Slacker's Guide to HTML: Internet Explorer Vs. Mozilla FireFox

Microsoft Internet Explorer v. Mozilla Firefox

Some might call it an unfair fight. We have Microsoft, which dominates the browser market, and we have the insurgent Firefox. And it is an unfair fight. Microsoft is outclassed by Mozilla's newest version of their Firefox browser. Firefox browses faster and it is more likely to correctly display a page. Throw in the numerous extensions and plug-ins available for Firefox and Internet Explorer is outgunned. Expect Microsoft to hit backhard with their next release of Internt Explorer, but for now the throne belongs to Mozilla.

With the recent release of FireFox 1.5 there are a lot of people wondering if they should make the transition from Microsoft Internet Explorer to Mozilla FireFox.

There are a few very important reasons that you should make the switch.

1) FireFox is a better Internet browser. The core task of any browser is to display web pages accurately and consistently and to help the user view web sites and run web-based programs. FireFox does that extremely well. Taking a look at C|Net's Internet Explorer review gives us an idea of IE's strengths and weaknesses:

The good: Includes a pop-up blocker; takes advantage of built-in security within Windows XP SP2; selectively blocks ActiveX support.
The bad: Suffers from chronic security holes; no RSS reader; available only within Windows XP SP2; expensive technical support.
The bottom line: Unless your business has specific ActiveX technology needs, you are much more secure running Firefox than Internet Explorer.

From that professional review we can deduce that Internet Explorer has serious security issues (which are highlited in the news all the time), no RSS reader (for news feeds and blog feeds) and expensive technical support. In fact, they suggest FireFox as an alternative right there in the review.

2) FireFox is less prone to attack from hackers since most people, so far, aren't using FireFox. Hackers devote their energies to the majority who use Internet Explorer not only because IE has security flaws which are open to exploitation but also because focusing on IE means they will reach a maximum number of victims with their hacks. As Forbes notes:

Internet users began switching in earnest during the summer after several security problems emerged with IE, which of course is built into Microsoft's ubiquitous Windows operating system.

3) FireFox is not a Microsoft product. There is always that nice feeling of using a non-Microsoft product. That's not a great reason, but it sure helps that the safest, best browser is also NOT Microsoft.

4) Tabbed Browsing is convenient. So are live bookmarks. "Firefox is lauded by fans for its download speed and a superior user interface, and users say that its pop-up blocker is one of the best out there. It offers tabbed browsing, which means that users can jump back and forth between different sites with only one window open, and live bookmarks, which show users the most recent headlines on their favorite sites and lets them go directly to those articles."

In closing:

I will close with this quote from TechSupportAlert.com concerning the switch from IE to FireFox:

So what do I think? There is no doubt that Firefox is currently less of a security risk than IE. In particular it is way less liable to Spyware infection. Every week I get letters from readers who have migrated to Firefox from IE because of recurrent IE based spyware infections. Commonly these folks tell me since changing over, they have never had a spyware infection. This equates with my own experience. Not only have I never had a spyware infection since using Firefox but I have never even seen a circulating spyware exploit for Firefox. By contrast I encounter IE based spyware exploits every day. So to me, security is the bottom line here. Yes, Firefox offers faster browsing. Yes, Firefox has tabs and a lots of other features missing in IE. Yes, there are hundreds of free Firefox extensions to customize and optimize your browsing experience. All that is fine and most welcome but the real clincher is that Firefox offers a safer browsing experience and that alone is sufficient warrant to drop IE and make the change right now.

Download Firefox today.