Best browser for Windows?

[Towermax]

Used Firefox since version 3.0 and then switched to Palemoon a couple years ago. Very happy with Palemoon and have it on all my Windows systems.

 

[SPBHM]

I'm still using old Opera 12.16
and also firefox 28

at some point I'm probably going to be using just firefox,

I've been using Opera for a decade or so, but I didn't like Opera 15 at all,

on my old PCs I also use Seamonkey and older opera.

 

[Morbus]

Opera 15 is NOT the same Opera that we knew from before. It's not the same codebase, it's not the same rendering engine, not the same ideology, and largely not the same team.

Saying "I use Opera 12 but I don't like Opera 15" is like saying "I drive a Chevrolet Lacetti but I don't like the new Chevrolet Camaro"...

 

[ultimatebob]

WOW, what a rare feature.

Whatever happened to Xmarks for keeping bookmarks not only on your Chrome, but across all browsers?

that feature is nothing great to talk about

The big difference is that you don't have to install a bookmark and password synchronization plugin on all of your phones, tablets, desktops, and laptops.

It also synchronizes your Google search history, which also updates Google Now. It's kinda cool when you do a search for a restaurant on your laptop, and your Android phone is ready to give you directions to the restaurant when it's time to go.

 

[Zxian]

Yeah and it's still crap. Good enough. But crap.

You keep throwing around the word "crap". Please tell me what part of IE11 is actually bad. If it's not as feature filled as something else, that doesn't mean that it's bad. It means it lacks certain features.

Saying "I use Opera 12 but I don't like Opera 15" is like saying "I drive a Chevrolet Lacetti but I don't like the new Chevrolet Camaro"...

And in many ways, I preferred my 91 Prelude to the 94 Prelude. The newer one was "new and improved" with electronic 4WS and a smoother body, but I didn't like it as much. The way that it drove and felt was worse IMO. His opinion and preference is still valid. All you've done is say that he's wrong and stupid for having a preference. If I had $50K, I can name a long list of cars that I'd buy before considering the ZL1.

Please stop trashing other people's opinions because they differ with yours. It makes for a poor forum environment. That along with the use of "j00" from some members around here... That kind of language and attitude is totes cray cray.

 

[Morbus]

You keep throwing around the word "crap". Please tell me what part of IE11 is actually bad.

First time experience is crap.
The menu is crap.
The configurations screen is crap.
Features are crap.
Developer tools are awful.
Tab opening is crap.
Responsiveness is crap.

That said, the main UI is pleasant, stability is decent, compatibility is solid and startup speed is bearable.

As I said, it's a good enough browser. If you're a good enough kind of user.

If it's not as feature filled as something else, that doesn't mean that it's bad. It means it lacks certain features.

For sure, but being bare and simple isn't IE's problem. In actual fact, IE is far from bare and simple. More like barren and simplistic.

And in many ways, I preferred my 91 Prelude to the 94 Prelude.

You misunderstand me. Both the 91 Prelude and the 94 Prelude were made by Honda, in roughly the same factories and designed by the same people. The Chevrolet Camaro is made by the real American Chevrolet. The Chevrolet Lacetti is made by Koreans and has nothing to do with the American company, apart maybe the branding.

So, as I said, you misunderstand me.

Please stop trashing other people's opinions because they differ with yours.

I'd be thrashing your opinion if I said your attitude towards mine is typical drivel. I'm not thrashing anybody's opinion, I'm stating my own. And in actual fact, I'm actually putting other people's opinions in the same level as mine. If you read back my posts, you'll see that I agree with ithehappy when he said "the IE we knew back in 06/07, those days are gone, and it's a completely different browser now", to which I add that it's still crap.

It makes for a poor forum environment. That along with the use of "j00" from some members around here... That kind of language and attitude is totes cray cray.

I don't know what "joo" is, but I do admit I'm a bit toxic. I'm sorry it made people uneasy, I'll dial back.

 

[SPBHM]

Opera 15 is NOT the same Opera that we knew from before. It's not the same codebase, it's not the same rendering engine, not the same ideology, and largely not the same team.

Saying "I use Opera 12 but I don't like Opera 15" is like saying "I drive a Chevrolet Lacetti but I don't like the new Chevrolet Camaro"...

that's why I didn't like Opera 15, it's nothing like 12 and older, I love the way opera presto works, and the features they had, but it's showing its age and lack of development, Opera 15 is not a good replacement for it, Firefox is the best alternative I've found.

strangely they've released some security update for 12 today.

