Simplest way is to install both then decide which you prefer. You could always leave the second choice on the computer in case the first choice fails at any time.

The Firefox - Chrome - Opera choices are personal and your likes and dislikes will be different perhaps to mine or others

Download the browser you'd like to use, install it, and start using it. Which one is pretty much a matter of personal preference. I use Firefox and have for quite a while. I've used Chrome too. Nothing wrong with Chrome but I didn't find anything compelling enough to make me want to switch.

Firefox (and I believe Chrome) will ask you if you want to import your bookmarks from Internet Explorer and ask if you want it to be your default browser.

Thanks. I had DD post the question as she is the one who will be using it on my old laptop, which she took home today. I thought we had checked the box for the replies to go to my email, but I'm not getting them. Where do we go to find the browsers, please?

Tami

firefox

chrome

opera

If you type these words into a google search and then press enter, you'll find out how to find the browsers.

on my computers I use firefox pretty much exclusively so many add ons for it that I just depend on daily, tried chrome did not care for it, on my phone I do use Opera some times.

for firefox use the link below

there are some great tutorials for firefox if you need help, and as for add ons you will definitely want ad block plus and the easylist, I will be happy to help with that if you need help

Here is a link that might be useful: firefox

I guess this would be considered my two cents.

Opera is boring. Chrome is more boring. I was an IE man for years and resistive to FF, but I now use FF as my main browser mostly because of the add-ons which make my browsing experience friendlier.

Admittedly I have all four current versions on my system.

DA

DA, here's one time we disagree. I totally prefer Chrome over the other browsers. I used to use Opera quite a bit, but it just doesn't do the job for me any more. I like the uncluttered look of Chrome, and I do have some ad-ons such as WOT and AdBlock. I also have a link to Facebook that I can click to go there any time. I have my most frequently used bookmarks on the bookmark bar, so it does all I want, plus it's fast! I do use FF occasionally, but I keep Opera and IE on my computer, too.

I like Chrome because its faster.

I am not sure speed is related to any browser, rather it is controlled by the web site visited perhaps. As a test I have just downloaded a 50 megabyte program for an HP all in one of 49.9 megabytes. Here are the times

Firefox 2 min 20 secs
Chrome 2 min 50 secs
IE8 1 min 30 secs
Opera 2 min even

I did this not to suggest anyone was right or wrong but as this topic arises here occasionally I thought I might play a little and see what happens.

Sites can vary widely too. Visit the ASUS site and you'll wait forever while your drivers download. I just now visited Microsoft to start the download of XP SP3 and it downloaded at between 1.2 and 1.7 megs per second, not too shabby. (Using my usual Firefox)

Bobbie, my friend, you have your right to be wrong. LOL!

Now removed from the jocularity, browsers are like cars everyone has a preference. It makes the world go around.

O's point as to websites is concrete. Certain sites appear to function faster with certain browsers. It can only be the coding of the site.

DA

There are many good browsers. I was like DA, a diehard IE user until the browser kept getting more bloated. I switched to Firefox, and love it. However, I do not love the newer versions of Firefox, so have been on the prowl for a new one, if I should need it. I have Chrome on here, and know that grandms loves it. I use it occasionaly, but I dont love it. Since I really like Comodo products, I did download the Comodo Dragon. It is actually a lot like Chrome, and works very well, but, I am not in love with it either. I am sure there are many that really like both Chrome and Dragon. It is all users choice.

When I used the term "faster" I was referring to the speed with which a page opens, not the download speed. Maybe that isn't at all relevant, but it makes Chrome seem "snappier" IMHO.

I don't recommend the use of beta releases. However for the adventuresome, Firefox v6.0 Beta 1 was released today.

Users beware.

DA

The FF saga continues. FF 5.0.1 was released today. It appears to be focused on Mac work arounds.

DA

Here is a link that might be useful: Filehippo

Six days after the initial release of v6.0 Beta 1 Firefox has released 6.0 Beta 2. This is high speed. Something is afoot.

DA

Here is a link that might be useful: Filehippo

I like FF for the variety of plugins and add-ons. But it's buggy and slow.

I actually use Chrome most of the time because of its speed and stability. It has the basic plugins I need - AdBlock and Xmarks, but nowhere near the variety of FF.

By the way, when I refer to speed I'm not talking about download speed which will be virtually the same in any browser, I'm talking about rendering times, responsiveness, etc.

Tami, jay and I both use Chrome and we both love it!

We only go back to IE or FF if the site itself doesn't support Chrome. but more and more sites are supporting it.

LMK, you'll have to help me with it next time you two come over.

For those of you who don't know, LuvMyKidz is my DS's GF. She just joined the garden web this week.

Tami

Tami if DS & GF live far away they could connect to your computer using Teamviewer, this is a free program that would allow them to access and either guide you or fix your issues. They cannot return at a later date without your knowledge as a password is required and changes each time.

Chrome is very easy to install, you probably do not need their help anyway. Just click the link here to download and install it and away you go.

Firefox 6.0 Beta 3 was released on July 26, 2011 and now Firefox 6.0 Beta 4 was released today, August 2, 2011. This is really high speed.

I hope their reasons for haste do not ruin a good thing.

DA

it is moving fast I had posted the below on another thread

firefox is on a very fast track in new versions blazing fast in fact. Just read a good article on it. So we can all get used to the new versions coming in very quickly.

Firefox 7 is already in alpha and is expected to go to public beta on August 16 around which time Firefox 8 will go to alpha and Version 6 will be officially released.

doing these quick updates really mess with the add-ons authors as they try to keep up with the speed of the changes in the new versions. So that leaves us with some of our fave add-ons not working while their authors scramble to keep up.

I tend to stick with the version that all my add-ons work with till I am sure which ever new version also has working add ons then I move on.

I've been using Chrome for a year or so and I really like it.
I also have FF installed, but I find it will freeze often.

I just got a new laptop and the pages open very quickly. I haven't installed WOT yet, and while I was ready to, I read on their homepage that people are complaining that it slows Chrome down considerably. That was actually a grievance I had.....Chrome was slow in opening pages on my previous laptop. I wonder if it actually was WOT slowing it down.

Has anyone else experienced WOT slowing their browsers down?

I use Chrome and have WOT and haven't noticed any slowdown. Maybe I'll take off WOT, give it a try and then compare. I guess that would be the way to find out.

Any application regardless of focus that operates between the Internet itself and the user's display will slow down the display's operational speed as it blocks, filters or analyzes, albeit ever so slightly in most cases. This will all happen inside the system.

How much will it effect the operational speed? It all depends on the application itself and the number of such applications. On this system right now AVG and ABP are filtering the Internet content and taking their proper action. The forum here is one of the slowest to load on my system. I credit it to all the content being filtered and blocked by ABP.

DA

Firefox 6.0 Beta 5 was released today, August 5, 2011. Seems things may be speeding up.

DA