I’m now using Firefox (version 3) as my main, preferred browser. In anticipation of the (perhaps obligatory) "welcome to the 21st century"-like remarks, allow me to defend myself in the wake of some initial criticisms concerning my previous extended use of Internet Explorer. This won’t be a technical overview, per se, but more of a chance for me to take stock on some of the things I’ve noticed about my browser use.
First off, using Internet Explorer (in my case, version 7) can really only be described a matter of convenience. It’s installed natively, it has a fast startup time (since it’s loaded alongside the Windows explorer shell), it’s reasonably sleek (e.g. with regard to its interface and minimal foot print), and, quite simply, it ‘just works’. Clearly, Internet Explorer offers a sort of harmony between the operating system and the browser that’s otherwise impossible to deny – it’s built right in to things and, contrary to what most others think, the browser doesn’t look half bad. I wouldn’t lend much credence to conspiracy theories about Microsoft knowing hidden secrets about their operating system (and, therefore, possibly being able to harness undocumented loopholes for performance gains), but the browser really does feel programmatically efficient and (mostly) solid.
Of course, none of these are reasons for keeping/using Internet Explorer over other browsers, but they definitely hold some weight when it comes to someone using Internet Explorer – and being happy with it – tout court. This is pretty much the situation I found myself in – Internet Explorer was (and is) quick, relatively painless, and immediate.
This isn’t to say, though, that I haven’t been using Firefox. Most anyone will tell you that web-related development situations make Firefox indispensable – the selection of debugging tools and general add-ons available for it is pretty ludicrous compared to other browsers. But don’t get me wrong – I don’t think there’s anything that Firefox can do that Internet Explorer can’t. Suffice to say, though, that Internet Explorer leaves me wanting when it comes to looking for tools and add-ons that just don’t have the community/developer base that Firefox has. (Of course, the last thing I want is for this to turn into a commentary about open source frameworks having some kind of intrinsic advantage over other infrastructures. If anything, I’m merely pointing to the fact that open/easy SDK’s – and the active communities that leverage them – is what makes pivotal software like web browsers so much more exciting and, ultimately, more productive. Incidentally, how else can you account for the iPhone’s success with the app store? A good [and not necessarily open source] SDK is where the real opportunity is.)
So, why have I only now decided to ditch Internet Explorer as my primary browser? Firefox just has a better implementation of things, plain and simple. I’ve always known this, but the advent of Firefox 3 has more or less accentuated the subtle underpinnings of Mozilla’s winning approach and has made me ready and willing to ‘take the plunge’, so to speak. Everything from exception management (e.g. restoring your sessions after unexpected terminations) to tools and options layouts… There’s just a kind of work flow that’s hard to beat.
Will I stop using Internet Explorer altogether? No way – some things still need it, e.g. MS Exchange (for the web-based mailbox), corporate CMS systems, compatibility tests, etc. To be sure, Internet Explorer still has a place in this world, even if it’s only because of proprietary programs or other misc. considerations that keep the browser relevant. (I should also note at this point that up to now I’m not really a huge fan of any of the ‘IE Tab’-sort of utilities for opening Firefox instances using an IE engine. If something requires Internet Explorer for whatever reason, your best bet, I think, is to just use Internet Explorer. This, I think, is the only fool-proof solution.) Still, I suppose one could always counter that some things aren’t Internet Explorer compatible, either (though I’m sure this alleged technological shortcoming is more marketing-driven than anything else). One such example is Apple’s MobileMe service – read about that situation (and some added commentary) from Chris Pirillo and others here.
In terms of lingering frustrations, I really only wish Firefox had a cleartype option/add-on like IE7, that way you wouldn’t need to enable the font setting for your entire system just to have it apply within Firefox. Still, even I can admit that this isn’t much of a wish list for a product that’s already considerably solid and feature-rich.
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