Microsoft dumps "unpopular" IE7+

MiCCAS:

I don't think I even want to tell you my thoughts about all this name changing!

DavidF:

Damn! And I was so looking forward to the continued evolution of IE to the point where it was something like "Internet Explorer 10+ Business Browser Premium Edition".

Luke Evans:

If it isn't called Mozilla FIrefox then it ain't worth a damn to me

Anonymous-6606:

Firefox is way too buggy to be used exclusively. Need to keep switching back to IE.

Anonymous-x:

Yeah all programs have bugs.

In this case I think you'll find that the buggy program is the websites that are writen by some asp loving waka in MS Visual iEpage with directX doovies in every page & everything designed for MS's broken implementation of the box model, etc.

Jeremy:

So... What if I do nothing more than remove the logo and the name "Firefox", put in a different logo and call it "Iceweasel", it still "ain't worth a damn" to you ? ;)

notyou:

Firefox is a steaming peice of crap.It's like voting for Ron Paul or installing linux.You use and go oh this must be for people who hate windows and hype Mac way beyond what it really is.
FF sub par browser....

Anonymous254:

MS still hiring shills? I could use the cash.

halcon:

Why to be worried about the name?
use Mozilla Firefox instead of that stupid dinosaur called Microsoft Internet Explorer.
after all, life is much better with firefox!

Guest User:

Firefox is so buggy as to be unusable on many web pages. IE just works.

Anonymouse:

Spot the stooge.

Peace By Jesus:

I have used Firefox on Windows 95 and 98, and it is my default browser with XP/Vista/Ubuntu, and i have not found it buggy, and far superior to either IE 6 or 7. While the latter would often crash on 9x, it is stable on XP/VistaHB and fast loading, but FF saves the open tabs sessions by default, and i can use the Colorful Tabs add on which helps differentiate between the 50 or so tabs i usually have open. And this is just one of the many free add ons (SaveWithURl, TabMIxPlus, Menu Editor, etc.) and themes that allow us to customize and improve as we see fit.

sdfsfdads:

Hahahaha yeah and Microsoft doesn't pay people to post positive comments on forums. Good one!

a user:

Problem isn't with firefox, its with people who can't be bothered to write pages properly...have just found out about the IE tabs extension that allows you to run explorer inside a firefox tab for all those awkward sites...how cool!!

Parko:

Why not just call it "Internet Explorer7 Superkala frajalistic expialidocious ... Plus!"

MiCCAS:

HeHe Parko.. good one!

Jeffrey Lewis:

Why not Internet Explorer Vista?

Matt:

How about Microsoft Iwant2b-Firefox?

Daniel S:

What a stupid, dodgy name! I don't even use IE7; I use Firefox with IETab! IE7 takes FOREVER to start up and I only have 2 toolbars installed while Firefox has 15 or more add-ons installed and starts up in 10-15 secs!

LedFut:

Excuse me, but how did you get IE7 to start up? I never could. Have been using Mozilla Firefox, but keep going back occasionally and trying to start IE7; but it never starts up. You might think that a little helper bubble would pop up. Well it's a 2004 computer, what do I expect.

Bulishor:

10-15 secs ??? that's alot !! mine starts in 1-2 secs

Lvr:

I timed the startup of IE7 on my XP Pro system and it started in 3-4 secs! If Firefox starts 1 or 2 secs quicker then I am not going to lose any sleep over it.

Greatguns:

Sometimes I wonder how helpful all of this is when each individual environment makes so much difference in how things work. I have Firefox waiting in the wings because I was told it was better security on Yahoo Messenger. So I tested mine. On IE7 I have EVERY live Microsoft idea constructed and it still was completely up and running full content (MSN Live home page) in under 5 seconds. Mozilla didn't show anything bu revolving hourglass for 7 seconds and at 12 seconds still didn't have my home page (Yahoo) loaded in. I LOVE IE7. Now VISTA Ultimate MCE is another thing entirely.

Firefox FTW:

Firefox FTW!!!

WillieGophar:

Love Firefox, hate IE7, BUT... it's true that Firefox does have problems with some web pages under Vista. An example is www.pogo.com
Ah well - shouldn't be playing Java games anyway... :-|

nakota (New user):

