Which Internet Browser should I use?

[Pu-239]

Flash stuff don't seem to work on Firefox. Do i need to download Flash again?

I hate Flash. Not only do I have dialup, but the old linux flash plugin ate 100% of the CPU time on a P-II 450. This has been vastly improved, but it still eats bandwidth. I refuse to put flash on any website.

[haas mark]

By the way, is there a way to allow pop-ups from specific sites with Opera? I've not figured that out yet...

The only way I know of is that Opera 7 allows you to set the browser to block only unwanted pop-ups, so you only get pop-ups for links you click on.

Which is what I'm currently using. Oh, well.

[Rob Wilson]

Just a quick Firefox question, with the browser privacy, pop-up blockers, ad blockers, etc is there still a need for a firewall with it? Or does it have a control for what apps can access the internet as well (hey, it's the only Firewall component it seems to be missing)?

Oh and the Google bar extension - does that have anything that sends my browsing habits to Google 'for market research' ? Not that I thin my browsing habits are anything especially interesting, just why the hell does google need to know them? And also, what's the advantage of having the Bar over simply having a Tab open with Google in it?

[darthdavid]

Just a quick Firefox question, with the browser privacy, pop-up blockers, ad blockers, etc is there still a need for a firewall with it? Or does it have a control for what apps can access the internet as well (hey, it's the only Firewall component it seems to be missing)?

Oh and the Google bar extension - does that have anything that sends my browsing habits to Google 'for market research' ? Not that I thin my browsing habits are anything especially interesting, just why the hell does google need to know them? And also, what's the advantage of having the Bar over simply having a Tab open with Google in it?

Ok, Popup Blocker=Built in. Ad Blocker=Great extension as well as limited built in functionality. It's worked perfectly with every Firewall and Anti-Virus program i've used. There is no firewall with it though. I'd invest in a hardware firewall if I were you (though only if you have an "always on" high speed connection). Google bar for firefox, is open source and not run by google but rather by people who like the IE version and wanted to bring it's functionality over to firefox, so no there's nothing sent back to google hq so far as I know.

[Pu-239]

Just a quick Firefox question, with the browser privacy, pop-up blockers, ad blockers, etc is there still a need for a firewall with it? Or does it have a control for what apps can access the internet as well (hey, it's the only Firewall component it seems to be missing)?

Oh and the Google bar extension - does that have anything that sends my browsing habits to Google 'for market research' ? Not that I thin my browsing habits are anything especially interesting, just why the hell does google need to know them? And also, what's the advantage of having the Bar over simply having a Tab open with Google in it?

You still need a firewall. Windows has other vulnerabilities...


One benefit of Linux is that it's builtin AND gives you very fine control. *

*Yes, I know about the Windows XP firewall, but that's not fine-tunable.

[Pu-239]

Oh, another benefit of Mozilla/Firefox is the minimum font size, so one can see all microtext posted on this board without copy and paste.

[phongn]

Just a quick Firefox question, with the browser privacy, pop-up blockers, ad blockers, etc is there still a need for a firewall with it? Or does it have a control for what apps can access the internet as well (hey, it's the only Firewall component it seems to be missing)?

Yes, you still need a firewall to protect against malicious applications and people trying to hack into your computer.

Oh and the Google bar extension - does that have anything that sends my browsing habits to Google 'for market research' ? Not that I thin my browsing habits are anything especially interesting, just why the hell does google need to know them? And also, what's the advantage of having the Bar over simply having a Tab open with Google in it?

Referring to the Google Toolbar for IE (only!), if you enable Advanced Features it does some tracking, but it's pretty clear about that upfront. The Mozilla & Firefox ones, IIRC, do not.

[Rob Wilson]

Cheers guys, just seemed strange that it had just about every other feature of a Firewall, but not the app control or port hider. Doubtless someone will code it as an extension.

So I'll keep my Firewall up then.

as to the micro-text bit, why would I copy and paste? Just hit the quote button and the text is right there.

Anyway thanks guys.

[Col. Crackpot]

i just downloaded firefox onto my brand spankin' new compaq. kickass!!

[Pu-239]

Just a quick Firefox question, with the browser privacy, pop-up blockers, ad blockers, etc is there still a need for a firewall with it? Or does it have a control for what apps can access the internet as well (hey, it's the only Firewall component it seems to be missing)?

Yes, you still need a firewall to protect against malicious applications and people trying to hack into your computer.

Forgot about that. Anyway hardware firewalls will NOT protect against malicious apps phoning home. Yes, that includes any Linux boxes used as firewalls. You want to also install a software firewall.

[Vendetta]

Google bar for firefox, is open source and not run by google but rather by people who like the IE version and wanted to bring it's functionality over to firefox, so no there's nothing sent back to google hq so far as I know.

Doesn't Firefox have most of that built in anyway?

Even if you have the integrated google box off you can still do a fast search by just typing in google whatever into the address bar.

[Mad]

Cheers guys, just seemed strange that it had just about every other feature of a Firewall, but not the app control or port hider. Doubtless someone will code it as an extension.

Well, a firewall has to be installed at a lower level on the system so it can prevent applications from phoning home or otherwise sending undesired information out, and prevent unwanted incoming activity from reaching the application level... Firefox exists at the application level, so it can't do any of that.