10-24-2006, 12:20 PM
By DWIGHT SILVERMAN Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
Suddenly it feels like 1998 again.
That's because the browser wars are back. Last week, Microsoft released the long-awaited update to its Web browser, Internet Explorer 7, ending a five-year drought. And sometime today, the Mozilla Foundation's Firefox browser ââ¬â version 2.0, the successor to the original Netscape ââ¬â will be formally released.
Although we're not likely to see the kind of development that results in releases of new Web-browsing programs every few months as in the 1990s, Microsoft's reawakening and an aggressive market-share grab by the Mozilla group has jump-started a battle many thought long dead.
That leaves Internet users with the benefits of competition and the dilemma of making a choice when new versions are released. Which browser is the best?
I spent time running IE7 and Firefox 2.0 side by side, comparing key features. IE7 was the finished version. Firefox 2.0 was the last test release, which is expected to be the finished code, or close to it.
Here's a look at the top features in the browsers, and which has the advantage:
ââ¬Â¢ Interface.[/b] The way a piece of software appears and the layout of its menus and commands is its interface, and whether you'll prefer IE7's or Firefox 2.0's is a matter of taste.The two are quite different. Microsoft has completely reworked the placement of key buttons on the browser and hidden by default the familiar set of menus ââ¬â File, Edit, View, Tools, etc.
In contrast, Firefox 2.0 uses the traditional browser layout. Its icons have been modernized a bit, but for the most part it looks very much like Firefox 1.5. One interface feature that's brand new: it now has a built-in spell-checker.
After using IE7, I've gotten used to the layout and now prefer it. It seems more efficient to me ââ¬â I don't have to move the mouse around as much to get to various commands ââ¬â and is visually more appealing. If you intensely dislike changes in familiar software, you may feel differently, but for me, I'm giving the advantage to IE7.
ââ¬Â¢ Security.[/b] Both IE7 and Firefox 2 have added phishing filters, which will flag users when a site is on a blacklist. IE7 goes a step further, attempting to analyze the design of a site for suspicious features.Internet Explorer 6 was notorious for its security issues, although Firefox also has required many security patches.
Because IE7 is closely tied to the operating system, a flaw there can be more dangerous than one in Firefox.
The code in IE7 has been reworked in hopes of cutting down on those issues, but only time will tell if Microsoft has been successful. For that reason, I'll give the advantage here to Firefox.
ââ¬Â¢ Tabbed browsing.[/b] This feature lets you view multiple Web pages in a single browser window, accessible by a line of tabs.Microsoft is playing catchup, but it's done so in an elegant and intuitive way. Its tab bar is always visible, with the stub of a new tab always peeking out to the right of the most recent one. Also, each tab has its own close button.
Finally, when more than one tab is used, a button on the far left lets you view thumbnails of each open page in the browser, making it easier to pick one if you have many tabs open.
In addition, IE7 gives you more control over how tabs behave, including having new ones open with your default home page.
Firefox 2.0 adds the close buttons on individual tabs, but the tab bar remains closed by default (you can now set it to be open all the time in the options).
A drop-down on the far right shows you a list of open tabs, but it's text-based.
IE7 takes this category.
ââ¬Â¢ Performance.[/b] The previous version of Firefox took a long time to launch, particularly if users installed lots of extensions for it. Firefox 2.0's performance is dramatically improved, in almost all ways ââ¬â it launches faster, loads pages faster and runs Web-based apps faster than 1.5.And it also routinely beats IE7 in most performance categories, particularly when many pages are loaded into tabs. The presence of toolbars seems to be a drag on both browsers ââ¬â Google Toolbar, for example, noticeably slows the loading time for both ââ¬â but more so on IE7.
Firefox 2.0 also has a neat feature that restores Web pages and some form data that were in place if the browser crashes.
Firefox 1.5 was notorious for its tendency to gobble memory the longer it was open. Developers said it was a feature, but users hated it. Firefox 2.0 is better, although it still tends to have a larger memory appetite than IE7. Still, given its speedy performance under most conditions, I'll give the advantage to Firefox 2.0.
ââ¬Â¢ Site compatibility.[/b] Internet Explorer 6 was known for not being compliant with Web standards, and while IE7 improves on that, it still doesn't play as well with others as Firefox. However, there's a caveat here.Because IE6 has such a huge base of users, many Web developers have drafted sites that appear "broken" in Firefox. As a result, with the improvements that have been made in IE7, there are now more sites that appear broken in the newer browser as well. Also, many sites may not recognize IE7, or even think its an older version of Internet Explorer, and not display properly as a result.
As a result, the advantage here goes to Firefox 2.0.
ââ¬Â¢ Customization.[/b] Firefox has long been known for the huge number of extensions, or add-ons developers created that extend its capabilities. It's also got a slew of themes ââ¬â tweaks to its look, such as buttons, scroll bars and colors.While there are some add-ons for IE7, there are nowhere near as many as for Firefox. However, most of the extensions and themes designed for 1.5 don't work with Firefox 2.0, and fans of those extensions will need to wait for updates. Still, they should come quickly once Firefox 2.0 is finalized, so I'll give the advantage to Firefox.
Firefox 2.0 wins this browse-off 4-2, but in terms of day-to-day use, I prefer IE7. That's because its interface and the design of its tabs are the most important elements to the way I use Web browsers. Your mileage may vary.
Of course, you can have both on your PC. The two get along quite nicely. Download IE7 at http://www.microsoft.com/ie. You can get Firefox 2.0 at http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/2.0/releasenotes/.
