Firefox - Why?
Level of Difficulty: 10 years+
If you are like 53.8% of computer users (source) you probably use Internet Explorer for your Internet use.
(By the way, if you don’t have a clue what Internet Explorer is, you are probably using it right now. It is what you use to see the Internet)
You might have heard of Firefox, maybe on a news website or from a friend, but you don’t see any reason why you should use it. You may think “Why switch to a new thing when Internet Explorer works fine?” You may just be to lazy to try it out, or have no idea how.
If you install Firefox, you can still use Internet Explorer, in fact, you can install it, try it, and if you don’t like it uninstall it, and nothing will have changed on your computer. You can also transfer all of your Bookmarks/Favorites and Cookies and your Homepage.
So, let me tell you why you should use Firefox, and shouldn’t use Internet Explorer
(Click “Read more” bellow)
(Continuing)
Mini Glossary: From now on I will refer to Internet Explorer as IE. Viruses/Ad-ware/Spy-ware/Mal-ware is now combined as Bad-ware.
Security
This is the part that gets most people to switch. IE is very dangerous, and it is possible for someone to take over your computer if you go to a bad website. This is because IE uses something called “ActiveX” which lets people install executable software on your computer. Usually this is good, and is used for good purposes. However, there are “holes” in ActiveX that let people install Virus/Ad-ware/Mal-ware/Spy-ware (hereon called Bad-ware) on your computer. These holes get patched by Microsoft, but new ones are found all the time, so you have to keep on your toes with IE. Another way ActiveX can infect your computer with bad-ware, even without “holes” is if you go to a seemingly innocent site, like a game, lyric, or music site, you find through Google or whatever. That site may ask you to install an ActiveX control to use there services. If the website is actually a trap, bad-ware will get on when you install the control. Sometimes you don’t know for weeks because the website seems to work ok. Also, holes can be in IE that have nothing to do with ActiveX
“Ok, so how does Firefox save me from this nightmare” you ask?
Firefox doesn’t use ActiveX, so it is free from those holes, and any security holes that are found are immediately fixed by an update.
Tabs
I almost forgot the Tabs! Wow.
Tabs are one of the best features of Firefox, I believe. (if you use IE 7 you have them)
What are Tabs? Tabs are little buttons between the address bar (and the bookmarks bar if you have it) and your webpage. You can switch between windows using them. It is a lot easier that using multiple windows.
Customization
Firefox allows you to install new “themes,” or looks for itself. If you want retro, you can go retro, if you want dark, you can go dark, and so on. There are hundreds of themes available.
Firefox also lets you add new functionality, like Ad-Blocking, built-in blogging, weather, and more, using Extentions. There are hundreds of Extentions that improve anything you can think of. And you don’t have to worry about bad-ware coming in through Extentions, because the Mozilla Foundation checks everyone before they add it to the list.
Firefox also has a Built-in Spell checker, and a Popup Blocker.
Check out the Customization at Mozilla’s Add-on Website.
Now What?
So, you are convinced and now you want to try Firefox out?
Go to GetFirefox.com and download it, then install it.
Easy.
When you start Firefox, it will ask you if you “Want to make Firefox the default browser.” If you are not sure if you want to use Firefox all the time, press “No.” If you decide When you decide to use Firefox instead of IE, press Yes.
Thats It!
If you like it be sure to go to this post in Firefox and thank me!
Tags: active-x, activex, add-ons, bad-ware, browser, extentions, firefox, ie, internet explorer, malware, microsoft, security, themes