Firefox & Thunderbird

[ianm00]

Hi

I just just bought a new Dell laptop computer. In the past I have used the standard internet explorer and Outlook for web access / emails.

My new computer has firefox on it and I found its companion thunderbird for email.

Does anybody use these applications are they better the IE/Outlook?

Thank

Ian

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

Firefox is excellent, much better than IE (Opera is better still) but I've tried Thunderbird a few times and although I really want to like it - I never get on with it and find that Outlook Express is just better.

 

[DavidHale]

A few issues here . I've been running Firefox for a year or so and have found primarily a huge reduction in pop-ups and other irritating sh!te. It is also supposed to be more resistant to viruses, but that may be because the vast majority of users use IE, thus presenting a much better 'target' to the hackers. No complaints from me though, both at home and at work where we have swithced over entirely.

In a similar vein we are also toying with the idea of switching to Linux instead of Windows - any opinions?

 

[ianm00]

A few issues here . I've been running Firefox for a year or so and have found primarily a huge reduction in pop-ups and other irritating sh!te. It is also supposed to be more resistant to viruses, but that may be because the vast majority of users use IE, thus presenting a much better 'target' to the hackers. No complaints from me though, both at home and at work where we have swithced over entirely.

In a similar vein we are also toying with the idea of switching to Linux instead of Windows - any opinions?

David,

At work I use Linux redhat enterprise edition. Linux itself is fine but I have many problems when trying to open documents etc created on windows. Prime examples are MS Office using Open-office some docments dont display correctly. However I think that our system is not setup correctly especially font availability. Also our system is controlled by the IT dept so I dont have permissions to make many changes.

Now at home using a new PC Im trying to decide which browser but also which email client. Im not a fan of outlook as it blocks some attachments such as .exe files which I may want.

Thanks for opinions

Ian

 

[Kropotkin]

In a similar vein we are also toying with the idea of switching to Linux instead of Windows - any opinions?

It depends. I run Linux almost solely at home (except for Mapsource, where I really need to investigate VMWare, so I don't have to dual boot any more). You can do almost anything on Linux that you can on Windows, the biggest difference being computer games. Although a lot more games will run on Linux nowadays, if you're a big gamer, you may want to either dual boot or stick with Windows.

But for all the usual applications, Linux is just fine. I use Firefox for the Web, KMail for e-mail, OpenOffice for documents and spreadsheets, the Gimp for photo processing, and Eclipse for Java programming. I use KDE as my desktop, which is familiar and comfortable for any Windows user. The biggest problem is if you rely on a particular piece of Microsoft software. Microsoft will not be porting anything to Linux any time soon.

Potential problems include drivers for very rare hardware, and WiFi support is only just maturing.

I'd suggest getting hold of SuSE 10, or the latest Mandriva release, clearing some space on your hard disk, and installing Linux as a dual boot, so you can play around with it and get a feel for it. Start off with KDE as your desktop, as it's the quickest to get a feel for, and install Firefox, OpenOffice, and MPlayer and GXine as media players.

It helps if you are an experienced computer user, and now a bit about what you are doing, but it's pretty user-friendly nowadays, and no longer for hardcore geeks only. A good place to start, and to find general information, is The Linux Documentation Project.

 

[Kropotkin]

At work I use Linux redhat enterprise edition. Linux itself is fine but I have many problems when trying to open documents etc created on windows. Prime examples are MS Office using Open-office some docments dont display correctly. However I think that our system is not setup correctly especially font availability. Also our system is controlled by the IT dept so I dont have permissions to make many changes.

Fonts can be a problem on Linux, but if you already have a copy of Windows, you can import the Windows fonts. There should be a font manager somewhere on the system, but you probably need root permission to use it, which ordinary users don't have. This splitting of permissions is one of Linux' strengths, as you can't trash your entire system just by clicking on an attachment in e-mail, the worst thing that could happen is that you trash your home directory, containing all your own documents and software. But this is very unlikely.

The new version (2.0) of OpenOffice does a much better job than the old version, but it is a real memory hog, so you want lots of RAM.