actually firefox runs about the same speed regardless of platform... it just depends on if your system is infected with spyware... linux currently doesnt have any (that could change) but windows does... its not impossible to keep windows spyware free its actually as easy as not allowing unauthrised code to run... sadly internet explorer usually allows unauthorised code to run and calls it a feature called active x... as well as hacks that do the same without you knowing so firefox is a better choice becouse it isnt intergrated into the system and thus on top of its already steller securety patching, your antivirus and DEP (a securety feature of windows that prevents sertan code situations that only occur in malicous code from running)IE is so intergrated into windows that sometimes antiviruses and DEP dont work correctly.. really if IE werent intergrated so deeply into he system it would be much more secure.. if you use IE and you still want that IE experiance use maxithon it uses the same engine and such but firefox is a good mix of securety and customisation... if your a pure securety freak then some webkit based browser might be better for you (safari, google chrome, midori) but firefox is a great mix... as i sayed firefox isnt perfect but its problems are a drop in the bucket compared to IEs and if you havent tryed it lately... give it a new try.. whats the harm? if you dont like it uninstall it but if you do then you dont know the half of it... get some addons and you will be even further blown away... each browser has its good and bad... IE is great if your useing a corprate intranet but on the main internet something else could be verry beneficial to your internet experiance and the longevity of your windows install (spyware may change windows system files... so not getting from driveby websites will only keep your computer fast and can help your computer work better longer...

JoKeR&ThEiF:

I've got a better idea. Run Linux with Firefox. Running Vista with IE7 compared to the former is like betting on a snail in a horse race.

emil:

If it's on Vista it would be more logical to call it IE7-

Wrektum Likka:

Ohhhhhhh so you mean like M$ decided to put in pop up blockers, like ummmmmm 5 or so years AFTER Opera and Firefox had them?

Man, that's sharp thinking.

OSIRIS:

No Comment

Rhys:

With any computer technology, or any technological advance for that matter, there are a few things that need to be considered.


1. ease of use
if a program is even slightly difficult to use, customize or change you can be sure people will have ALOT of trouble doing what they want. ease of use is mainly the ability to perform a task quickly and efficiently, with minimal effort and stress.
my experience with Microsoft IE7 is that while fast to boot, the loading of pages is not very fast, the loading of applets, activeX controls and of wanted pop-up windows is quite buggy and slow, and the overall ability to change anything about the program is not only low, but directly hindered by the closed source and non-developer version. there is no way to allow IE7 to minimize to the system tray, show an RSS feed in the bottom bar, show detailed loading information like in opera, change skin in more than a superficial way, and most of all NO CROSS PLATFORM SUPPORT!
in the same test of ease of use, Mozilla Firefox has many features specifically designed for ease of use, namely fully integrated tabbed browsing, the simple help instructions will little unnecisary jargon, add-ons for pretty much anything and full skinning support.
the cross platform support for Firefox is so extensive that it is integrated with almost all Linux and other UNIX-like OSs, freely available on all recent versions of Macintosh, Windows 98-vista, and practically anything else you can think of. the loading times of web pages is slightly slower however there is an intergrated pop-up blocker and the design of firefox is specifically for preemptive security, meaning that it checks the whole site prior to running any scripts, downloading any images/files or starting any applets. IE7 loads quicker at the cost of security.
verdict : Mozilla Firefox is easier to use

2. true usability
With any developing application or project, the easiest way of getting it up and running is to emulate source code from another project, mainly because this code has been tried and tested and while it may have some extra features, it is still a good base.
Microsoft IE7 is closed source, mainly meaning that any of the advances made by the construction of this program are locked and hidden, available only to the elite few.
Mozilla Firefox is fully open sourced, published under an open license, stating that anyone can use the ideas and coding within for any project they want.
both have their points, for IE7 mainly because without there being a commercial basis for computing it may never have been so popular. however, the computing world has reached a crux, and the development of a project by a single, small group of people is no longer sufficient to keep pace. open source widespread development is the main path that software is now taking and will continue to take in the future.
verdict : Mozilla firefox leads the way in true usability, being base for many new programs made by average people.

3. originality
a development in software does not include every 'hello world' application. this is accepted as a fact and is totally logical. to make something the same as another is not logical, profitable to the greater world or in any way original.
Mozilla Firefox is a platform for non-convention in programming. someone says 'i dont want any more adds. i dont want to waste my time waiting for them to download and waste my browsing space" and so they make an add-on to remove ads through the source of the page. (this add-on is called "Add-Block-Plus)
if someone tried to do something odd or different in IE7 like minimizing to the system tray they would find it impossible, or very near to.
verdict : Mozilla firefox is the most original and fosters thinking outside the box

Overall
When using IE7 you ARE restricted to the boundaries of a small development team's ideas.
When using Firefox you have all the creativity and skill of thousands of individuals.
Firefox is the clear leader in my mind, sporting range, freedom and security

I use Firefox myself and have almost completely stopped using internet explorer. i know my old high school has started to use firefox instead of IE7 and they are better for it, while many of the people i have helped with getting computers setup and running have naturally chosen firefox without prompting.

my email is rbchinchen@gmail.com

many thanks
Rhys

Ara:

geez.... thankgod for the scrollwheel