Quote:
Originally Posted by desertgrandma
Yeah, I know. I just like my warm, comfy firefox.
I need a real reason to change. Is it safer?
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No.
I try to keep up on browsers. I have current versions of Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Safari here, with a few other things like Avant Browser and Maxthon that are essentially tabbed shells on top of the IE "Trident" rendering engine.
The reason why many folks switched to Firefox as a safer browser was that Firefox does
not support IE Active-X controls. Active-X controls are downloaded by the site that uses them, and execute in the context of the browser. They way they are
supposed to work is what happens when you visit Windows Update. Windows Update wants to install and run an Active-X control. You get a dialog box stating the site wants to install software, asks permission, and offers to display the digital certificate that confirms the site is who it says it is, and you haven't been maliciously redirected. The Active-X control is what examines your system, and determines what updates you need.
Unfortunately, bad guys found ways to exploit security holes in Windows and IE to do "drive by installs" of malicious Active-X controls. You got no warning, and didn't even know you were infected until you started showing symptoms.
Firefox deliberately does
not suopport Active-X controls as a security measure. (You can get an add-on that adds Active-X support, but it's a "Not recommended, and you better know what you're doing" operation.)
Google Chrome, Opera, and Safari also do not support Active-X, so the safety quotient is equivalent.
I use Firefox because it's extensible. The design of Firefox and other Mozilla products allows developers to create themes that alter the way the product looks, and add-ons that extend and enhance how it behaves. Add-ons are essential parts of my kit, and there are an assortment that get added to any new profile I create.
Google Chrome now has an extension capability, but there are still rough edges, and there are no equivalents of some of what I use in Firefox.
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Dennis