[viagbloggerz]

I installed IE 7 yesterday without much knowledge of the product, exept the obvious. The environment is clean and well setup. I especially like the fact you can start a new browser session (or "tab") within a single execution of IE. Really helps keep clutter to a minimum from multiple IE sessions on the taskbar. I also like the way the menus are setup in this version. More straightforward.

As far as behind the scenes, I'm not a professional programmer, only a novice. However, the extra speed would be obvious to anyone with general computer skills. Better security such as a "Phishing Filter" is an excellent idea as well as improved Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool are included without compromising your privacy. I also like the fact a RSS Feed icon automatically displays when visiting PHP BBS sites, such as MyOpenForum.com

Setup took 30-40 minutes and was very painless. Only one restart was required, some final personal settings were saved and that was it. Windows XP SP2 is required for installation. Another note: Your copy of Windows will be verified via the internet before the installation can begin.

Although I haven't been using this browser for very long, I'm supporting it... Thumbs up!

More information: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx

[NerbuitW]

I liked IE7, but none of the telecampus or blackboard services that I use for my classes are configured to use it, so everytime I tried to do any homework or take tests, the browser crashed over and over and over....

[wmhardware]

Frankly, I prefer Firefox. computer gurus have told me that it is safer. Dunno bout that, I use a firewall, antivirus, and all that.
Maybe a computer person can read this and tell us which is better.

[Stoniaanapy]

I'm still using Firefox. It is still safer then IE7. As long as IE remains integrated into the OS then you'll always have more danger from it. Also Firefox has more extensions and features then IE7.

[Grorointeri]

I also use Firefox.
I only use IE for convenient use of ftp sites, made possible by its integration with the OS.
Firefox, once you have everything set properly, makes use of the internet much less frustrating than IE.

[ultimda horaf]

I use MSN 9 and love it. I tried out Firefox and didn't like it - not because of technical woes, but just because I didn't like the look as well or the functions as well as MSN 9.

Whenever I have a choice, I always go with a MS product. That way I know it will integrate with XP PRO and everything works seemlessly.

[goatteatromiag]

I installed IE 7 yesterday without much knowledge of the product, exept the obvious. The environment is clean and well setup. I especially like the fact you can start a new browser session (or "tab") within a single execution of IE. Really helps keep clutter to a minimum from multiple IE sessions on the taskbar. I also like the way the menus are setup in this version. More straightforward.

As far as behind the scenes, I'm not a professional programmer, only a novice. However, the extra speed would be obvious to anyone with general computer skills. Better security such as a "Phishing Filter" is an excellent idea as well as improved Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool are included without compromising your privacy. I also like the fact a RSS Feed icon automatically displays when visiting PHP BBS sites, such as MyOpenForum.com

Setup took 30-40 minutes and was very painless. Only one restart was required, some final personal settings were saved and that was it. Windows XP SP2 is required for installation. Another note: Your copy of Windows will be verified via the internet before the installation can begin.

Although I haven't been using this browser for very long, I'm supporting it... Thumbs up!

More information: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.mspx

Wow...you've been able to do all this stuff (and so, so, so much more) with Firefox for, what, 3 or more years now? And it takes less than 5 minutes to install and set up. Seriously, I just upgraded to Firefox 2.0 and I don't think the entire upgrade took longer than 1 minute. Though that's on a cable modem. Have you never tried Firefox? I don't have the slightest use for IE anymore. It's only once in a blue moon that I stumble upon a site that's not coded so that it'll work with Firefox, and on those ultra-rare occasions, you can just right-click and open it with IE. In those cases, though, I usually just assume the site's not worth it.

[ErnestTU]

I use MSN 9 and love it. I tried out Firefox and didn't like it - not because of technical woes, but just because I didn't like the look as well or the functions as well as MSN 9.

Whenever I have a choice, I always go with a MS product. That way I know it will integrate with XP PRO and everything works seemlessly.

I guess whatever you're used to. You can modify so much about Firefox, so easily, I can't imagine anyone not liking the look or functions. Such a huge amount more expandability than IE. And you know that when something's not working seemlessly with Windows, chances are the reason is that Microsoft has done it intentionally to screw with its rivals applications?

Seriously, I don't care what Microsoft does to IE, it will always be several steps behind Firefox. A pale imitation. I don't see why anybody would be using IE, except that Microsoft counts on people sticking with their products because they aren't aware of or don't understand the alternatives.

[bypeTeenehalT]

Yes but.....I'm not talking about IE. I use MSN 9 - have you ever seen it?
I don't like the look of IE myself, and if my only choices were IE or Firefox,
I'd probably like Firefox better in the way it feels. But after trying out all 3 of them (IE, MSN, FIREFOX) my choice is the MSN 9.

To each his own.

[Unwiseevove]

And you know that when something's not working seemlessly with Windows, chances are the reason is that Microsoft has done it intentionally to screw with its rivals applications? Yes, that's true. Free market capitalism at it's best!

[Tam04xa]

MSN 9 is IE. It's just Microsoft's dial-up ISP's answer to AOL's interface. And it has all the same problems.

[Duseshoug]

Yes, that's true. Free market capitalism at it's best!

I guess. If you like Microsoft deciding which products you can use. I don't think they really do that much anymore, after the whole anti-trust episode. It's been a long time since I've had any kind of hiccups running Firefox.

[Flefebleaft]

MSN 9 is IE. It's just Microsoft's dial-up ISP's answer to AOL's interface. And it has all the same problems.