[email protected][/i]
http://blogs.chron.com/techblog
Suddenly it feels like 1998 again.
That's because the browser wars are back. Last week, Microsoft released the long-awaited update to its Web browser, Internet Explorer 7, ending a five-year drought. And sometime today, the Mozilla Foundation's Firefox browser ââ¬â version 2.0, the successor to the original Netscape ââ¬â will be formally released.
Although we're not likely to see the kind of development that results in releases of new Web-browsing programs every few months as in the 1990s, Microsoft's reawakening and an aggressive market-share grab by the Mozilla group has jump-started a battle many thought long dead.
That leaves Internet users with the benefits of competition and the dilemma of making a choice when new versions are released. Which browser is the best?
I spent time running IE7 and Firefox 2.0 side by side, comparing key features. IE7 was the finished version. Firefox 2.0 was the last test release, which is expected to be the finished code, or close to it.
Here's a look at the top features in the browsers, and which has the advantage:
ââ¬Â¢ Interface.[/b] The way a piece of software appears and the layout of its menus and commands is its interface, and whether you'll prefer IE7's or Firefox 2.0's is a matter of taste.The two are quite different. Microsoft has completely reworked the placement of key buttons on the browser and hidden by default the familiar set of menus ââ¬â File, Edit, View, Tools, etc.
In contrast, Firefox 2.0 uses the traditional browser layout. Its icons have been modernized a bit, but for the most part it looks very much like Firefox 1.5. One interface feature that's brand new: it now has a built-in spell-checker.
After using IE7, I've gotten used to the layout and now prefer it. It seems more efficient to me ââ¬â I don't have to move the mouse around as much to get to various commands ââ¬â and is visually more appealing. If you intensely dislike changes in familiar software, you may feel differently, but for me, I'm giving the advantage to IE7.
ââ¬Â¢ Security.[/b] Both IE7 and Firefox 2 have added phishing filters, which will flag users when a site is on a blacklist. IE7 goes a step further, attempting to analyze the design of a site for suspicious features.Internet Explorer 6 was notorious for its security issues, although Firefox also has required many security patches.
Because IE7 is closely tied to the operating system, a flaw there can be more dangerous than one in Firefox.
The code in IE7 has been reworked in hopes of cutting down on those issues, but only time will tell if Microsoft has been successful. For that reason, I'll give the advantage here to Firefox.
ââ¬Â¢ Tabbed browsing.[/b] This feature lets you view multiple Web pages in a single browser window, accessible by a line of tabs.Microsoft is playing catchup, but it's done so in an elegant and intuitive way. Its tab bar is always visible, with the stub of a new tab always peeking out to the right of the most recent one. Also, each tab has its own close button.
Finally, when more than one tab is used, a button on the far left lets you view thumbnails of each open page in the browser, making it easier to pick one if you have many tabs open.
In addition, IE7 gives you more control over how tabs behave, including having new ones open with your default home page.
Firefox 2.0 adds the close buttons on individual tabs, but the tab bar remains closed by default (you can now set it to be open all the time in the options).
A drop-down on the far right shows you a list of open tabs, but it's text-based.
IE7 takes this category.
ââ¬Â¢ Performance.[/b] The previous version of Firefox took a long time to launch, particularly if users installed lots of extensions for it. Firefox 2.0's performance is dramatically improved, in almost all ways ââ¬â it launches faster, loads pages faster and runs Web-based apps faster than 1.5.And it also routinely beats IE7 in most performance categories, particularly when many pages are loaded into tabs. The presence of toolbars seems to be a drag on both browsers ââ¬â Google Toolbar, for example, noticeably slows the loading time for both ââ¬â but more so on IE7.
Firefox 2.0 also has a neat feature that restores Web pages and some form data that were in place if the browser crashes.
Firefox 1.5 was notorious for its tendency to gobble memory the longer it was open. Developers said it was a feature, but users hated it. Firefox 2.0 is better, although it still tends to have a larger memory appetite than IE7. Still, given its speedy performance under most conditions, I'll give the advantage to Firefox 2.0.
ââ¬Â¢ Site compatibility.[/b] Internet Explorer 6 was known for not being compliant with Web standards, and while IE7 improves on that, it still doesn't play as well with others as Firefox. However, there's a caveat here.Because IE6 has such a huge base of users, many Web developers have drafted sites that appear "broken" in Firefox. As a result, with the improvements that have been made in IE7, there are now more sites that appear broken in the newer browser as well. Also, many sites may not recognize IE7, or even think its an older version of Internet Explorer, and not display properly as a result.
As a result, the advantage here goes to Firefox 2.0.
ââ¬Â¢ Customization.[/b] Firefox has long been known for the huge number of extensions, or add-ons developers created that extend its capabilities. It's also got a slew of themes ââ¬â tweaks to its look, such as buttons, scroll bars and colors.While there are some add-ons for IE7, there are nowhere near as many as for Firefox. However, most of the extensions and themes designed for 1.5 don't work with Firefox 2.0, and fans of those extensions will need to wait for updates. Still, they should come quickly once Firefox 2.0 is finalized, so I'll give the advantage to Firefox.
Firefox 2.0 wins this browse-off 4-2, but in terms of day-to-day use, I prefer IE7. That's because its interface and the design of its tabs are the most important elements to the way I use Web browsers. Your mileage may vary.
Of course, you can have both on your PC. The two get along quite nicely. Download IE7 at http://www.microsoft.com/ie. You can get Firefox 2.0 at http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/2.0/releasenotes/.
[email protected][/i]
http://blogs.chron.com/techblog
