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My home system somehow "ate" MS Internet Explorer 5.
I've decided since I have to install something from scratch, I might as well at least consider using a different browser. Can people tell me what they like and don't like about:
NetScape Mozilla Opera
Others?
I'm running Windows 98, by the way, if that makes a difference.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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Your system still has internet explorer, probably, by the way. You can open it by going to Start -> Run . . . , then typing "iexplore" and clicking ok. It should open up.
Netscape is just an old version of Mozilla with features removed. Opera is nice, but I'm a big fan of both Free and free; plus, Moz has access to a whole range of technology Opera is missing, XUL. Which essentially makes it very, very easy to extend Mozilla (and its derivatives, such as Firebird); there are already many very cool applications using XUL.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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Bob, do yourself a favor and get off Windows 98. But, given your system speed, you might want to look at Firebird or Opera.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Firebird is pretty nice. I still prefer Safari, but you might have trouble getting that to run under Win98.
Posts: 1810 | Registered: Jan 1999
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I managed via a backdoor from Norton AntiVirus Subscription services to use a one-instance only of IE 5.0 to get to the Mozilla site. I downloaded firebird and am now happily back online!!!
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Unstable, bug ridden, doesn't support a lot of the latest software well, supports even less of the latest hardware well, doesn't interact well with digital media devices (this is a subcategory of hardware, really), isn't as easily customized, is a lot harder to configure properly for different networks and such.
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There are problems with upgrading operating systems, though:
1) Having to hunt for drivers that you aren't sure will work until after you've installed the new system.
2) The surprise ending when you discover that even though your system meets the minimum specs for that O/S, there's a giant drop in performance because all you do is meet the minimum specs.
3) It is often cheaper to replace the machine entirely than to buy everything needed to upgrade to a new O/S.
Let's face it, computers are disposable. They come with a setup and when that is obsolete, so is the computer, for the most part.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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Actually, Bob, I just upgraded my old machine, and have a computer left over. I'll sell you the old one for $300+shipping.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Tom, that's very generous. But really, to use the machine on which you typed most of your nearly 14,000 Hatrack posts is an honor I simply do not deserve. I'd be afraid to touch it, you know. It has earned icon status, if you really think about it.
Actually, I've been thinking about a new system for awhile now, so I'll just go do that. I'd like to find out what all this stuff people are raving over is all about. I mean, color monitors?!!! Wow, what'll they think of next, color TV???
I just realized Windows 98 is at least 6 years old. That computer doesn't owe me anything, really.
I added some memory and a bigger hard drive, but I can probably just turn that into a slave drive on my NEW system, no?
I think I'd better back up my stuff tonight, though. The machine is flakey. And not in a good pie-crust kind of way either.
When I'm done with this one, maybe I'll turn it into a Linux machine. I tried that with an older machine once, but there was definitely a lack of drivers for my old junk. Maybe I can do something with the newer junk.?
Anyway, Mozilla Firebird seems to work okay. I think IE was somewhat "faster" if that makes sense.
Posts: 22497 | Registered: Sep 2000
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IE was faster to load, yes, but because it cheats. IE is already loaded into memory, so when you click on it there's really no loading to be done.
You can do similar things for Moz, but its a bit of a hack.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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Actually, most Windows upgrades are fairly painless on the hardware front these days. You may not get the most recent drivers, but you'll get drivers that work.
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Bob, if you're looking for a new computer, this is a deal you may want to look into, in short, it's a p4 2.4 w/ 256mb ram and a 15" flat screen starting at $349. Satyagraha
Posts: 1986 | Registered: Apr 2001
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Being that you already have it, I don't really need to recommend it, but mozilla firebird is a great browser, although on my old, slow, "computer", it took awhile to start up, on my new one it loads just as fast as IE...before I loaded it with extensions.
Posts: 331 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Bob, just for the record....I just installed a new operating system on my PowerBook, and it couldn't have gone more slowly. I didn't have to do a *thing* except change CDs in and out and push the restart button when it told me to.
Upgrading Windows 95 to Windows 98 on an older laptop was *nightmarish,* however, and don't even get me started about the time we tried to upgrade my friend's computer from Windows ME to Windows XP.
Granted, XP is a big improvement in general....but if you're getting a new computer...*coughbuyamaccough*
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But, given your system speed, you might want to look at Firebird or Opera.
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