IE vs. FF

[Damien Kilcannon]

Ok...I hear from MOST of the people that have used both that FF beats IE hands down...

So, what I would like to know is what is the best way to uninstall IE? When I tried FF I still had IE installed and it was causing problems every time I opened anything that would use IE to access something on the internet...So I wanna give FF another try but I want to make sure that IE is removed correctly...Is the best way to do this by going through Add/Remove programs in the control panel or does one of you know a better way?

[kyra]

Damien,

You can set FF as your default browser. I don't remember how, but I know there's a way. You don't have to remove IE.

[Damien Kilcannon]

Ya, I know...I did that but it still messed with me...I figured out how to get IE unistalled I think...I am using FF now and will see how it goes...Ty tho Kyra

[Tracy]

FF has an automatic spell checker.

If I typed "atuomatic", I get a red line under it, I can right-click it and choose automatic, just like if I was working in MS Word.

This is in any freetext box in FF, to include the box I'm typing in right now.

You can add dictionaries for other languages in other extensions.

I have added an extension for weather with forecast for today, tonight, tomorrow, tomorrow night, and the day after tomorrow, as well as a quick look at the current conditions and alerts if there is a national weather center alert for my area. The zip code can be changed in preferences when I move so the computer moves with me.

I have added an extension to add close buttons on each tab, because of personal preference.

I have added an extension that, when I hit the "Stop" button on my browser, I hear MC Hammer say "Stop! Hammer time!"...lol That one is just for kicks.

I have added the google toolbar extension.

I have added an extension to remove all ads from google.

I have added an extension named "tabbrowser preferences", that allows me to change some of my preferences of tabbed browsing.

I added the Talkback extension so if FF crashes, it sends relevant info to Mozilla so they can fix the issue in the future. It doesn't ask me, it does it automatically. To disable this, I disable the extension. No need to be bothered with "do you want to send info to our technicians?" every time there is a problem (which, by the way, issues have become few and far between since I have been using FF).

I added the "Answers" extension, alt + click on any word, you get an instant definition or relevant information for links or whatever.

I added an extension named "Better Search", that enhances searches for search engines like google, yahoo!, MSN, etc. When you start typing it autofills the box with what you might be trying to type, with a dropdown box...and next to each, it tells you about how many results your search will return (before you even hit the search button).

I added an extension named "Back IS close", because I have the habit of using the back button frequently. Sometimes, you are looking at a webpage, and you click on a link. Instead of navigating to that page, it opens a new window in IE. In FF, it opens another tab within the same window (usually, and this can be set in your preferences within IE). Well, if it's a new window in IE, back doesn't do anything, but in the case of FF with this extension, the back button just closes the window or tab you just opened if there is no other page in that tab or window to go back to...thus returning to your screen what you were looking at previously.

I also added "DOM Inspector", "FasterFox", "McAfee Site Advisor", "PDF Download", and the "United States English Dictionary" (which adds local vernacular to the dictionary) extensions.

Basically, in FireFox, there are extensions to change whatever you want to change in FireFox. If you don't like FireFox, it's because you haven't set your preferences right, or chosen to download extensions to allow you to manipulate FireFox to do what you want it to do.

FireFox's main strength over IE is it's malleability. I don't think IE has the ability to add extensions or addons of any sort without involving the (re)writing of code.

[WaltRam]

In IE7 you can go to Tools>Manage Add-ons and you have the ability to have many if not all the same type add ons that FF has. I use both because at work some sites require one or the other.

[Damien Kilcannon]

Ok Jr...since I am a Firefox newbie can you tell me where to get these neato addons and what not...is there something special i have to do to install them or is it pretty much click and install?

[Tevvin]

I don't think you can remove IE, it's part of windows, rooted so deep I'd be afraid to try. That was one of the main subjects of the lawsuit against microsoft some time back. I just use Netscape and set it to default, and don't worry bout IE. Very seldom does it pop up.

[Tracy]

Well, if you click on tools -> Add ons, look at the lower right corner and click the words "Get Extensions"

It'll take you to the extensions webpage where you can view the extensions that are most commonly used and have the best ratings, or you can search for certain ones.

If you don't wanna do it that way, just go to google and do a search for firefox extensions or firefox plugins or firefox add ons and see what comes up.

If you are looking for a particular one like "Back IS Close", you can go to the get extensions webpage and type in back is close in the search bar and download it from there.

If you know programming you can write your own extensions, but I've never even dabbled with that.

And I've never uninstalled IE either. I downloaded IE7 once, hated it, removed it and reverted to IE6, then hid IE6 from myself and made it so no programs (or users) could effectively use it.

In order to do that, I basically went into internet explorer and blocked all sites with no rating. Find a rated site, I dare you...muahahaha....
even MSN is a non rated site, so you can't go there in my IE.
Google is not rated, but I blocked it specifically, as well as any other search engines and email hosts I knew of.

Then I removed IE links from my desktop, quick launch bar, start menu, and anywhere else I could find a link.

The ONLY way I can get IE up on my computer is to go to windows explorer and follow the path through C:/Program Files/Internet Explorer/iexplore.exe.

And that is hidden. And I have my computer set to hide hidden files and folders. And my user acct is the admin acct, and no other user accts on my computer have permission to show hidden files or folders.

The ONLY time IE surfaces on my computer is when I install a "security update" from microsoft (which is complete BS, by the way), and it resets my default browser to IE.

Then I have to go back in and reset FF as my default browser...and no more problems til the next security update comes out.

[Damien Kilcannon]

Actually it is possible to remove IE...I finally figured it out...Go to control panel then add/remove programs and over on the left there is a option to remove Windows components then you just uncheck the box for IE and hit ok ...it will remove IE and all of it's components as well....

[Brianna]

wow tevvin i didnt think netscape existed anymore....i thought that was just a rural oklahoma thing they got rid of right after i graduated...lol



i remember sr year we got a new college bio book that required you to use netscape and omg the problems that were to be had...lol

[Tevvin]

uh huh, i hear ya

actually netscape is still widely used, as it's used in windows and linux systems. it displays pages as firefox or ie, your choice or automatic.