 

[Cheesy Mike]

Going back to the original question, I have been using Firefox and Thunderbird since the day they first split out from Mozilla (i.e. were no longer a single monolithic application). I love them both.

I especially love the way you can get extensions for both. Checkout adblock, stumble, forecastfox and the google toolbar for Firefox. I wouldn't be without any of them.

Mike

 

[guitarman]

I've used Mozilla and Firefox for some time now. I do have occasional problems with Firefox abending for no apparent reason. Videos sometimes don't play and the BBC "listen again" feature doesn't always work with Firefox. Updating Smugmug still has to be done via IE as drag and drop is not supported for Firefox. Having said all that I still wouldn't go back to IE as my main browser.

For an email client try Eudora www.eudora.com. I've used this ever since I got my first PC and I think it's excellent and it's not Microsoft

Cheers

Dick

 

[Iain Hogg]

Dick, for SmugMug updates, try this.

It works with a right click on a folder in explorer and logs directly into SmugMug and does all the business directly!

Great tool,

Iain

 

[Gas'd Off]

THE best bit about Firefox is the "open link in new tab". No more 15 IE windows open at the same time

 

[unshift]

browsers all have there own personalities, the current version of internet explorer is old very old, firefox definately the best at the moment - Opera is small and fast but it impersonates internet explorer (by default) which can cause problems on some websites - i use all the browsers mentioned depending on what i am doing, and running a beta version of internet explorer 7 which is good.

i would recommend use firefox and keep internet explorer for those websites that are specifically require it (and keep firefox up to date !!! - it has vulnerabilities many folk think just because its firefox its secure.).

modern mail clients all pretty much the same depending what you are use to.

regarding the switch to linux i would avoid unless you have lots of spare time and then i would ignore linux and choose BSD (netbsd, freebsd etc)

 

[Kropotkin]

I've used Mozilla and Firefox for some time now. I do have occasional problems with Firefox abending for no apparent reason. Videos sometimes don't play and the BBC "listen again" feature doesn't always work with Firefox. Updating Smugmug still has to be done via IE as drag and drop is not supported for Firefox. Having said all that I still wouldn't go back to IE as my main browser.

The drag and drop doesn't work, Dick, but the Java uploader works perfectly. Use that one instead.

For an email client try Eudora www.eudora.com. I've used this ever since I got my first PC and I think it's excellent and it's not Microsoft

Another vote for Eudora. I used Eudora until I made the full switch to Linux several years ago, and my wife uses Eudora, and prefers it. Much, much safer than Outlook.

 

[Kropotkin]

regarding the switch to linux i would avoid unless you have lots of spare time and then i would ignore linux and choose BSD (netbsd, freebsd etc)

Linux has come a long way, and you now only need a few spare moments, as opposed to a complete lack of a social life, which was required 5 years ago. I agree that BSD is, in theory, a better OS, but would contend that BSD really does require the abandonment of all interpersonal contact for the long term...

 

[Deleted account W]

Tried Firefox but prefer Maxthon

Anyone else use it?

 

[shugie]

....... BSD really does require the abandonment of all interpersonal contact for the long term...

Something it has in common with sprogs then.

 

[cookie]

Im not a fan of outlook as it blocks some attachments such as .exe files which I may want.

there's a little prog i downloaded which allows you to change that rather nannyish feature. can't remember the name, but i can look it out if anyone's interested. i use it myself.

edit: it's called OutlookSecurity_Addin.EXE

ps. Opera rules

 

[guitarman]

Tried Firefox but prefer Maxthon

Anyone else use it?

Tried Maxthon preferred Firefox

 

[guitarman]

Dick, for SmugMug updates, try this.

It works with a right click on a folder in explorer and logs directly into SmugMug and does all the business directly!

Great tool,

Iain

Thanks Iain, I'll give it a go next time I upload.

The drag and drop doesn't work, Dick, but the Java uploader works perfectly. Use that one instead.

I'll try that too!

Cheers

Dick