Hi everybody!
If you havent herd, there are some MAJOR security holes in IE internet explorer.
After learning about the security holes in internet Explorer (IE) I started searching for a useful and secure browser.
For the past few months I have used Mozilla in my linux partitions for browsing the web.
Mozilla is pretty cool… you can skin the interface with lots of custom skins…
well after hearing about the secutiry holes in Internet explorer, I decided to give the windows version of Mozilla a try!
When I went to the Mozilla.org website I was delighted to see a brand new Beta project called FIREFOX…
Firefox uses alot of the same open source resources as mozilla… but Firefox is set up for you to TOTALY customize everything!!! Plus the version of GECKO (the rendering engine they use) that firefox uses is alot faster than the MOZILLA version of GECKO…
If you want a TOTALY minimalistic browser you can get GECKO alone …
For those of you who Own 64 bit itaniums or Opterons there is 64 bit extensions included in the main bianary package , No special Download or setup!!!
In 64bit system Firefox and MOZILLA both outpreform the 64bit version of Internet Explorer! (just not on first loading of Firefox after booting, this only happens once when you first restart your system, after that is is very fast to load)
Well Useing FIREFOX is a real treat!!!
It is like driveing a BMW after years of diveing a farm tractor.
Very Luxurious! Features like :
ANTI-spyware, browser Hijacking codeing included! no more windows you have to close from task manager… no more spyware! the security is very tight!!! default installation has JAVA and Active X on high security settings. when it detects a Rogue script, it will notify you and ask you what you want to do with the script. (in case it is not a rogue script…)
Nice cookie settings: can have it ask you if you want every cookie… in the same popup window you can tick a box, “Use my choice for all cookies from this site”… usualy you have to do this when the website first loads… there is another cookie setting in the tools that is “Allow cookies for this session only” , this is awesome for when you just want to have cookies enabled for that session (example: you are in secure mode, not alowing cookies while you shop for a product… after you find wht you are l;ooking for and need to make a purchase you can enter this mode, so you can run the shopping cart java and active x stuff…)… after closeing browser it changes back to old secure settings… saves you a step of untweaking the setting after you make your purchase… will not allow you to “leave the gate open” so to speak…
Bookmarks can have special toolbar, so no need to open favorites folder for frequent traveled sites . bookmarks are displayed under main toolbar in a special folder, very small buttons!
Book marks have “Super Cow” powers… just rightclick on bookmarks in the bookmark bar, and you have options that let the browser monitor the site, and notify you when the site has been updated/changed… great tool for watching for new versions of your favorite software, or monitoring forums that dont have E-mail notifycation… very customizeable! can sound,blinking bookmark, popup window, blinking tray icon, and E-mail notifycation (great if you are working on a diffrent system, or have a cellphone with internet email hookup)
Tabbed Browsing… no more windows cluttering your desktop. your entire session can be contained in 1 window, useing tabs to switch between pages. this feature can be disabled also if you like traditional way of useing IE.
Wallpaper Lovers REJOYCE! you can right click on a image to make it your desktop wallpaper if you would like… When you do this it will ask you How you like it displayed, Tiled, centered, streached, Etc…No more haveing to open display propertys when changeing wallpapers tileing propertys!!! Luxury, and FULL service!! , batteries are included!!! I love it!!!
Built in POP-UP blocking… if window is needed to preform a function all you have to do is click on little Icon to enable the popup… this is very handy , some sites require a popup for downloads to begin.
Advanced Context blocking… Dont like the word : " Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious" all you have to do is add it to a list in prefrences and it will be cencored from your virgin eyes. great if you dont want your children talking like sailors, and construction workers. (I can say this , I was a sailor and constuction worker )
Advanced address shortcuts: some of the default shortcuts are : GG for google… so if you want to do a quick search on google all you do is type “GG searchterm” and it will open google with a search for “searchterm”.
some of the default setups are:
GI- google image search
AVI- alta vista image search
DE- look stuff up in online dictionary.
setup for this is totaly painless for new sites and search engine shortcut…
Built in Google toolbar!- this toolbar is awesome! unlike the normal Google toolbar for IE , you can add new search engines to it!!! and changeing is a breeze… just switch Icons in the search window… there are HUNDREDS of search engines to add… Firefox main website will automatically install new search engines for you… just look over a list, select your favorite search engines and firefox will install them for you ! (you can get a hi-light button from the extensions section of firefox webpage.)
TOTALY automated, Plugins, Themes, and other goodies! just go to a website with Firefox content, click on the theme or whatever you like and firefox automaticaly installs for you!
Hundreds of plugins!!!
You can make it so that fire fox is run completely from gestures… add the hilight button to the search toolbar… monitor your E-mail for new messages… IRC client… shopping for plugins is alot of fun! can add features in seconds to enhance your experance. or not if you want a minimalistic browser…
Well I can go on and on about this.
I am very impressed with this cool free product!
there is a version for every Major Opperating system (Yup, MAC and OSX versions too!!!)
After Downloading and installing you will see the UGLY-est browser theme in the world!!! (I think they do this on purpouse , so you go and customize the browser, immediately! makes the end user feel more in control, and gives them an instant gradyfycation reward, makeing the end user more happy with the product.).
Be sure to click on tools>themes… then click on GET MORE THEMES in the theme popup window, and shop for free Themes :D
BTW… If you dont see a theme you like, you can make a custom theme for all mozill products , it is very simple :
http://members.shaw.ca/lucx/theme.htm
Extensions (AKA plugins) are just as easy to install, click tool-extensions, and then “get more extensions”… you will then be presented with a webpage to let you shop for FREE Extensions/plugins (watch what version plugin is for… plugins for version 8 work , but some are BUGGY… stay with the 9.0 release and above for stability)
all in all, I highly recomend both Firefox, and Mozilla for every day, and industrial use!
for the programers/tweakers all mozill products are open source… so you can add or disable any thing you can dream of! (within your programming ability)
I use Thunderbird for E-mail also!!! it is free also… has a junkmail filter, and is very customizeable… lots of plugins and themes for it also! plus VERY SECURE!!! will not run Java or active X without your permission even from known sites and senders, so NO MORE WORMS!!! it also allows Emotion-Icons… it will print Smileys in the text automaticaly!!! :)
can make your own smiley library too!!!
Have fun with this 
Firefox is great! Tabbed browsing is the best.