what is the best,safest browser?

Question

what is the best, safest browser to use with spyware doctor+avg antivirus+zonealarm firewall......at the moment am using firefox but ie7 and opera 9 are also out there.....how do they relate especially with speed?

Answer 1

This is a very good question.

Firefox is a good browser but is not the great fix for browsing they claim it is. They do a lot of lying about their product to get people to use it so they can compete with IE. You can read the truth about Firefox here. By the way, many to the people you see on forums like this, pushing Firefox, are paid to do it.

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

Opera 9 is a fast and secure browser. The only problem is that average users do not have the knowledge or skill to set it up to function properly. Also many programs and site do not support the Opera browsers. I like to read 3 newspapers daily and none of them support Opera. I also use three other sites that do not support it. That a shame because, for what I could do with it, I reall liked it.

IE 7 in the current Beta version functions pretty well. There are still some problems, but that is what Beta if for, find the problems and fix them before final release. IE 7 is scheduled for Final Release in the 4th Quarter of this year (Oct. - Dec). There are some sites and programs that still do not support IE 7, but there is a workaround that makes those programs think it is IE 6. In the old days some beta programs would damage the programs of some sites that supported it and that is why some still will not support beta's.

I recommend you download the browsers and try them out. IE 7 and Opera 9 can easily be removed if you don't like them. When IE 7 is removed IE 6 come back automatically since it is built into Windows XP.

Here is the Workaround for sites that don't support IE 7. Click on the "Internet Explorer 6" link.

http://www.fiddlertool.com/useragent.aspx

Answer 2

I like Firefox. It is at least the same as Internet Explorer as far as security goes, and the interface is much better (I love tabs, they make life so much easier). I would stay away from IE 7 for now, because it's still in development. Opera seems very nice, but I am not willing to pay for it at the moment (especially when Firefox is so good). Generally speaking, you're safest using the fully developed modern browser that the fewest number of people use. At the moment that appears to be either Firefox or Opera. The browser that comes with Mac OS X is probably safe too, but that's for OS X and not Windows. Firefox is not foolproof, but I think you're safer with it than with Internet Explorer because it is not what the majority of people use. Hackers usually try to exploit the most popular system out there, because it will affect the most people. Anyway, good luck!

Oh, yeah . . . one other thing: Firefox is a program developed largely by volunteers. I really doubt that any individual gets paid to endorse Firefox.

Answer 3

Anonymous is incorrect about one thing. Opera is now available for free.
http://www.opera.com/

Oddball is correct, Opera is extremely fast, but like FF does not render all pages as you would wish.

BTW, IE-6 can be made much safer, by doing 4 simple things:

1. Keep it updated and patched, every month with Windows updates.

2. Increase IEs Internet Zone security settings higher then there default level. These settings work well:
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/restricted.htm
Scroll down to...Setting the Internet Zone for Additional Security.

3. Use Spywareblaster:
It will:
Prevent the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, browser hijackers, dialers, and other potentially unwanted software.

Block spyware/tracking cookies in Internet Explorer and Mozilla/Firefox.

Restrict the actions of potentially unwanted sites in Internet Explorer

Free from:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

4. Use IE-SPYAD
It will adds a long list of sites (currently over 22000) and domains associated with known advertisers, marketers, and crapware pushers to the Restricted sites zone of Internet Explorer. Once you merge this list of sites and domains into the Registry, the web sites for these companies will not be able to use cookies, ActiveX controls, Java applets, or scripting to compromise your privacy or your PC while you surf the Net. Nor will they be able to use your browser to push unwanted pop-ups, cookies, or auto-installing programs on your PC.
Free from:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm

Personally, I use both a "security-hardened" IE-6 and Opera. There is no harm in having 2 browsers on your computer.

Answer 4

Ive used IE Opera, and Firefox, and by far Firefox is the best.

If you load a phishing email for bank details it tells you.

You can get some relly great extras, and themes, and is very stable.

It is a fraction slower than opera, but you hardly notice if you have broadband.

Answer 5

the safest browser in my opinion is mozzila firefox(http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/),as it dosent suffer from bugs like internet explorer does,however alot of security packages are based round internet explorer,so stick with the security software you are using but why not use spyware blaster(http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html),this is a anti-spyware program with a firefox extension,so as to block bad sites in firefox
with reference to speed ,firefox is about the same as internet explorer,but thats just me,it all really depends on your connection speed
opera is just a total waste of time....end of
good luck

Answer 6

Simple answer, speed wise its Opera, plus its got low memory usage, just look at the file file size yourself, its got so many features, yet its got the smallest file size.

Having all those features doesn't mean they're running all the time and taking up RAM... Pretty simple!

Answer 7

Firefox, hands down. Download it here:

http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/

Answer 8

the one you are using Firefox Mizolla is the best one. so I suggest you carry on with that one.

Answer 9

firefox, it's safe, fast, and you can do tabbed browsing, get it at http://mozilla.com/firefox.