What Browser Do You Use and Why?

Published by Toronto Mike on October 20, 2009 @ 09:00 in Technology

questionmark Judging from the comments and email I've received in response to my declaration that I actually like thestar.com's redesign, it seems a bunch of you have issues loading the site in Internet Explorer.

Below are visitors to this site over the past 30 days, broken out by web browser. As you'll see, about half of you are using Internet Explorer. That's less than the global average, but I suspect there's a correlation between those who use Firefox, Safari and Chrome and those who frequent blogs.

I have three web browsers installed on the laptop I'm writing this entry on. IE, Google Chrome and Firefox. I find Chrome to be super fast, but my go-to browser remains Firefox because I rely so heavily on the add-ons. I only use IE, and I use it via a Firefox add-on, when I absolutely have to.

What web browser do you use and why?

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17 comments

17 Responses to "What Browser Do You Use and Why?"

Mike from Lowville
October 20, 2009 / 09:14

IE, Chrome and Firefox. Some sites work better with specific Browsers. Some are exclusive and will only work with a specific Browser(s).

Steve
October 20, 2009 / 10:25

I mostly use IE because I'm blind, and the support built into the screen reading software I use makes it easier and more efficient to use it than it is to use other browsers. firefox is making big gains in that department and I'm starting to use it more, but I think it would be a long time before I make the switch completely just because I'm so used to IE being the go to program, more often than not working when I need it to work.

Pete McPhedran
October 20, 2009 / 11:03

I use firefox exclusively, I have effectively banned IE at work with the only exception being Windows updates that *require* it and then we use the oldest useable (patched) version of IE for updates to mitigate potential unfound flaws.

Firefox is fast, stable, more secure than IE and generally is able to interpret most sites, even really poorly built ones or ones that use non-standard html.

Security is pretty much why I don't want IE used at work. I have seen too many times when a fully patched version of IE can cause a machine to become infected with a virus. This from "reputable" sites that have been hacked, so it's not like it's from warez sites, or random browsing.

I found Chrome slow actually, maybe time to revisit.

--Pete

The_Voice
October 20, 2009 / 11:16

IE home page is for the one page that requires IE for me, and is the only time I use it.

Firefox is my default web browser.

Chrome is used in the "App" mode for Google apps like gmail, reader, calendar, and wave.

Fredericton Steve
October 20, 2009 / 12:12

Pete, I also found Chrome to be slow upon first install and have avoided it since.

Horonymous
October 20, 2009 / 12:39

Safari on my Mac

Firefox on my PC

Never liked IE, used Netscape and then an early adopter of Firefox due to the tabs. I like their add ons.

Paul
October 20, 2009 / 12:46

Chrome, mostly for speed and for the ability to see which page hogs the cpu and the network. Firefox when chrome not available or unstable.

VegasGeoff
October 20, 2009 / 14:23

I use Chrome, due to it's speed. It's blazingly fast compared to IE. I've tried Firefox in the past, but something about it bothered me.

Someone is still using Netscape?

Oliver
October 20, 2009 / 14:30

Firefox, for the same reason as TorontoMike - addons are king.

I want to like Google Chrome, I really do - but the lack of addons isn't helping.

The_Voice
October 20, 2009 / 14:52

Hey Mike, what's the OS distribution like?

Toronto Mike
October 20, 2009 / 15:38

Here's the OS distribution:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2477/4030003722_588f1cb8dd_o.png

Windows dominates with 82.60%. Macintosh is #2 with 14.42%.

elvis
October 20, 2009 / 16:30

I love Chrome and use it at home...IE at work and when doing work from home.

Brian
October 20, 2009 / 17:11

There's nothing on the Star's new site that would cause it to load any more slowly than in any other browser. There's no Flash, and it's all simple HTML/CSS stuff for the most part. The only reason why someone may feel like it's loading slow for them in IE is because... IE is slow.

It's like complaining that the road you're on is slow, when you're driving around in a K-Car.

Trish
October 20, 2009 / 18:24

IE is no longer made for Macs. I use an iMac at work and at home, and I use both Safari and Firefox, and really have no preference. I usually have them both open, and use Firefox specifically to process Purolator pick-up requests online. Safari has a problem with that...

Race_Coach
October 20, 2009 / 20:12

I switched from IE to Firefox in March because Yahoo Finance had display issues in IE (since corrected). I started to look around and discovered Google Finance as a Firefox add on. I haven't looked back. However, recently I've had a lot of Firefox crashes and may consider switching again.

Ryan
October 20, 2009 / 21:13

Google Chrome all the way for me.... almost purely based on speed for those Sundays when i need to go from one football game to another in no time flat!!!

I also like Firefox and have both installed. I have to have IE but i never use it. However there are still tools i need for my fantasy sports life that only load on IE. They won't load on any other browser and a message is displayed saying it requires IE.

In this world, i don't get it!!! Why would that be? Does anyone know???

Roshan
October 22, 2009 / 13:20

Firefox and at times Opera. Perhaps I may be using it a whole lot more once I get a Blackberry next month. I only use IE at the office and that's because, it's the only browser there.

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