offer.

Hasn't it occurred to you that you're alone in this "defection "? Surely that must be a bit of a wake-up call that such a course of action is not very wise. I wish you well but I think you are going to regret your decision.