Author Topic: Firefox "Myths"  (Read 4474 times)

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Offline Newby

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Firefox "Myths"
« on: March 04, 2006, 09:34:27 am »
I'm sorry, I found this article funny. Whoever wrote it decided to use any point to prove Firefox wrong. He couldn't stick with one browser! :(

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/FirefoxMyths.html
- Newby
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Quote
[17:32:45] * xar sets mode: -oooooooooo algorithm ban chris cipher newby stdio TehUser tnarongi|away vursed warz
[17:32:54] * xar sets mode: +o newby
[17:32:58] <xar> new rule
[17:33:02] <xar> me and newby rule all

I'd bet that you're currently bloated like a water ballon on a hot summer's day.

That analogy doesn't even make sense.  Why would a water balloon be especially bloated on a hot summer's day? For your sake, I hope there wasn't too much logic testing on your LSAT. 

Offline Sidoh

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Re: Firefox "Myths"
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2006, 10:48:56 am »
I'm sorry, I found this article funny. Whoever wrote it decided to use any point to prove Firefox wrong. He couldn't stick with one browser! :(

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/FirefoxMyths.html

I thought it was much more believable for that reason.  The purpose of the article was to disprove the "untouchable glory" of FireFox, not to promote another browser.  After reading that, I might check Opera out.  I've heard it's good from a few of my friends I met at a tech camp this summer, but I haven't had any reason to try it until now.

Cool, though.  I recognize some of the claims they made about security are pretty invalid, but I'll believe most of the other claims.

Offline iago

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Re: Firefox "Myths"
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2006, 01:07:27 pm »
Did anybody ever MAKE those claims?

I've never heard anybody say that Firefox runs on slower systems or runs faster.  With all the extra goodies you get, of course it's going to be slower.  There's an extension for Firefox to preload links into memory.  It's an assholish thing to do on slower sites, but it speeds up browsing tons, if that's what you're into. 

Next, the marketshare.  Mozilla themselves admitted that they made a mistake.  Who cares?

In terms of security, most of the vulnerabilities for Firefox were really lame, and for the most part they were patched very quickly.  Opera may have less vulnerabilities, but they aren't so fast at patching them.  Obviously extensions can have vulnerabilities, he's pointing out the obvious.  And who said that installing Firefox will clean up Spyware?  That's a strawman argument. 

The "memory leak" section is the dumbest one I've heard.  They cache pages for each tab that you have open (they can't really not catch pages) at, so naturally, if there are a lot of tabs open, it's going to use a lot of memory.  Duh.  And OMG, Firefox has bugs?  No shit.  Who said that Firefox is the first browser with integrated search or popup blocking or tabbed browsing? Another strawman; nobody ever made that claim.  (I notice on the Firefox page they used the word "innovative" -- that was a dumb word choice.  I think that they pulled a Microsoft there, using the wrong word.)

I also wonder where they get the statistic of 10-15% of webpages not working.  In my travels, I've seen 0 that don't work.  I don't know about you, but while developing pages I've found the Firefox generally works better.  That's an opinion, though. 


The vast majority of the arguments they make are strawman arguments.  They put words in somebody else's mouth and then shoot them down.  It's an invalid argument method, and that page is almost completely full of crap.

Offline Sidoh

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Re: Firefox "Myths"
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2006, 01:31:34 pm »
Did anybody ever MAKE those claims?

I've never heard anybody say that Firefox runs on slower systems or runs faster.  With all the extra goodies you get, of course it's going to be slower.  There's an extension for Firefox to preload links into memory.  It's an assholish thing to do on slower sites, but it speeds up browsing tons, if that's what you're into. 

They're informal claims that I hear people make when this sort of discussion arises.  I know that informed people don't make the claims, but its the people who use Linux/Firefox just to be "different" or because they think it allows them to transcend normal users.

Next, the marketshare.  Mozilla themselves admitted that they made a mistake.  Who cares?

Hehe, I know I don't.  I'm mainly interested in Opera because I had an interest before I read this.

In terms of security, most of the vulnerabilities for Firefox were really lame, and for the most part they were patched very quickly.  Opera may have less vulnerabilities, but they aren't so fast at patching them.  Obviously extensions can have vulnerabilities, he's pointing out the obvious.  And who said that installing Firefox will clean up Spyware?  That's a strawman argument. 

Completely agreed.  Like I said, some of the security claims are bogus.