Well....I would liken this unto the same way that men and women have different ways of picking out a car to drive. Men tend to look under the hood,
while women tend to look at the colors and style. As long as it starts and is reliable, I don't care what's under the hood --- it looks and feels good to me.

[zoppereurvito]

Well....I would liken this unto the same way that men and women have different ways of picking out a car to drive. Men tend to look under the hood,
while women tend to look at the colors and style. As long as it starts and is reliable, I don't care what's under the hood --- it looks and feels good to me.

I have no problem with that...whatever you're used to. My only contention is that it should be in no way suggested that IE is anything but inferior compared to Firefox.

[attackDoold]

All MSN is is a new shell that runs on top of IE. It is IE. Just with pretty colors and a simplified interface. Kay what about it do you like better?

[LClan439]

Well I'm not gonna lie, I've never used nor seen anyone using Firefox before, whether that be present or in the past. Someone will have to elaborate and tell me what the advantages are besides the aleged "safety" factor?

Note to Kay: I as well use MSN 9 and have used MSN for years... mainly to check my mail but it does have some other nice features that I use frequently. I continue to support MSN Mail because of the junk mail filter. One of the best out there.

[dolaBeetCeage]

A bit dated but mostly on the mark

101 Things Mozilla can do that IE cannot.

Firefox has 100s of themes so that you can skin the browser. It has 100s of Add-on extensions that allow you to add functionality to the browser.

For example I use AdBlock Plus to filter ads off of websites. Bugmenot allows me to use the bugmenot service to log into sites that have restricted content so that I don't have to give away my ID to a site. Forecastfox displays the weather on the toolbar in Firefox.

See more add ons here: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/recommended/

Learn more about firefox here: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/central/

[Dilangfh]

I would like to point out that Firefox is a bet more technical to set up than IE, but well worth it.

With the last update (2.0), some of my preferences were reset to the default, one of which was the location of downloaded files. This caused a little trouble, because in my case that resulted in a painfully slow download when saving files from a website (photos and such). It was simply fixed by setting it back to my preference, namely ask me where to put the file when saving.

The advantages to Firefox? That's hard to answer, because there are so many. You are able to decide exactly what features you want to use, install them easily, and then just use them. You can control which websites are allowed to execute java, javascript, and other stuff like that there. You can block annoying ads, based on where they are hosted. I like to generate foreign characters while online, and with Firefox I just use the nice extension I got for that and I can spell Spanish words with ease. (It doesn't always work on MoF). If a website blocks me from stealing a cartoon, no problem - I just block their javacode that's blocking me from stealing it, and off I go. I can email their cartoon with arrogant impunity.

If I want different colors? No problem, I download a new theme. Search engines? I have a search engine bar on which I can install any of several. Google, IMDB, Answers, Wickepedia - all available from a drop down menu.

I can have groups of websites all load at once from a single folder/tab. While I read the first comic of the day, for example, the others are loading in the background, all from dozens of websites. Non Sequiter, Get Fuzzy, Monty, Pearls Before Swine, you name it.

When I encounter a blinding flashing ad telling me that I just won a new iPod, I just right-click on it and select the ad blocker. That ad will no longer appear on any site I visit.

There are hundreds of other features I can have if I ever want to use them. And all of them offer updates from time to time, which I can install automatically.

I'll take Firefox any day. I only use IE for ftp sites. Being integrated into the system is a definite plus when moving files back and forth.

[Oppofeescom]

All MSN is is a new shell that runs on top of IE. It is IE. Just with pretty colors and a simplified interface. Kay what about it do you like better?

I just like it. As Lee said, the junk mail filter is extremely good. It 'trains' itself to know what you want and don't want. It also has the weather, etc that is linked to the heading bar (called dashboard).

I like that dashboard feature. It's really easy to set up, then when I first log on, it shows me the weather report from Midland Airpark, my inbox headings so I can see new emails, my appointments for the day (I use the MSN calendar), and stock prices for a couple of stocks I have. And all of that is only taking up about 3 inches of space on the right side of my screen, and can be hidden with one click when I want to get it out of the way.

The rest of my screen shows the top headlines from the MRT paper, top world headlines from Fox News, my horiscope for the day, what's playing at the the Tall City 14 theater with show times, etc. I see all the above from start up as my home page (myMSN). And I can change the 'skins' to various themes and colors too.

When I had to wipe out my hard drive a while back, the only thing I couldn't save was my Outlook addresses and calendar. That was a royal pain, as I lost a lot of things I needed. So after that, I started using the features of MSN for address and calendar. These link to Outlook (seemlessly, being both MS products). This works great for me! I enter everything in the MSN calendar, and then when I'm away from home, I can still access my calendar and full address book from any internet connection, but also have the Outlook Connector so I have all the features of Outlook without having to enter things twice. And I don't have to worry about losing it again, as it's all stored on the big server in the sky.

I'm sure Firefox probably has many of these features, but I just like the way MSN works, feels, looks, performs, etc for me. I've used it for many years (way back in the 90's) and over those years, they've come out with updates and kept it on the cutting edge. It may just be a shell over IE, but like I said, I don't care what's under the hood, I just know it works for me and I like it.

[Mowselelex]

I absolutely agree! I do love the fact that you do not have to enter addresses twice. If I'm working from home... all my info is there. If I need to go down to the office, bam, it's still there. It's very convenient and easily customizable for each location... home, work, laptop, mobile... you name it. I really enjoy using MSN. Good post Kay!