Browsers

[Dave2002]

I think this is for people who actually care about speed to within so many seconds, and all the technical data.

I would suggest that non-techies like me just resent spending days trying to get something working which suddenly doesn't work and I don't understand why :-). I've tried Chrome and I just don't like it (don't ask). And Opera, which, ho hum, yes all right. But otherwise I have a functioning 32-bit browser that seems relatively trouble-free. I hardly ever use the PC anyway and keep forgetting hoKw Windows works. So I shan't bother to make comparisons with Waterfox or Cyberfox. Firefox functions as usual on the Mac.

The odd thing from the review is that Firefox still came out on top for speed, even though Waterfox was reportedly designed for speed. I agree about functioning systems. On my Mac Firefox now has that irritating tabs problem, which I've not really been able to fix. It arose after I connected to Vodafone using a MiFi modem device. It has remained even when no longer attached to the MiFi. At first I thought it might be due to a clash of IP numbers - with the IPs on my home LAN, but the problem stays even when not on the home LAN, and also when the MiFi unit is powered off, or has its battery taken out.

I might well try Waterfox which I think has a Mac version, simply to see if it gets rid of that problem. If it's faster that'd be great, and if slower - well it would depend how much. Reliable and predictable functionality is often more important than speed.

[johnb]

FF,

Although you have decided to change to Pale Moon I am still curious about the problems you had with Firefox and why uninstalling and re-installing Firefox made no difference.

With the problem you originally had, I would have wanted to completely uninstall Firefox so I could do a totally clean re-install. However, it appears that Firefox's uninstall procedure leaves various files and folders on the computer, including the user data and user settings! That might have been why the uninstall/re-install made no difference. Details of how to completely remove Firefox are given here.

However, a much, much simpler method of dealing with errant Firefox behaviour (without completely uninstalling/re-installing it) is to return the software to its default settings (and/or to delete the preferences file). How to do this is explained here.

Useful to know.

[french frank]

Very useful. Thanks. One of the problems was that there was no Firefox button to access any settings. I use the PC so seldom I couldn't remember whether it was somewhere different from on the Mac version (where I can see 'Firefox', click on it, find About and Preferences &c &c).