[Note: I am a staunch Windows user. I am aware that Mac/Linux users may have very different experiences with browsers]
For the past few years I've used Firefox, because it has always been the most customizable and stable browser for me. However, lately, I find that the 32-bit 3gb process limit is insufficient, as I tend to leave my browser open for days, and the process size of Firefox grows and grows, even if you close out tabs. (Other browsers are not like this- Chrome, for example, keeps each tab/window in a separate process which reduces the memory footprint if you close a window). Firefox has a 64 bit version in development, but it is not currently stable. As such, I've needed to try out other browsers which either have 64 bit versions available or keep windows in separate processes to prevent memory usage from growing over time.
I've always wanted to like Chrome, but it is severely lacking when compared to Firefox in terms of customizability and has several annoying tendencies, namely:
- the inability to open downloads directly (by saving to a hidden temp directory) rather than forcing you to download them to a specific location - I don't want to have to save every PDF or torrent I open, for example
- the inability to require that links clicked in other applications (e.g. mIRC, Outlook) open in new windows rather than new tabs - I generally dislike tabs and tend to only use them when browsing intra-site (i.e. for multiple threads on smogon).
- the inability to warn you before closing new tabs
Sure, there might be some extensions to fix these annoyances, but Firefox is generally superior when it comes to customizing a browser to the liking of the user.
IE has actually gotten better over the years, but it's still a lunky piece of uncustomizable crap.
Opera I heard is what all the alt kids use, but I have no experience with it.
So what web browser do you use and why? Feel free to post your gripes, annoyances, etc., with each one.
For the past few years I've used Firefox, because it has always been the most customizable and stable browser for me. However, lately, I find that the 32-bit 3gb process limit is insufficient, as I tend to leave my browser open for days, and the process size of Firefox grows and grows, even if you close out tabs. (Other browsers are not like this- Chrome, for example, keeps each tab/window in a separate process which reduces the memory footprint if you close a window). Firefox has a 64 bit version in development, but it is not currently stable. As such, I've needed to try out other browsers which either have 64 bit versions available or keep windows in separate processes to prevent memory usage from growing over time.
I've always wanted to like Chrome, but it is severely lacking when compared to Firefox in terms of customizability and has several annoying tendencies, namely:
- the inability to open downloads directly (by saving to a hidden temp directory) rather than forcing you to download them to a specific location - I don't want to have to save every PDF or torrent I open, for example
- the inability to require that links clicked in other applications (e.g. mIRC, Outlook) open in new windows rather than new tabs - I generally dislike tabs and tend to only use them when browsing intra-site (i.e. for multiple threads on smogon).
- the inability to warn you before closing new tabs
Sure, there might be some extensions to fix these annoyances, but Firefox is generally superior when it comes to customizing a browser to the liking of the user.
IE has actually gotten better over the years, but it's still a lunky piece of uncustomizable crap.
Opera I heard is what all the alt kids use, but I have no experience with it.
So what web browser do you use and why? Feel free to post your gripes, annoyances, etc., with each one.
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