I've been a long time user of Internet Explorer. I've used Firefox side by side for a while, but recently it's mostly for any sites that I know have trouble with IE8's compatibility (a list which is getting smaller, but there are still noticeable differences). However, I was recently compelled to try Chrome 4.0 Beta, and I'm very pleasantly surprised. Not exactly sure what I was expecting in the first place, but it looks good, it seems very nippy, doesn't take an age to open like Firefox. Memory footprint is much smaller too. Thing is with my browsing, is that so far I've been unable to find one browser that I can rely on for everything, so I kinda rotate between them. I think I'd have to say that IE8 is my favourite browser at the moment because it loads fairly quickly and doesn't use much memory. It hangs every now and then, but I bookmark any pages I'll be using for work so it doesn't other me that much. Though the more I use Chrome, the more I like it. What do you guys use as your primary browser and why?
Chrome. It's very simple, it's quite fast, and it runs on both Windows and Mac and the more programs I have in common between my desktop and laptop the more efficiently I work. (That's why I paid for Office on both of them, for example). It's definitely not flawless - the inability to transfer saved passwords between installations is annoying, and the inability to export bookmarks in a format that the Mac version can read (at the moment) is very annoying, but overall it's good. As for the others; FireFox is nice but I found it a bit inconsistent, often slow and sometimes unreliable. It's undeniably well supported, though, so lots of plugins and useful timesavers. Opera is fast but again, I found it sometimes a bit inconsistent. As for IE the less said the better. Safari's OK, but there are faster alternatives that are just as well featured (Opera's a good example).
Chrome for Mac and Windows. I use it almost exclusively now, found Firefox too slow on my Netbook, so switched to Chrome and was somewhat imediatley impressed. And Chrome for MAC was released the same day UPS delivered my imac, so i have carried it on, although, i do still use Firefox, it's hardly for much, and will be just for testing once i start web building again. Another nice touch with Chrome is it's Bookmarks and Tabs, a lot easier to navigate i feel. Sam
I use IE, because it's a web browser. Do I really need my web browser to do hundreds of other things? Well, about as much as I need my toilet to cook my dinner.
What you don't want stewed Poo-tatoes? I use safari, don't like firefox on mac, haven't tried chrome... I'm stuck in my ways.
Well said! As much as I like the idea of customising Firefox with plug ins, I think all I have installed is adblock, which made it seem that little bit slower for some reason. Still, you can't deny the allure of faster browsing? I'm currently writing 3 English lesson plans and an associated essay, and as such I have a lot of tabs open relating to the National Curriculum or Primary Framework. I have found Chrome's tear-off tabs an incredibly useful feature to have. I know this is present on Firefox too, but flicking between windows seems to be that little bit quicker and more seamless with Chrome than IE and Firefox. Am I right in saying that Chrome 4.0 Beta is using Direct 2D to render on the GPU, or is that a "next year" kinda thing?
Firefox. IE is ok these days (IE7 or IE8), but I'm just used to Firefox now. I still have to use IE6 at work!
I usually have them all installed (IE, FF, Chrome, Safari and mabey even netscape) so I can check websites in them all as I don't know of another easier way.
Chrome. Simple, incredibly fast, by far and away the most secure browser, just a perfect browser tbh.
If by hundreds of other things, you mean, be very slow and full of security holes, then well, IE really covers that well.
I am surprised by the lack of Firefox love. Wasn't too long ago that everyone was raving about it. Chrome really that good? I haven't really read much about the advantages of each, thought i'd just try them all out from a laymen's perspective.
FF on the main rig, just because I like the myriad of extensions (and I hate the bookmark organisation in Chrome, I constantly use them on my rig and they've made an ass of it imo) and Chrome on my notebook where I don't tend to check bookmarks as often.
FF because of the addons and it's kinda hard to switch to a new browser, all my bookmarks are with FF
Opera, FF, IE, Chrome - in that order. Opera because it's fast. FF because it's more widely spread than Opera, and because it has Firebug IE Because for my job, IE is probably the most important browser to test for. Chrome just because it's also there... Safari i normally test, go "works... kthxbai"
If it's something you are not even sure it has, or hasn't... then maybe it's not so necessary in the first place
I have finally switched to Chrome beta full time since it now has all the extensions I want. The system still needs a little bit of work, but under the hood it is orders of magnitude better then Firefox.