The "memory leak" section is the dumbest one I've heard.  They cache pages for each tab that you have open (they can't really not catch pages) at, so naturally, if there are a lot of tabs open, it's going to use a lot of memory.  Duh.  And OMG, Firefox has bugs?  No shit.  Who said that Firefox is the first browser with integrated search or popup blocking or tabbed browsing? Another strawman; nobody ever made that claim.  (I notice on the Firefox page they used the word "innovative" -- that was a dumb word choice.  I think that they pulled a Microsoft there, using the wrong word.)

I agree again.  These are claims that uneducated Firefox enthusiasts use.  When I went to a technology camp, I went to a student seminar (one of the kids at the camp "taught" it -- he was one of the many programmers for the Open Office project; I think he said he did something with the spell checker.  He was a nice guy.) he asked "How many of you in here use Firefox?"  Everyone in the room except me raised their hands with smirks on their faces that stretched from ear to ear.  When I saw the obvious ignorant opinions every single one of them held against anything that wasn't Firefox, I started smirking too.  They asked "How the hell do you get rid of all the spyware?"  I said "What spyware?  You only get spyware on IE if you're an idiot or you look at porn all of the time.  I've ran IE for months out of time and the only things that spyware scanners pick up are a few tracking cookies.  Big deal."  They shut up at that point and the instructor said "I personally don't use Firefox because it doesn't have all the features I need."  I don't know what features he was talking about, but I thought it was hugely ironic that the discussion took that turn.  All of the idiots in the room looked shocked, haha.

Personally, I use Firefox because it is a bit more stable than IE6, I think.  I also like the integrated tabbed browsing and the download manager more than I do on IE6.

I also wonder where they get the statistic of 10-15% of webpages not working.  In my travels, I've seen 0 that don't work.  I don't know about you, but while developing pages I've found the Firefox generally works better.  That's an opinion, though. 

Agreed again!  I don't know what they're talking about...

The vast majority of the arguments they make are strawman arguments.  They put words in somebody else's mouth and then shoot them down.  It's an invalid argument method, and that page is almost completely full of crap.

While I agree that not many of the points they counter were or have been formal claims, they're claims I hear all of the time from people who simply "assume" things about Firefox because they're biased against other browsers.
« Last Edit: March 04, 2006, 01:34:02 pm by Sidoh »

Offline Ergot

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Re: Firefox "Myths"
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2006, 02:32:29 pm »
You only get spyware on IE if you're an idiot or you look at porn all of the time.
stfu :(
Who gives a damn? I fuck sheep all the time.
And yes, male both ends.  There are a couple lesbians that need a two-ended dildo...My router just refuses to wear a strap-on.
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Offline Joe

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Re: Firefox "Myths"
« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2006, 08:55:41 pm »
@Sidoh: http://toolbar.msn.com/
IE6 tabbed browsing.

Just stumbled upon that, so eh?
I'd personally do as Joe suggests

You might be right about that, Joe.


Offline Sidoh

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Re: Firefox "Myths"
« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2006, 08:57:10 pm »
@Sidoh: http://toolbar.msn.com/
IE6 tabbed browsing.

Just stumbled upon that, so eh?

It's in the article, Joe.  If you're going to reply to something I say, you might as well read it all.

Personally, I use Firefox because it is a bit more stable than IE6, I think.  I also like the integrated tabbed browsing and the download manager more than I do on IE6.

Offline Nate

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Re: Firefox "Myths"
« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2006, 09:25:52 pm »
In concern to Firefox speed, i thought it didnt run at optimal speed because it is configured at setup for 56k but if you enable pipelining the speed increases on broadband connections.

Offline Blaze

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Re: Firefox "Myths"
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2006, 12:17:04 am »
IE6 tabbing sucks, it opens another hidden process of IE for each tab.  :-\
And like a fool I believed myself, and thought I was somebody else...

Offline JTN Designer

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Re: Firefox "Myths"
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2006, 12:31:42 pm »
I got a kick out of the article, as a hardcore IE user, I took a lot of the article with a grain of salt. As for the tabbed browsing for IE6, I did notice it opens a new process, but when you have an "above average" system who cares? :P

Overall opinion:

Each browser has its strengths and weaknesses, and I found this site a weak attempt to be propagandist.


Offline iago

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Re: Firefox "Myths"
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2006, 04:42:48 pm »
Each browser has its strengths and weaknesses, and I found this site a weak attempt to be propagandist.
I agree on one hand, every browser does have strengths and weaknesses.  But in my opinion, Firefox has a higher proportional "score" in my mind.  I greatly prefer it over Internet Explorer.  Opera is also useful, and I do use it on a regular basis.