zenterix

there is a lot of download control in Firefox: 1 default downloading manager works better that default in IE. (should admit that Opera has best default download manager). 2 with some extentions you can control: a) saving directory opening file directly from web. 3 you can add any download manager

well do you like opening new IE window? going trough menu? look at both browsers as the same browser's two windows. in fact I use 99% of the time Firefox for more than a year, and there was only few specific occations when i needed to open the same window in IE.

ok, first: don't expect miracles after couple days using something new. Still even I admit that there is slight learning curve to use Mozila Firefox, I don't think it is very big. but the most strongest parts you will see after some time. Internet Explorer yap, without google toolbar and messenger disabling it is almost impossible to use IE. Still, I should admit, that google toolbar don't block 100 % of popups ( I think this fact is mentioned on google website or during instalation). well might be 98% of the time popups are blocked. still not 100% as with Firefox. hackers... they could target any application, browser and whatsoever. but I think that possibility is much more higher that they will target microsoft products much more than any other (even it will be more bugs in other software). --------------- Firefox is not secure. I don't think that there will be any software 100% secure. I have Bigfix program, which tells me when windows updates are available. In fact I am bored to constantly update windows- first- it eats my hard drive space , second some programs after updates either don't work as they should or behave weird. at the same time there was not much Firefox updates because of security reasons. and every time Firefox is updated, it works perfectly. in fact you can get nightly builds if you wish. security settings: some are builted into Firefox by default, some you can get with extentions, or with third party software, which works with any browser. what is builted into firefox by default: adblocking, all browsing history cleaning in one convenient place: Tools/options/privacy what you can get with extentions? adblocking. you can clean webpage/s from annoying content- flash banners/ banners, pictures, and so on and so on. this tool is perfect. even most trashed webpages can be cleaned in seconds. third party software. I have winpatrol (cookie cleaning), spyware guard, spyware blaster, firewall, spybot search&destroy, antivirus with resident guard and feel quite safe with any browser. ----------- exporting settings. I wonder what settings you can export with Internet Explorer??? probably none. The fact is that any other browser can IMPORT IE settings. Firefox has no FAVORITES. it has BOOKMARKS! all bookmarks conveniently are stored in one file. you can easily import to other browsers. you can use bookmark converter if you are unlucky to figer out how to do it. about opening firefox window- couldn't understand what you mean. Might be when you open additional window - it will be default window? for me it is not an issue, i think there is an extention to change that- at least in tabbed browsing mode. I dxidn't noticed any language code uto detection problem in firefox. even i use it more than a year. ---------------- search problems there are a few ways to search- search using search field in browser (you can add search engines) , or use google toolbar (it is made by mozila team, not affilated with google). I didn't noticed anything like you mentioned... ------------------- open source problems IE is closed project. you can't do anything with IE bugs. there is much more people working on open source programs than on microsoft products. more people working independently means more ideas. more good ideas. fast reaction to bugs and so on and so on... here is some info from article about MS service pack 2. Microsoft told that they probably didn't made service pack 2 for free but they got too much user complaints. i don't know what is worth such customer service... open source programs are much more safe, just because they are open. ----------------- NOT mozila firefox/ IE /other browser bugs there is a problem with some websites. some websites are made only for some browsers. I don't understand such thing, because websites should be awilable for any browser. well might be it is because of lack of programming knowledge or something... there is Firefox extention- Ieview- you can visit any webpage in IE.