I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

You do NOT have to use Internet Explorer as your web browser.

I know, I know. It’s what came with your computer and it’s already in your littler start menu.

But, it’s a PIECE OF F#@%ING CRAP!!!

Every time we are in hardcore development of a new web site at work, I hear the screams. All over the office. Because, of course – since 95% of the world uses Windows and 95% of Windows uses Internet Explorer… we must make sure our web sites run perfectly in that confounded browser – along with Firefox, Safari and Netscape. Well, those other guys are easy because they actually follow a little something called: PROGRAMMING STANDARDS.

We’ll be moving along, building a web site piece by piece. And since we all use Firefox (because it is a much faster, more secure and more stable browser), we’ll check the site there first. Perfect. It looks good, everything lines up, no weird gaps in the graphics, all the fonts look like they are supposed to.

Then you switch over to IE and BLAM! The thing is all jacked up to hell. I wanted to show you screen caps of what I was talking about but I thought better of it because we do research projects and I could compromise the integrity of the data by having the site out there too early. Doh! But you are going to have to trust me on this one.

I know when the guys are testing in IE simply by the fists slamming on the keyboards and the very loud, very frequent cursing. And when I was trying to get the “My Playlist” thing to work, IE caused my head to feel like it was going to explode into a billion different pieces. I still had to do crappy programming hacks to get it to work – and I hate that.

And then there is just the whole “it looks like garbage” thing. Many of you probably don’t really understand or care just how yucky the screen you are starting at right now actually looks (especially you poor souls not using Macs! How do you stand it? I seriously cringe every single time I look at a PC monitor, but that’s another story for another day)…

But the real issue is giving the finger to that big behemoth Microsoft, who thinks it’s OK to put bloated applications out there that everyone else just has to live with.

So, here’s the link. Go try out Firefox. Let me know what you think.

This article has 10 comments

  1. Diane C.

    We’ve been using Firefox for quite a while now and love it!!

  2. joansy

    Ok – you’ve convinced me to give it another try. I can’t remember why I gave up on firefox last time — something about not getting some plug in or other to work, maybe — but it’s worth another shot. And I’m seriously thinking about a Mac as my next computer. I need windows for a couple of programs that I must use, but I’m told that I can run windows on a Mac now – is that right? Any chance I could get then to make me a laptop without that damn track pad? I hate those.
    — you IBM pointy stick junkie friend

  3. joansy

    And where is your American Idol post? I’m watching now (a rare occasion) and I want to compare notes. I’m not liking the Chris Sligh so much tonight. Wasn’t he better before?

  4. aimee / greeblemonkey

    It’s coming, it’s coming! And you do know you can attach a mouse to a laptop, right??? 😉 And yes, with the Intel chip you can run both. I can help you with the details if you want them!

  5. Anonymous

    OK, I am gonna try it!

  6. Anonymous

    Down with Microsoft!

  7. Meghann

    I have been using Mozilla since it came out practically. I am totally addicted to the tab thing. I heart it. And I always feel so dirty any time I have to use IE.

  8. acethehappywife (aimee e)

    I hate my IE so I am downloading Firefox right now. Especially since last time they told me I was installing an “update”, they acutally installed some new version which has totally f^%&ed u up my laptop. I am going to give it a try. THANKS for the tip.

  9. g-man

    I use safari on my g-5 iMac at work. But I also have a PC next to my mac that I use to test some things (web stuff and applets). I can totally relate on the cross browser cursing! There are just some things that I cant do at the corporate level (server) because it is just not Mac friendly, so I have my PC. I’m pretty much Bi that way, I use whichever is best for the situation. And for the software I have, like I only have photoshop for the PC.

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