If you don’t currently have Firefox installed on your machine, you are probably at least aware of its existence. Ever since Firefox’s premiere release in late 2004, the browser wars have been on. Firefox’s latest ad slogan is “Faster, Safer, Smarter, Better.” I would have to agree with the ad, although I think the “Safer” part is most significant…but I guess the marketing folks at Firefox didn’t think “Safer, Faster, Smarter, Better” had the same ring.
The Need for Speed: Although Firefox was always pretty quick in page loading, the newest 3.5 version claims to be twice as fast as version 3, and ten times faster than version 2. (Can you say “upgrade?”) What this means is that web applications including webmail, photo sites (Picasa, Snapfish), and surfing in general will feel snappier and more responsive. Another bonus that helps the speed is the way Firefox uses less of your computer’s memory now, and old memory leak issues have been remedied.
Safety First: Firefox has always been concerned about user safety when browsing the wild, virtual world out there. Their goal has been to prevent as many users as possible from stepping onto some virtual landmine and hosing their machine by visiting an infectious site. The latest version has all kinds of self-protection features, like an Anti-Malware feature to protect you from all kinds of nasties, an Anti-Phishing tool to prevent you from visiting fraudulent sites, easy to use Pop-up Blocker , secure Automated Update, and Instant Web Site ID to be extra sure about a site’s legitimacy. In addition to the great security pieces, Privacy has never been easier with features like Clear Recent History, Private Browsing, and Forget This Site. And if that’s not enough, there are over 500 other Firefox Add-Ons to help protect yourself when surfing. My favorite is NoScript, an Add-On that prevents active content from running on a page unless you choose to allow it – this protects you from a multitude of XSS and clickjacking type attacks. (see more here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/browse/type:1/cat:12)
Smart Technology: Firefox knows we don’t all want the same browsing experience, and now touts over 6,000 ways to customize with Themes and other Fire-Fox Add-Ons. Whether you are an internet socialite, a camera bug, a coupon clipper or a news junkie, there is an Add-On just for you. (see more here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/)
Just Better: Firefox delivers a well-rounded browsing experience with a lot of weight in security features. No other browser has its track record of patching critical vulnerabilities in a timely fashion, not to mention the number of critical vulnerabilities found is substantially lower than other browsers. Security should be your number one concern, and Firefox definitely has this covered. The speed and cool ways to customize it are just a bonus. If you haven’t tried Firefox yet, what are you waiting for?
