Browser wars!

[TetraSky]

I'm sad to see so few Opera users out there. Firefox and Chrome's publicity campaigns were just too strong against the non-existent one from Opera I guess... (A while ago Firefox ads were practically EVERYWHERE, and now it's Chrome that's bundled with pretty much everything under the sun)

 

Opera has been my primary browser for years now, used it since way back when it was still ad supported. (Opera 7? like in 2003~2004)

I have many reasons why I use Opera over other browsers like Chrome and Firefox, but my main reason is the Mouse Gestures, I just can't browse the web without them anymore. The other browsers have extensions that can somewhat replicate it, but the experience is subpar at best compared to what Opera does with it. For example, with Chrome, the gestures simply don't work if you are not on an actual webpage, meaning if you are on the Applications, Most visited, Webstore, config, etc.. , it just flat out doesn't work. So if I open a new tab by mistake, I can't close that new tab because it opens the "most viewed" tab. Similar things happened in Firefox. (possible that it can be changed, but that's an extra hassle and doesn't fix the fact that the gestures don't work when I need them) Also the fact that it closes the browser if you close your last website tab is ridiculous, chrome and IE both do that, not sure about firefox as I don't have it installed right now... at least with Opera it send me back to the Speed Dial, where I can choose the next website I want to open.

 

Reason 2 is the built-in email client, I don't need to install an extra piece of software just to receive/send emails from my gmail, outlook and hotmail accounts, it's all in one place.

 

Reason 3 is the built-in IRC client. I don't know about you guys, but I still use that from time to time and it work just like any other IRC client, I can download and share files too with it.

 

Reason 4 is Opera Turbo, admittedly, I don't use it much now, but when I had internet speed problems a few months ago, being able to load pages a little faster by having them compressed first was just great.

 

Reason 5 is the Note taking. I'm not sure if other browsers got that too, couldn't find it in Chrome anyway, maybe an extension could do it, but with Opera you can take "notes" directly from within the browser, so if you want to save something for later, instead of opening notepad and copy/pasting in the stuff, you can just select what you want and "copy to note", very useful.

 

Reason 6 is all the above in a single package, no need for extensions, it's all there. Even a built-in adblock that pretty much render the extension one useless, has been there long before extensions were finally introduced to Opera, you just need to know that you must download a compiled list(urlfiler.ini), like the one from "fanboy adblock" and put it in your Opera roaming folder.

 

Now I'm sure there's more stuff that I'm just forgetting right now, but those are the main reasons why I prefer Opera.

 

And I am aware that there are some compatibility issues with some websites, mostly governmental stuff for me but I did run into a few websites where some functionality didn't work too well, but those are rare from my own experience over many years.

Once in a while I will get that annoying message on a select few websites "your browser is unsupported bla bla bla we don't know how to code properly, press OK to continue at your own risk", only to find out the website is running perfectly fine anyway. (though some websites flat out stop you from continuing, forcing you to use another browser. I tend to never visit those websites again. I'm all for forcing people still using IE6 to upgrade, but don't just make a whitelist of selected browsers while snobbing everything else.)

 

The most recent issue I've had though, is probably with the new MEGA website, the latest version of Opera just flat out refuse to even load the website yet the previous version works fine.

Which is why I also have Chrome installed, for these rare cases when something just doesn't work. (Not to mention Mega annoys you to use Chrome too, more free publicity for Chrome)

[GamerDude]

I have three rigs, two in 64bit IE, my 2nd rig had been having 'IE stopped working' issue for a while.....it got to the point that I'd see that error message whenever I try going on the net. I gave up and installed FF on it and I've had no issue whatsoever since then...

[felixbearpig]

IE till i die !!!

[Night]

I use Chrome because of when Youtube was having issues playing videos. HTML5 for youtube was my work around. I dont think I have flash player installed on my computer at all anymore.

[Mac]

Chrome on PC, Safari on Mac.

[Samdb]

I have Chrome on everything.

[OneGun]

Chrome cause i have Android products..

[SSOB]

Chrome ,i love the intergration on my tablet ( and phone )

Otherwise i would be probably using firefox but the integration is just so sexyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[Minjon]

I use mainly Chrome these days but i used to use for a long time Opera, both are pretty good in my opinion.

[Skanic]

I went from opera to chrome to firefox back to opera then again chrome, and didnt really like both of them so i stayed with firefox. I am also using it on my galaxy nexus, pretty smooth browser.

[XiaoPigs]

Chrome because it just looks cleaner and simpler in many ways + it always seems more responsive for me compared to let's say Firefox or IE.

 

Plus that syncing across any computer I log in with my account with makes life a lot easier

[Blade of Grass]

I use Google Chrome because it's syncs everything over my three devices. It also looks great.

But, I use Firefox when I know I'm going to be reading a lot because Firefox has better text rendition (clearer, sharper looking).

[DavePC]

Chrome, and sometimes Firefox if my plugins conflict.

[Minjon]

Chrome but i'm considering a switch if that allows me to fix youtube experience, youtube never change automaticly to HD or if it does it bugs and shows HD but play's in SD.

or either loads forever on 100 mbps connection so tired of it, i don't even use adblock on youtube.

Same issue ......

[911^NEmeSis]

Just firefox forever here. I just stuck with it for ages when it was the best. I haven't really been bothered to change though I've heard Chrome runes faster.

[neon]

I use both Firefox and Chrome in equal measure, Chrome I use for sites I stay signed into (gmail, FB, twitter) and a few other sites which I want to just work and trust (news/weather, iPlayer, Feedly, LTT ect.), then I use Firefox for all other general browsing and I have extensions for security and privacy, such as ABP, No-Script, Ghostery, ect.  Having two browsers makes it so much easier to segregate the internet, like I don't want FB tracking me when I look up other stuff or when I'm online shopping.

[Nexus]

I use chrome now just for the way it integrates with the google experience. Although in saying this i used to always use opera and i still recommend it to anyone who isn't owned by google in the way i am.

[Nozbit]

Used Firefox for years and years until about 12 months ago when one page I was trying to use had compatibility issues. Switched to Chrome and have never looked back.

[Minjon]

Using https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/magic-actions-for-youtube/abjcfabbhafbcdfjoecdgepllmpfceif

Should configure tough, it comes with add block and other anoying features.

Im using https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/youtube-options/bdokagampppgbnjfdlkfpphniapiiifn?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon .

But i don't even have java installed so that isn't an issue.

[Toby]

Firefox. Not only am I averse to the over-popular, but I'm not a big fan of Google as of late. They're defying their own "don't be evil" rules. Tax avoidance, ruining Youtube, trying far too hard to track what I do and making it far too hard to avoid being tracked. Also, add-ons don't tend to work as well in Chrome.

 

 

 Also the fact that it closes the browser if you close your last website tab is ridiculous, chrome and IE both do that, not sure about firefox as I don't have it installed right now... at least with Opera it send me back to the Speed Dial, where I can choose the next website I want to open.

 

This is the default behaviour in Firefox, but it can be changed. I hate it when closing the last tab closes the browser.