Something about firefox that I don't believe...

[Husk]

I just had my computer reformatted. And the computer guy said that firefox is badnews and is bad and stuff and that is doesn't block anything and let's everything through, Which is IE as I recall ^^. Which in my opinion in NOT TRUE!!, Now my mum thinks it's causing crashes. At least she knows how to reformat now.

Any idea on how to make her not believe this?

[alanrf]

I believe our old friend (and now infrequent visitor) Eddy said something similar recently.  It may be that Eddy is your computer guy but that is unlikely unless you live in the Netherlands. 

I am not ready to believe it.  The general wisdom is that Firefox beats IE for security but I will let our friend polonus give you the chapter and verse if he chooses to read this thread.

I know you are one of our younger contributors, I am impressed that your Mum knows how to reformat.  Well done!

By the way, you can tell your Mum that Firefox (3.0.4) is not causing crashes on any of the XP or Vista systems I support here in the US and in the UK.  You may want to take a look at the Add-ons you (and your Mum) are using to see if disabling them may reduce any crashes.       

[TedNelly]

The "computer guys" name isn't Bill is it?

[Husk]

I live in brisbane, I didn't go - That's just what my mother told me

[TheSpirit]

A computer guy knows about hardware (maybe). Very few people know about software, sometimes not even the developers that developed the thing.

Firefox is one of the best pieces of code on this planet so don't worry.

Programs only cause crashes if you run with admin rights, and nobody would surf with admin rights, right?

[YoKenny]

I just had my computer reformatted. And the computer guy said that firefox is badnews and is bad and stuff and that is doesn't block anything and let's everything through, Which is IE as I recall ^^. Which in my opinion in NOT TRUE!!, Now my mum thinks it's causing crashes. At least she knows how to reformat now.

Any idea on how to make her not believe this?

I do not like Firefox.

I much prefer IE7 with IE7Pro. 

[TheSpirit]

I do not like Firefox.

I much prefer IE7 with IE7Pro. 

That's good. Then you should spend your time on the Microsoft security forum.

[alanrf]

YoKenny,

Not liking Firefox is just a preference and ... dare I say it just that ... however often stated by you unless there are some cogent reasons - I must believe you have them - to support your dislike.

[Sesame]

Taste differs.  We have our own preferences on application we are using.  However, other people are most likely interested in what benefit them when using a certain application.  This is why I try to be more concrete about pros/cons or help the other posters be more concrete about them.

As for taste, I think the same goes to "the computer guy" but he is unlikely visiting these boards. 

[twl845]

I just had my computer reformatted. And the computer guy said that firefox is badnews and is bad and stuff and that is doesn't block anything and let's everything through, Which is IE as I recall ^^. Which in my opinion in NOT TRUE!!, Now my mum thinks it's causing crashes. At least she knows how to reformat now.

Any idea on how to make her not believe this?

Get a new computer guy. FF is the best at blocking, especially with all the extensions available like NoScript for instance. I have been using FF for a few years, and don't remember what a pop up Ad is.

[ProgrammerGuy]

Maybe a poll "Firefox vs IE" is in order... 

If security is what you want; Firefox is the way to go!  If you don't care that much about security then IE is the one for you...

[DavidR]

@ Husk
I have been using firefox from about version 1.5 or thereabouts and it hasn't made my system crash, but you do have to take care what add-ons that you use. From my recall of another topic post of yours you were about to install an add-on that was in beta and I wouldn't touch with a stick.

Now when you get this adventurous with beta add-ons there is a strong possibility of a clash, which may well bring firefox to its knees it is unlikely to crash your system.

Firefox IMHO is far more secure than IE, if for no other reason than:
a. it isn't integrated into your operating system so an exploit of IE could well mean an exploit of your OS.
b. it hasn't got BHO (browser Helper Objects) a malware developers dream.
c. it hasn't got activeX again malware loves it.

Opera also doesn't have any of these potential pitfalls, though I have never liked its interface, but that is a personal preference.

The one thing I do know is I avoid IE like the plague, another personal preference.

[polonus]

Hello Husk,

I will give you an unbiased advice. Both IE7 and shortly IE8 as well as Firefox 3 are safe and secure browsers if you care to make them safe and secure. That is when you care to learn about things that can go on inside a browser that can put you at risk. The biggest risk factor is sitting between the chair and keyboard, because he or she can do things with a browser that both put him/her and other people at risk.
There are things to make a browser more secure. For IE read this: http://www.destroyadware.com/accounts/ctdp/iesettings/ Also be cautious with installing ActiveX and Browser Helper Objects. For Both IE and ff DrWeb's av link checker extensions is enhancing your safety, because you can check links before you go there. If you use to cleanse your browser tracks and temporary files after a browser session you are even more secure, I use IE cache cleaner and ClearProg. For Firefox I have ClearProg and ATF Cleaner.
As a tester for Firefox Minefield, the latest nightly builds, and a member of the MozillaZine webforum and contributing to Bugzilla's occasionally, I have a fair grasp as what goes under the hood of the Firefox browser. Firefox is secure, but there is a safer browser still and that is Firefox with the NoScript extension. This extension blocks flash, script, etc. on pages and part of pages until you need the functionality and partially unblock the functionality you need. NoScript protected every time a new vulnerability was found for Firefox, and even for those that haven't been found up. Because with extensions like Adblock Plus and NoScript and TrackMeNot etc. the browser trackers and profilers could be quite hampered, also think of an add-on like Stealther, that formed one of the reasons for Google to launch and promote their Google Chrome browser. This was also one of the reasons web developers protested against NoScript being added to the browser code by default.
It is true that IE starts up faster, because explorer is part of the OS and parts of it already start up while the OS is starting up, Firefox 3 is much faster already as it ever was. I like to assure you that Firefox is one of the more secure browsers, IE is also secure if you do not run it as it comes out of the box, but alas that is almost with every program for the windows platform these days, and the average user is unaware of this fact. Another important thing is the browser is as secure as the things you do with it, going to unsafe sites and downloading risky things puts you at risk, just like running down a back-alley where the cameras are off,

polonus

[FreewheelinFrank]

firefox is badnews and is bad and stuff and that is doesn't block anything and let's everything through

"Badnews"? Well, that's his opinion.

"...doesn't block anything and let's everything through..." This is true, if he means it doesn't stop you from downloading malicious files. Firefox never claimed to do this. You can download a Trojan horse in IE, Firefox, Opera, Chrome or Safari, and none of them will block it. All of them will let the Trojan through.

But it's false if he means Firefox will allow drive-by downloads- i.e., will allow a hacked or malicious web site to install a Trojan on your computer without you clicking 'Yes' or 'Accept' to something. Firefox has a good record on protecting users from this sort of attack.

[Ltangelic]

I do have to say that there are some technicians out there (not all) that don't really know much about computers and pretend that they do.

I actually met with a technician that says reducing the hard disk space and RAM will prevent viruses from coming in. Anyone with a bit of common sense would know its rubbish. With little hard disk space and RAM your computer can easily be deemed unusable once a single tiny piece of virus comes in and use up all the RAM and disk space.

Firefox has been widely known as a very good alternative browser apart from IE, anyone who boldly claims that Firefox is a bad software that has no security is probably just an arrogant idiot who knows barely anything about internet security and FF.

Not trying to offend or target anyone here, just annoyed with people who thinks they know everything when they don't really know anything. I did have a bad experience with an arrogant technician, so I hope you guys can be aware that there are technicians out there to cheat your money with barely any knowledge of what they are doing.