Windows 7 IE8 vs Firefox

Danaw

New Member
I am running W7 RC1 and find it a definate improvement over Vista. The only niggle I have is that IE8 runs slowly as compared to Firefox 3. I have read that IE8 has greater security than Firefox.

My question is: Are the security issues great enough for me to put up with the slow browsing?

DanaW
 
In a word, no. Yes IE8 is much safer than IE6 say but it's not as secure as FF with NoScript. I'd be more concerned with a good Antivirus/Antispyware and Firewall to be honest.
 
I'm a bit of an M$ and IE hater really but I do have to say IE8 is much improved over IE7. Looks to me like some of the gloss has been sacrificed from it for some extra speed and I like that. It's not bad and it's Acid 2 compatible. (only 5 years late on that one M$? We're working on Acid 3 now) I do like Firefox better generally particularly as a developer platform but it's been becoming much more of a memory hog over the last few versions. So I generally side with Chrome for being the fastest and simplest browser out there.
 
I'm a bit of an M$ and IE hater really but I do have to say IE8 is much improved over IE7. Looks to me like some of the gloss has been sacrificed from it for some extra speed and I like that. It's not bad and it's Acid 2 compatible. (only 5 years late on that one M$? We're working on Acid 3 now) I do like Firefox better generally particularly as a developer platform but it's been becoming much more of a memory hog over the last few versions. So I generally side with Chrome for being the fastest and simplest browser out there.

I opened the same two pages in two tabs in Opera, Chromium and FF, all the latest versions just to compare. Opera used 55MB, FF used 50MB and Chromium used 88MB. I've used Chrome and Chromium from day one because they are quick and have a sleek look even if they have little features, but they have always used a lot more RAM than either Opera or FF. IE I didn't test.
 
I wonder if Chrome has snappier garbage cleanup and if Firefox is trying to keep as much in ram as it can in case you go back so it can be faster... I haven't noticed Chrome being as much of a memory hog as Firefox. Not disagreeing with the numbers you posted, just meaning maybe google clears it's cache more as it goes than firefox. But then I think you can set the firefox memory cache (not just disk cache) size can't you?...
 
Hi all,

Thanks for your replies. I too find that IE8 is much improved over IE7 but is still quite a bit slower than Firefox 3.5

The question remains the security of the browsers ie is IE8 more secure than Firefox?

Dana W
 
I wonder if Chrome has snappier garbage cleanup and if Firefox is trying to keep as much in ram as it can in case you go back so it can be faster... I haven't noticed Chrome being as much of a memory hog as Firefox. Not disagreeing with the numbers you posted, just meaning maybe google clears it's cache more as it goes than firefox. But then I think you can set the firefox memory cache (not just disk cache) size can't you?...

Chrome's cache is supposedly unlimited but cleans itself by using a 'Least Recently Used' algorithm. You can set a limit by using switches though. I only know that you can set a max disk cache size in FF, maybe it is possible.

Try typing 'about:memory' in the Chrome address bar for an interesting comparison of browser memory usage.
 
Here's what Lifehacker found with their test. Firefox was the big winner on memory usage.

Browser Speed Tests: Chrome 4.0 and Opera 10 Take On All Challengers - Browsers - Lifehacker

I would give Chrome a serious try if they just had extensions like AdBlock and NoScript for it. The Google Updater allows no user control too. Chrome is faster than Firefox but it loads every ad and Javascript that websites want to put in your computer. My Firefox blocks the ads and scripts so it's actually very fast. Then if I want to allow a certain javascript I can.

Google has made a huge fortune off of advertising so do you think they'll allow people to use their browsers without ads. I don't. There's a thing called Privoxy but it blocks way too much stuff.

I'll stick with Firefox.
 
Here's what Lifehacker found with their test. Firefox was the big winner on memory usage.
Google has made a huge fortune off of advertising so do you think they'll allow people to use their browsers without ads. I don't. There's a thing called Privoxy but it blocks way too much stuff.

I'll stick with Firefox.

Chrome does have adblockers and flash blockers but no NoScript as of now. Look here

I use Bfilter which I suppose is very similar to Privoxy but stupidly easy to use. i don't get what you mean by 'blocks way too much stuff'? Unless you want some ads but not others, then you can just whitelist what you want to keep.
 
security issues are very important to me

.... I have read that IE8 has greater security than Firefox.

My question is: Are the security issues great enough for me to put up with the slow browsing?

