Firefox v2 Pro's and Con's - is it a good browser - is it free ???

[blinky88]

Appreciate comments from any member using Firefox about the pro's and con's of this browser. I am about to build a new PC and have been told Firefox 2 is the browser to use .... also told it is free. I have just bought a router modem for the benefit of having a Firewall and downloaded Free Avant Anti Virus software. I have never previously ventured onto the web with a PC and would like to think I am taking all the right steps to prevent problems. I have also been told Firefox has many useful add-on tools .... can someone tell me more about these tools and which one's I should have installed.

Whilst loading XP pro is there any way to stop IE and Outlook from loading ???

[aedipuss]

no you can't not install i.e., but you don't have to use it. firefox is a fine browser. free and so are the add-ons.

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

for add-ons the ones listed as recommended or most popular on the page below work well. pick ones you think might help you and, install one at a time and configure them before adding another, just so you know how each works.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/

[Xylob the Destroyer]

as stated, getting rid of IE is not possible.
getting rid of Outlook Express is possible but takes a great deal of work.

Firefox rocks -- use it!

[ofbarea]

You could remove the IE icon from your desktop and leave Firefox in its place. It will facilitate using Firefox instead of IE.

[usually_quiet]

Firefox is more secure, however in spite of that, I still use IE7 much of the time. It has one feature that I have come to appreciate, but have not yet found a way to duplicate in Firefox.

I have a smallish monitor (and even bifocals only help so much when you have middle-aged eyes), so I use the change zoom feature (bottom right corner) to help view tiny text, especially when it's part of a graphic. (Well, I could change the display resolution, but I do enough scrolling as it is.)

[Po|arbeaR]

Firefox is the best browser to use imo. On my setup at home I have a few useful addons loaded as well.
I use Adblock https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/10
which allows you to block annoying pop up ads from the url.

Fasterfox https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1269

adds performance treaks (faster internet browsing)

IETab https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419

allows you to view the picky websites that demand IE (uses IE engine to view sites)

Just my shortlist of stuff... Good luck on your build.

-PB

[jagabo]

I have a smallish monitor (and even bifocals only help so much when you have middle-aged eyes), so I use the change zoom feature (bottom right corner) to help view tiny text, especially when it's part of a graphic.

The forthcoming FireFox 3 has a similar zoom function:

http://arstechnica.com/journals/linux.ars/2007/07/27/firefox-3-gets-full-page-zoom

You can also set the minimum font size so that no text is ever rendered smaller than that size. In IE you can use the Accessibility options to do something similar. Both of these can mess up the layout of the page though.

[Faustus]

Firefox 3 rules! I'm using the RC and I love it.

[shiet]

just tried the firefox3 zoom = its different than Firefox 2 which just increased text size and messed up layouts,
in firefox3 it zooms in = makes everything larger = without changing page layout or text sizes... very nice ! and page seems to scroll without any delays.

[usually_quiet]

Thanks for the heads up about Firefox 3. I was hoping for that.

I did try changing the text size with both browsers, but it does mess up the layout at times, plus it does nothing for text embedded in graphics, such as in people's signatures. It's mostly that, plus people trying to be cool by using dark text on a dark background that causes difficulty. Unless I my eyes are really tired from reading all day, the default font size plus a normal amount of contrast are not a problem. (If my eyes are that tired, its time to quit reading, period.)

[louv68]

I use Firefox 2 and am quite happy with it. The only con I can think of is, when scrolling thru an email with picture files, the pictures are broken up with horizontal lines. I don't know how else to describe it. Anyone else know what I'm talking about, and if so, how can it be fixed?