 

[Zxian]

That said, the main UI is pleasant, stability is decent, compatibility is solid and startup speed is bearable.

As I said, it's a good enough browser. If you're a good enough kind of user.

For sure, but being bare and simple isn't IE's problem. In actual fact, IE is far from bare and simple. More like barren and simplistic.

And that's all that some people need. I used to tweak and nLite my WinXP installs until the cows came home - until I realized that I was spending more time tweaking than I was actually using the system. If SPBHM likes Opera 12 more than 15, let him. He's just saying that he likes browser X over Y. Your Chevy example makes it sound like the user is stupid for his choice.

I'd be thrashing your opinion if I said your attitude towards mine is typical drivel.

Meaning...? Even this is harsh.

I'm not thrashing anybody's opinion, I'm stating my own.

No, you're being rude.

And in actual fact, I'm actually putting other people's opinions in the same level as mine. If you read back my posts, you'll see that I agree with ithehappy when he said "the IE we knew back in 06/07, those days are gone, and it's a completely different browser now", to which I add that it's still crap.

If you want to share your opinion of "I think IE is crap", then say that. If you say "IE is crap", you're making a statement and coming across as stand-off-ish and rude. Anytime someone tries to say they like it, you bash them down.

I don't know what "joo" is, but I do admit I'm a bit toxic. I'm sorry it made people uneasy, I'll dial back.

"j00" was in reference to two particularly opinionated users on this forum who think that it's still 2002. A quick search can find you who they are.

The term "best" can be subjective. We all understand very well that you don't like IE.

 

[Morbus]

And that's all that some people need.

All some people need is food in their plate and shoes on their feet. Does that mean that having JUST that is a good life?

All some people need for a browser is something that open webpages and doesn't get their computer infected with the first ad it loads. Does that mean that IE is a good browser?

Can you draw the bridge? It's not that hard to understand, really.

I used to tweak and nLite my WinXP installs until the cows came home - until I realized that I was spending more time tweaking than I was actually using the system.

Well, first off, you were doing it wrong. I used nLite on my WinXP installs, of course, but I for sure spent way more time using it that tweaking it. Because I'm not an idiot, and because I've spend more than 2 hours USING XP, which is the amount of time I must have spent tweaking it.

If SPBHM likes Opera 12 more than 15, let him. He's just saying that he likes browser X over Y. Your Chevy example makes it sound like the user is stupid for his choice.

I must have not conveyed my attitude very well. My example also obviously flew way over your head. My point, AS I POINTED OUT, is not that the Lacetti is a worse car than the Camaro, it's that it's not done by the same people.

Meaning...? Even this is harsh.

I'm sorry, I have a hard time dealing with people who don't understand what I say. Feel free to wholly ignore me if you don't understand what I'm saying.

No, you're being rude.

I'm not.

But you are being aggressive and, ironically, rude. Rude would be saying something like "yeah, and you're just acting like the little stupid american you are and BSing your way and dumbing everything down to your level, well, guess what: sue me".

That would be rude. I'm being a freaking saint.

If you want to share your opinion of "I think IE is crap", then say that. If you say "IE is crap", you're making a statement and coming across as stand-off-ish and rude. Anytime someone tries to say they like it, you bash them down.

Oh, so it's a matter of wording? I can understand that. What I can't understand is why I, or anyone, would have difficulty telling the difference between stating an opinion, and making an argument for your opinion.

So rather than saying "I think IE is crap", what I SAID was "IE is crap because yadda yadda yadda". I think that's fair and polite, certainly WAY more polite than what I tell people about IE in person. More often that not I just ignore them, and in my book, that's why ruder and meaner.

I'm not sure you can relate.

The term "best" can be subjective. We all understand very well that you don't like IE.

Oh, please, you're putting it lightly.

But "best" is not what I'm discussing. "Good" is what's in question. And "good" IE is not.

 

[gizbug]

I seem to use Chrome no matter what platform I'm on. It's kinda cool that it keeps my bookmarks and history synced on my phone, tablet, laptop, and desktop.

Agree'd!

 

[sunilmkt]

If youare using windows 7 or 8 then you must use internet explorer as your browser. But if you are using older version of windows like xp and etc. then chrome will be a better option.

 

[gizbug]

If youare using windows 7 or 8 then you must use internet explorer as your browser. But if you are using older version of windows like xp and etc. then chrome will be a better option.

