FireFox Is Worthy Alternative

While alternative browsers such as Konqueror, Mozilla and Opera have existed for some time, none have offered a compelling reason to abandon Internet Explorer. But now there is a new browser on the block. It's name is FireFox, and it was built from the ashes of Mozilla's FireBird project.

So why would a solution provider want to give up on IE? The answer can be summed up in three words: pop-ups, spyware and security. It is no secret that IE has suffered from security problems, which has created both headaches and unnecessary work for solution providers.

While Microsoft feverishly releases patches and updates, there still is a problem: Someone has to apply those fixes, and it needs to be done in a timely manner. What's more, those fixes seem to arrive days or weeks after an exploit is discovered, leaving unpatched users open to compromises. Arguably, the simplest solution is just to give up on IE.

FireFox offers enhanced features and the underlying technology and design have the capacity to completely redefine the Web-browsing experience. FireFox employs security enhancements such as a pop-up blocker, the ability to block malicious code execution and many other features centered on security and privacy. But the tipping point will be its usability. This is where FireFox excels.

First off, the browser window offers a tabbed interface, which allows users to keep multiple Web pages open concurrently, each living under its own tab. That's a big improvement over the multiple-window approach employed by IE. Other usability enhancements include the ability to search from the toolbar and bookmark management. Live bookmarks allow users to access RSS news feeds and blog headlines using XML. Each live bookmark reads XML information from a Web site and automatically creates links to the top stories, courtesy of RSS-feed technology.

There is a chink in FireFox's armor, though: It does not fully support ActiveX controls. That means users may have to stick with IE to access sites using ActiveX. Key features such as Outlook Web Access and Remote Web Workplace may not work with FireFox.

Even with that limitation, FireFox will prove itself worthwhile. The product includes tools to import all of IE's (and other browsers') settings, favorites and cookies, making the switch a snap. The simple solution will be to use both--IE for technologies that require it--with IE's security settings set to the max, and FireFox for everything else.

What's your perception of FireFox? Let me know at (516) 562-7455 or via e-mail at [email protected].