DanaW

I also heard that IE 8 is more secured than Firefox and i have trust in this statement.Well, i admit that i use Firefox too and this browser is stable and secured too.But if you want to secure your security use some privacy&security software as mil shield or ccleaner.I have them both and my computers are attacks free.
 
I also heard that IE 8 is more secured than Firefox and i have trust in this statement.Well, i admit that i use Firefox too and this browser is stable and secured too.But if you want to secure your security use some privacy&security software as mil shield or ccleaner.I have them both and my computers are attacks free.
You didn't mention whether you use NoScript or not. I'd suggest it to anybody who wants to securely surf the net.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/722
 
No, i don't use NoScript . Why? Is this very important for the net surfing?

It's only important if you visit 'suspect' sites, otherwise some form of internal Firefox adblocker like Adblock Plus or an external filter like Privoxy/Bfilter is plenty. The vast majority of JS is totally harmless, simply controlling site layout, form control etc. If you stick to regular websites then NoScript is pretty pointless and can be a nightmare for an average user to configure. Try installing it yourself to see. If you don't whitelist certain sites it can destroy the functionality and look/layout of pages. If anyone is that paranoid about JS then I'd suggest they change their browsing habits :p
 
It's only important if you visit 'suspect' sites, otherwise some form of internal Firefox adblocker like Adblock Plus or an external filter like Privoxy/Bfilter is plenty. The vast majority of JS is totally harmless, simply controlling site layout, form control etc. If you stick to regular websites then NoScript is pretty pointless and can be a nightmare for an average user to configure. Try installing it yourself to see. If you don't whitelist certain sites it can destroy the functionality and look/layout of pages. If anyone is that paranoid about JS then I'd suggest they change their browsing habits :p

thanks for this information :) Definitely i have a paranoia as for security,browsing, and computer privacy.
 
thanks for this information :) Definitely i have a paranoia as for security,browsing, and computer privacy.

By all means install it and only turn it on when you feel that you are going to visit a site that you don't trust. It is a very powerful addon though and can overwhelm users with options and popups. It definitely falls into the 'paranoid' category :D
 
There's an exploit called "Click Jacking" where they add a hijacker to a legitimate website. It will be so close to a normal link on a webpage that you might hit it when you are trying to access the good one. The bad one will take you to a website where they show you a counter that is supposedly scanning your computer and finding multiple malware instances. Then they tell you to click this "OK" button that will take you to where they will remove them for you. I know 2 people who clicked the OK Button and ended up with viruses that caused them to have to reinstall their Operating System. I personally have seen this thing 4 times in the last few months. Twice my wife brought it to my attention on her laptop, once my next door neighbor did and I found it once myself. I was just trying to check out some furniture at the website of a local furniture company. My wife never does anything questionable on the internet.

The virus writing industry is rampant on the internet. Organized crime is doing it. They're trying to steal money wherever they can. They really are out there. They stay one step ahead of the anti-malware writers all the time.

I personally don't mind not being to see all the cute little animated video elements of the websites I visit. I'm just looking for Information. If NoScript blocks something that I want to see or a link where I want to go then it's real easy to allow it.

If you want to be able to just go wherever the internet leads you and see every animated video on every webpage then NoScript is not for you. But in the early days of my computer usage I had too many problems with malware to take this lightly. Now it's been years since I had malware installed in my system. I won't allow websites to have control of my browser. My computer is mine and I will maintain control of it.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm ranting. I have strong feelings about keeping all the internet a**holes out of my system.
 
Last edited:
By all means install it and only turn it on when you feel that you are going to visit a site that you don't trust. It is a very powerful addon though and can overwhelm users with options and popups. It definitely falls into the 'paranoid' category :D
It's easy to stop the popups. They're little messages about it blocking scripts. There's an option to turn it off. As long as you're aware that it's there doing it's job you don't need the reminders.

If there is something you want to allow you just right click the NoScript button at the bottom and tell it to either allow it or temporarily allow it. Sometimes there will be several scripts trying to run and it's a little hard to figure out which one is the one you want. There is an option to temporarily allow the whole page. Then when you shut off Firefox the temporary permissions stop working and the next time you open it they're blocked again. Or you can set up the "Revoke Temporary Permissions" button in your Navigation Toolbar with the Toolbar Customizer in the View menu. That's what I did.

Yes I have to manually allow a lot of stuff but I don't mind. At least I'm secure in the knowledge that no malicious Javascripts will run without me knowing.

The first time I set it up on my Firefox I did uninstall it. But then a little while later I reinstalled it and learned how to use it. I'm glad I did.
 
Back
Top