Initially appeared on doktorko.com 4/7/2005.
I never really encountered any major problems with Internet Explorer. I've had a couple of glitches here and there - notably with MapQuest after installing SP2, where the browser would just mysteriously crash - but otherwise nothing major to gripe about. IE is ubiquitous after all, and i thought that it was just something i had to live with.
Recently, i've been getting more and more annoyed with Microsoft - which is a whole different story in itself. Suffice to say that yesterday i decided to replace most - if not all - of my MS-based desktop software with open-source alternatives. MS Office has become OpenOffice.org. No way i'm changing to Windows to Linux, but IE is definitely up on the chopping block.
Googling "alternative browsers," i managed to come up with a couple of good leads. Among these, one called FireFox seemed to be the most promising. Integrated pop-up blocker and search bar, stripped-down interface, and a low profile which translates to it not being a target for spyware/adware and virus makers (i.e. increased security). With smug thoughts of me shafting Microsoft for a change, i went ahead and downloaded the browser - and changed the way i browse the internet forever.
As i said, some idiosyncrasies of IE i've learned to live with: the occasional crash here and there, the constant annoying pop-up ads, and the slow load times. Before FireFox, i never knew there was an alternative.
I've been using the new browser for only a couple of hours now, so i can't really say much about its stability, but i CAN say that i've had no crashes with the usual websites i go to (yes, including MapQuest!). Also, even with the BASIC configuration, it is already a little faster than IE. The pop-up blocker works pretty well, and the tabbed browsing makes shifting between windows easier than i ever thought possible.
Here's the big thing: while googling for some FireFox tweaks (you can increase functionality with "extensions" and even apply themes), i came across the program FireTune, which "tunes-up" the browser according to your particular system and internet connection. The claim is that it speeds up browsing. Prior to downloading/running the program, i wondered just how fast it could get.
OMG, it is LIGHTNING FAST! I never knew surfing the internet could be this fluid. Pages load in 1-2 seconds; the fact that i have a broadband connection might be partly responsible, but i NEVER EVEN THOUGHT THIS WAS POSSIBLE WITH IE. I rarely use the word, but this is just AWESOME!
Anyone with broadband connection and a reasonably fast computer who wants to amp up their browsing experience, do yourself a favor and download Firefox. After loading that up, download FireTune, run it, and blaze down the information superhighway.
FireFox: http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
FireTune: http://fileforum.betanews.com/download/1111041458/1
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