# Web browser of choice 2011



## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

This is for the preferred browser that you use everyday to visit web sites. Please note that I am just covering the five major browsers.


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## Kevin F (May 9, 2010)

Safari

Mostly because it's been the first to use full screen mode on Lion and it's been pretty much bug free so far for me. I've used it since it came out.

Kevin

Edited for iPhone auto correct typos...


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

SeaMonkey's (Mozilla Suite) not a major browser?


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

"SayWhat?" said:


> SeaMonkey's (Mozilla Suite) not a major browser?


The browsers in the poll make up 99.38% of the browser market for July as reported by SitePoint. So I would say its not.


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## Go Beavs (Nov 18, 2008)

I mostly use Safari but I do use FireFox from time to time.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

Chrome


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

I've been using Firefox since switching to Mac a year and a half ago. I may be getting reacquainted with Safari when Firefox stops supporting version 3.* I don't like their new rapid release program.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

klang said:


> I've been using Firefox since switching to Mac a year and a half ago. I may be getting reacquainted with Safari when Firefox stops supporting version 3.* I don't like their new rapid release program.


Not a Mac user, but I read recently that the Chrome 14 beta supports some native Lion features. This page talks about it, and links to the s/w. I'm running Chrome 14 on the PC with no issues.


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

Steve said:


> Not a Mac user, but I read recently that the Chrome 14 beta supports some native Lion features. This page talks about it, and links to the s/w. I'm running Chrome 14 on the PC with no issues.


Thanks for the info but while I use google for searches and maps I have no interest in them knowing any more about me if I can avoid it. Spreading the risk around.


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## hilmar2k (Mar 18, 2007)

I use IE because a lot of the sites I need for work require it. Though I often have Firefox open as well.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

SayWhat? said:


> SeaMonkey's (Mozilla Suite) not a major browser?


Not even as significant as IceCat (formerly IceWeasel).


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## JACKIEGAGA (Dec 11, 2006)

IE for now but I usually toggle between the 2


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

hilmar2k said:


> I use IE because a lot of the sites I need for work require it. Though I often have Firefox open as well.


Have you tried that "ie tab" plug-in for FF? My mom's a realtor and she has a couple of ie-only sites she needs to visit on a daily basis, and that plug-in for Chrome does the trick. If it works as well in FF, you just tell the plug-ins which sites you'd like it to work on, then it's all auto-magic.

She's still on XP, otherwise I'd have her use IE9 for everything. No contest Chrome vs. IE8, tho.


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

IE8 here.. it just works.. no "oops this site doesn't work I have to reopen in ___"

can't stand IE9 layout and seemed to find a lot of stuff that didn't work right.. uninstalled it after 2 weeks..


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## FHSPSU67 (Jan 12, 2007)

IE9 for the last 4 months or so, after unistalling it and reinstalling IE8. IE9 has finally grown on me to the point that I no longer miss IE8.


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## kiknwing (Jun 24, 2009)

I still use firefox occasionally but IE9 is my main browser.


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## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

Chrome loads faster and seems to display some web sites much faster than Firefox 5.0.

Every time I upgrade Firefox I seem to lose one or more add-ons that won't work with the new version. I can't believe they are making so many major version changes so quickly.


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

Firefox 6.0 (release version) just installed itself here today. I have both IE and Chrome, but seldom use them. 
Downside of FF 6.0 is that some of the addons, such as HP Web Printing and Google Toolbar incompatible and have been disabled. I've yet to investigate the new tab and group features.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

houskamp said:


> IE8 here.. it just works.. no "oops this site doesn't work I have to reopen in ___"


I've been playing with it and trying to like it, but until I can find an effective ad and content blocker, it will be #3 on my list.


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## fluffybear (Jun 19, 2004)

I tend to use Google Chrome most of the time while Mrs. Fluffybear prefers to use Firefox.
While we have IE 8 on all of our PC systems, I think the last time I actually used it on any kind of a regular basis, IE 6 was just coming out.


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## Game Fan (Sep 8, 2007)

Firefox for me. IE 9 occasionally.


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## braven (Apr 9, 2007)

I voted Safari and now it's even better with Lion.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

braven said:


> I voted Safari and now it's even better with Lion.