"Must" eh? Why must we? (Been running Windows 8.1 since release and never ran IE once)

 

[alkemyst]

If youare using windows 7 or 8 then you must use internet explorer as your browser. But if you are using older version of windows like xp and etc. then chrome will be a better option.

I used to use mostly FF on Windows 7, since I have found out about palemoon I run that on 8/8.1

 

[mrjminer]

I use IE for browsing. Chrome/FF for testing only.

I used to use FF, but the severe memory leak issues I was having turned me off, and I just haven't gone back to see if they've fixed them in the past few years.

The only reason I avoid Chrome is because I try to trust Google as little as possible and IE is fast enough for my browsing purposes.

 

[gammaray]

you could use PaleMoon

''Pale Moon is an Open Source, Firefox-based web browser available for Microsoft Windows and Linux, focusing on efficiency and ease of use. Make sure to get the most out of your browser!''

 

[thomase13]

I have been using Internet Explorer almost exclusively since I have been on the Internet (so 15 years or so). I use Windows XP, so I was kind of left in the dust since support ended April 8th — not that it was a standards-compliant browser then. It probably wasn't even when released in 2009!
Anyway, what would tie me to such a browser as that?
One is that I like the normal-looking user interface (or at least that you can make it look normal with a registry tweak or two)
Two is the level it's integrated with Windows. But the most important thing for me was that it supports favorites!
Yes, other browsers have bookmarks, and Firefox allows your favorites to be converted to them, but Internet Explorer favorites are the best system of all. I am free to organize them however I like through Windows Explorer, and I have no need for the rinky-dink Organizer included with the browser.

I had used Chrome Frame for a few months to allow IE8 to render newer Web sites properly with a standards-complaint engine, but support for it has ended in January, plus it's not the most efficient solution! I thought that I was going to be forced to switch to Firefox and convert all of my beloved favorites to bookmarks, but at the last minute, my saviour appeared!
I was looking through the Programs menu of my new computer, and stumbled upon the Web browser "ballot box" in Windows XP present in the EEA (and also on my new computer for some reason). I scrolled through the options, most of which were common, but toward the end was K-Meleon, "The browser You control", which made me like it already. I had always thought IE was definitely the only browser supporting favorites, K-Meleon supports not only favorites, but also Mozilla/Netscape/Firefox bookmarks and Opera Hotlinks, all at the same time if you like! The rendering engine is Gecko, the same as Firefox uses, but K-M is not some development fork of Firefox. It is actually a few years older than FF, one of the new browsers born of the ashes of Netscape Navigator. As an added bonus, it's so customizable, with a few tweaks, it looks amazing! I don't care for the default skin, but the Klassic one is fantasic; it looks just how a good browser should! The other reason I was unhappy with switching to Firefox is that I don't like the way development is going. Yes, it's standards-complaint, they seem to be slowly turning into Google Chrome! Every new release, simple preferences (like the ability to show the status bar) are removed which have to be added back with plugins. That Firefox just ain't what it used to be.
If anyone is sick of MSIE, or isn't happy with the way Firefox development is going, especially with the new Australis theme, K-Meleon is something you should consider!

The catch:

1. K-Meleon achieves its fantastic speed in part from the fact that it uses K-Meleon uses the native Windows API to create the user interface, instead of using Mozilla's cross-platform XML User Interface Language (XUL) layer, and as a result, is tightly integrated into the look and feel of the Windows desktop. It actually adapts to your theme rather than completely ignoring and overriding everything you set (like Google Chrome.) K-Meleon does one thing well: running on Windows. It can only run on Windows 95 to Windows 8 with an i486 processor or better. If you need a cross-platform browser, then use Firefox or something.
2. The latest "stable version" uses a Gecko engine released in 2006. If you need a "stable" browser and post-2006 Web technologies, then version 1.5.3 won't be suitable.

As of 2012, the project was incorrectly reported as being on indefinite hold, supposedly for the reason that Mozilla was no longer providing an embeddable version of the gecko engine, but this was based on an incorrect understanding of the position. In late 2013, the K-Meleon group began developing new versions based on Mozilla's XULrunner 25 runtime environment in place of the Gecko environment. The most recent release is K-Meleon 74, which is in beta right now, so is not guaranteed to be perfect, but I use it every day for almost everything I do!
It doesn't understand the YouTube comment system right yet, but that will come in time!
Anyway, if customizability is important to you, then check it out!