Whats so wrong with Explorer? (7.0)

[Joenutt]

i have been using explorer for years, and recently updated to version 7.0, and everone else in my family uses firefox. they all say its better, but i dont see whats so good about it, i have tried using it, and i just dont like it as much as explorer. they all say firefox defends you computer better, but when i was using it, i didnt notice any difference in viruses from when i used explorer. infact i didnt have any with either of them. i think it all depends on your virus software (i use McAfee).
so id like to know what everyone thinks about explorer vs. firefox.

[Leif]

Security issues aside, for me it is down to themes and extensions.

Themes? Why have vanilla when you can have raspberry ripple or chocolate nut sundae?

Extensions? Why have the plat du jour, when not only can you go

[JoeP517]

I don't believe for a minute that FF is more secure the IE7. IE (all releases) has so many more users it is a more attractive target. However, as the usage of FF has grown so have the reported security vulnerabilities - no big surprise. You can find many 'discussions' around the Internet about fixing problems in the various browsers if you care to search a bit. If you take reasonable precautions in your surfing you should be just fine. If you like IE stick with it.

Joe

[dmartin]

I know "security by obscurity" is the worst kind of security to have (other than none at all), but nonetheless the mere fact that one is using something other than IE does add a small element of security in the sense that there are many more worms and trojans that depend on the victim using IE to work than there are that depend on the victim using Firefox to work. Similarly with Outlook Express vs. Thunderbird. Yes, there are a great many threats out there that do not depend on what browser or mailer you use, hence the need for firewalls, antivirus, and antispam software.

As well, de gustibus non est disputandum (can't remember how to spell the french phrase, so I used the latin one <img src=/S/grin.gif border=0 alt=grin width=15 height=15> ). There's no arguing taste. Once I started using Firefox and Thunderbird I grew to like them better than IE and OE.

Finally, and a very minor point, when presented with two equal choices with no better way to choose between them, I'll happily take the non-Microsoft route just to do my little bit to fight Microsoft's attempts to take over everything remotely related to computers.