And iPad Safari is going to be nicer in iOS 5. They finally added tabs. :up:


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## braven (Apr 9, 2007)

Steve said:


> And iPad Safari is going to be nicer in iOS 5. They finally added tabs. :up:


I cannot wait for iOS 5! Should be an awesome update!


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

Firefox 6 beta on my Mac, Dolphin on my Nook Color (CM7).


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## ronton3 (Mar 15, 2006)

I use Camino for Leopard on a G5.


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## JcT21 (Nov 30, 2004)

i toggle between firefox and ie9. but ie9 mostly.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

Cholly said:


> Firefox 6.0 (release version) just installed itself here today. I have both IE and Chrome, but seldom use them.
> Downside of FF 6.0 is that some of the addons, such as HP Web Printing and Google Toolbar incompatible and have been disabled. I've yet to investigate the new tab and group features.


You can disable the compatibility checking and gt many of them back. Do a google search and you will find instructions.


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## Draconis (Mar 16, 2007)

Firefox here, mostly because I love the AdBlock extension. 

Chome has AdBlock as well, but I'm too used to Firefox.


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## mystic7 (Dec 9, 2007)

I tried Chrome. While it seems to be faster than IE9, Google is known to do so many sneaky things why on earth would you use a browser made by them? Who knows what kind of data they can mine when you're using their own created browser.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

Surprised by the results so far.

I would have thought Chrome would be more than 20% here, and certainly higher than IE.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

klang said:


> Thanks for the info but while I use google for searches and maps I have no interest in *[Google] *knowing any more about me if I can avoid it. Spreading the risk around.





mystic7 said:


> I tried Chrome. While it seems to be faster than IE9, Google is known to do so many sneaky things why on earth would you use a browser made by them? Who knows what kind of data they can mine when you're using their own created browser.


I'm wondering what kind of personal data folks think Google is tracking? What am I missing?

Here's a quote from the Google "do not track" plug-in page:


> In spite of the standard Chrome permission warnings you may see when you install this extension, *we do not track or keep any records related to websites you may visit.*


That extension itself is designed to make Chrome compatible with the Firefox and IE9 optional _third party_ "do not track" functionality:


> Keep My Opt-Outs is an extension for users who aren't comfortable with personalization of the ads they see on the web. It's a one-step, persistent opt-out of personalized advertising and related data tracking performed by companies adopting the industry privacy standards for online advertising.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

Primary browser is Internet Explorer but I occasionally use Google Chrome.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

spartanstew said:


> Surprised by the results so far.
> 
> I would have thought Chrome would be more than 20% here, and certainly higher than IE.


I would have thought so too. It looks like both Chrome and FF in this poll are about 50% higher than the worldwide averages, tho.

http://arstechnica.com/web/news/201...-xp-loses-its-majority-share-of-web-users.ars

The real eye opener for me in that chart is that there are more users still using IE6 than there are IE9 users!


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

Steve said:


> I'm wondering what kind of personal data folks think Google is tracking? What am I missing?
> 
> Here's a quote from the Google "do not track" plug-in page:
> 
> That extension itself is designed to make Chrome compatible with the Firefox and IE9 optional _third party_ "do not track" functionality:


I have no idea what they might or might not be tracking. I chose not to give them any more opportunity.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

Steve said:


> The real eye opener for me in that chart is that there are more users still using IE6 than there are IE9 users!


Probably corporate users who aren't allowed to use a later version of IE for fear of breaking internal apps and are not allowed to installed another browser.

Also, IE9 is not available for XP users, and that is still a significant chunk. And, as of now, IE10 cannot be used by XP or Vista users.


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## Geronimo (Mar 23, 2002)

Please note that the "Do NOt track" functionality for Chrome is via an extension. If you are looking for this potection you should definitely install it. it is not part of the chrome package you download.


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## bobukcat (Dec 20, 2005)

mystic7 said:


> I tried Chrome. While it seems to be faster than IE9, Google is known to do so many sneaky things why on earth would you use a browser made by them? Who knows what kind of data they can mine when you're using their own created browser.


What sneaky things are they known to do?? I've used Google search since well before it became a household name, early adopter for GMail, absolutely swear by Google Maps, have been using Chrome since around version 3 or so and it's been my primary browser for over two years. I also have an Android phone (Droid), use their free Navigation, Places, Google+, Music Beta and plenty of their other apps on the phone and have never seen any negative effect from it.

The fact that Chrome is a less likely target for viruses than IE (because of market share if nothing else) and provides added security via the Sandbox is also a plus in my book. But in general I prefer it because it just works better for me than the others and I love the "Chrome to Phone" extension to send links, directions, etc. straight to my Android phone from my PC.

I have to keep IE8 (I'm supposed to have 6 but couldn't live with that) on my work PC for some internal sites that don't work as well on Chrome but every time I use it I feel like I've gone back in time, to a much worse browser.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

Geronimo said:


> Please note that the "Do NOt track" functionality for Chrome is via an extension. If you are looking for this potection you should definitely install it. it is not part of the chrome package you download.


Correct. And based on what I read, it's an _option_ on IE and FF, so those folks need to be sure they switch it on.

Just to recap, though, "Do Not Track" pertains to _third party_ tracking. Google itself does not track the web pages you visit, or so they claim.

I think Google does keep your search data for 9 months, before it "anonymizes" it, but what does Bing do? :shrug: AFAIK, they keep it for 18 months. I think Yahoo keeps it for 3 months.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

bobukcat said:


> The fact that Chrome is a less likely target for viruses than IE (because of market share if nothing else) *and provides added security via the Sandbox is also a plus in my book.*


Good point.



> I have to keep IE8 (I'm supposed to have 6 but couldn't live with that) on my work PC for some internal sites that don't work as well on Chrome but every time I use it I feel like I've gone back in time, to a much worse browser.


Chrome IE Tab plug-in doesn't work for those sites?


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## bobukcat (Dec 20, 2005)

Steve said:


> Good point.
> 
> Chrome IE Tab plug-in doesn't work for those sites?


To tell you the truth I've never tried it, I just keep IE installed with the few bookmarks (oops, favorites  ) that I need for work saved in it. If I get some time I might give it a shot this weekend.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

bobukcat said:


> To tell you the truth I've never tried it, I just keep IE installed with the few bookmarks (oops, favorites  ) that I need for work saved in it. If I get some time I might give it a shot this weekend.


It's nice, because you can save a list of "auto URL's" that will invoke the IE renderer for that page.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/...fjpbkbammjbdenadd?hl=en-US&hc=search&hcp=main


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## B Newt (Aug 12, 2007)

Cant vote. I use Seamonky. Its another Mozilla product. It most resembles netscape.


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## BLWedge09 (Jan 6, 2007)

As a long time dedicated Linux user (Mint at home and openSuse at work), Chrome has become my browser of choice. On rare occasions i fire up Firefox, but Chrome wins the speed test on Linux easily these days. plus, since Adobe dropped support for Air on Linux, I use Chromedeck in the place of Tweetdeck.


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## mikefour77 (Jan 24, 2011)

I use chrome at home, and am forced to use IE8 at work. My wife uses FF mostly because it is familiar.

I can see the speed difference between chrome and FF on my machine, and chrome seems to be much faster. As a plus, there are great google extensions / apps for their services.


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## Number Six (Aug 7, 2011)

Camino. Never warmed up to the look of Safari, and Firefox has some strange quirks.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

As long as I can install AdBlock, Lastpass, and Xmarks, I'm happy. I'm constantly switching between Firefox, Chrome, and IE when testing out web pages as well as troubleshooting. Firefox's rapid release schedule with what used to be decimal point releases is annoying me, and I end up having multiple versions of Firefox installed.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

Results from the poll are interesting.


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## Karen (Oct 4, 2007)

I would like to switch my vote from IE to Chrome! <g> I finally found ways to get most of what I want with extensions and it's now my default browser.


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## Dude111 (Aug 6, 2010)

Steve said:


> The real eye opener for me in that chart is that there are more users still using IE6 than there are IE9 users!


No surprise at all.....

IE6 is better IN EVERY WAY!!!!!!! (Much prettier,colourful,etc)

I use IE6 (Well i use the IE6 engine mostly,I USE MyIE2 FOR MY GENERAL SURFING MOST OF THE TIME (IE add on))


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