Eeek! I've gone and downloaded Firefox…
Well I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It's not bad and if I'm honest I would probably use it if I hadn't first set eyes on Opera. The following is a 'day-one' appraisal, and to be fair I should acknowledge that I'm comparing a finished product (Opera) with a Beta release (Firefox). I may also have got some of this wrong, so please feel free to correct any errors. I'm not claiming to be an expert.
Download and start-up:
Well, first off the Firefox team have produced a browser that you really can use straight out of the box. It looks pretty familiar and includes a Home Page button right where you'd expect it (Opera, please note). It's a larger download than Opera though, which considering it's only a browser is a surprise (especially when almost everything you want it to do require additional extensions). Oh, and course you don't have to worry about paying for Firefox, or accepting ads (I know, I know… it's a different marketing model).
Score: Opera 7 Firefox 10
Configuring the basic package:
Firefox is immensely configurable, but only via extensions which you have to go and download. And these seem to be of variable quality. Opera has the upper hand here (by miles), and that's even if you decide to ignore the mail and news options that come with it. Opera's help files and instructions are sometimes a bit odd (e.g. what does it mean to 'lend' a cookie?), so it does lose a point here. Firefox is very clear, but there's just not very much you can with the basic download.
Score: Opera 9 Firefox 7
Mouse Gesture:
Built-in to Opera. Nowhere to be seen on Firefox. Having been a long-term IE user I'd never even heard of these; but in Opera they're right there in front of you in the Preferences menu. I discovered them, and fell in love! 🙂 In Firefox you need to discover the extensions game. I downloaded two different gestures packs: one worked (All in One Gestures) and one didn't (Mouse Gestures). And if I didn't know about gestures, Firefox was never gonna teach me!
Score: Opera 10 Firefox 5
Tabbed browsing:
Both provide this, but the whole interface is way superior on Opera. Firstly the choices stick. In Firefox, I keep getting new windows opening (which really is a pain). This never happens in Opera unless I deliberately make it act that way. Firefox scores well though on opening links in the background. Be nice if Opera had a choice on this. But Opera equalizes in allowing tiled tabs (great for chatting on-line and watching the football scores at the same time). There are other differences in behaviour that I've noticed, but nothing significant.
Score: Opera 9 Firefox 7
Skins:
Both provide this, but Opera has far more.
Score: Opera 10 Firefox 8
Panel:
Not one of my favourite Opera features (a 15" screen doesn't leave much room for luxuries) but all you get with Firefox is History and Bookmarks. Not good when you consider the default riches offered by Opera (including the toggle bar). Opera by a mile, even if – as no doubt you can – you can configure Firefox via umpteen extensions.
Score: Opera 8 Firefox 5
Ad-blocking:
Neither are great on this. In Firefox you have to grab an extension and then figure it out yourself from there. In Opera you need third party software or you can edit the relevant ini file. Neither solution is great, but given clear instructions both are probably ok. Uninitiated users will probably prefer downloading an extension to fiddling with ini files; but the version I did download is baffling me right now. I'm sure I'll figure it out, but it's not as easy as it shoud be. Ok, an hour later and a clearer head, I think the ad-blocker extension is great! Add two points to Firefox for this one.
Score: Opera 4 Firefox 6 (+2) = 8
Speed:
I'm using a 1.7gig machine, running on XP Home. Both browsers fire up pretty sharpish after the first launch of the day. Firefox seems marginally quicker (but we're talking fractions of a second).
Score: Opera 8 Firefox 8
Image toggle / User Mode / Zoom / Notes:
No doubt there are extensions for these sorts of things, but Opera wins hands down here. There are zillions of really useful and incredibly easy facilities that are just sitting there waiting to be used. Opera definitely changes your browsing habits and gives you real control over how you use the web. Firefox (out of the box) doesn't. You just browse.
Score: Opera 10 Firefox 3
Pop-up blocking:
Both do this. But Firefox has a significant edge in allowing more choice in what is/isn't blocked.
Score: Opera 7 Firefox 9
Wand:
Another win for Opera. Both offer password management, but the Opera 'Wand' is streets ahead. For example, I have several email accounts on the same ISP. Firefox will save the name/password, and load it in next time I visit. With the Wand feature in Opera, I don't get anything pre-loaded on arrival; I get a proper choice. So I can have umpteen user names and passwords for the same page (or server), all neatly managed by a couple of clicks. The single password/page approach of Firefox is a weakness.
Score: Opera 10 Firefox 7
General user interface:
Opera fans both love and hate the menus and advice pages. The basic problem is the use of idiosyncratic terminology and an assumption that the user knows what something then means. Firefox on the other hand uses incredibly straightforward language with lots of clear guidance. A win for Firefox (and would score better if they had control over the instructions for extensions). Both have excellent forums for on-line advice.
Score: Opera 6 Firefox 8
Access to sites:
None of the sites that mess me about with Opera seem to have any problem with Firefox. To be honest, this is a big plus for FF. It has to be.
Score: Opera 7 Firefox 10
Total Scores: Opera 105 Firefox 93 (+2)= 95
Would I recommend them to an IE user?
I'd recommend both of them, spinning my preference according to the user. Frankly, I would be wary about recommending Opera to an occasional user, or someone who simply hates having to set things up. The first time they hit a site which 'doesn't work properly', they'll give up. Firefox is much easier and less radical in its approach and so is the logical choice for a straight IE switch. Also, it's free which makes recommending it so much more obvious. On the other hand, if the user was reasonably comfortable at playing around, then I'd tell definitely to go for Opera simply because you can do so much with it. (And then I'd say grab a copy of Firefox as backup.) It really comes down to this: they are both excellent browsers. Firefox is neat and simple. But Opera will change your life!
WildEnte
11 Jun 2004"Firefox scores well though on opening links in the background. Be nice if Opera had a choice on this."
Use your middle-mouse-button to open pages in background or press ctrl+shift while left-clicking on the link.
Words
11 Jun 2004WildEnte
Thanks for that. Works well (using ctrl/shift). Am using middle click to open a new tab in focus.
Words
orinoco
11 Jun 2004…or right click on a link & gesture down then up.
non-troppo
11 Jun 2004Tab Browser Extensions (TBE) for FireFox will give you infinite scope for configuring tabbed browsing. This extension is very complex and powerful. Some excellent features are tab groups, progress bars per tab, and brilliant page dependant preferences. BUT note: TBE can slow down old machines, and often breaks (for me anyway)…
Anyway, a fair comparison I think!
I really like Firefox, my preferences are still firmly with Opera because you simply don't need to play the "find-an-extension" game (as you call it :)), and the features you have in Opera are very well integrated. My gestures integrate with my tab management, my wand entries etc much better than several extensions written by different authors ever will. But let us hope their last major issues (extension management) is sorted out soon, as "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"… 😉
Waldo
11 Jun 2004Ack! I'm required to register simply to post a comment? I never thought I'd see the day that I'd register on the Opera site (because I never expected I'd ever have a reason to do so).
>Ad-blocking:
Neither are great on this. In Firefox you have to grab an extension and then figure it out yourself from there. In Opera you need third party software or you can edit the relevant ini file. Neither solution is great, but given clear instructions both are probably ok. Uninitiated users will probably prefer downloading an extension to fiddling with ini files; but the version I did download is baffling me right now. I'm sure I'll figure it out, but it's not as easy as it shoud be. Ok, an hour later and a clearer head, I think the ad-blocker extension is great! Add two points to Firefox for this one.
>Score: Opera 4 Firefox 6 (+2) = 8
I've never used Adblock (tho I know I could block a lot more ads with it), and I find simply right-clicking and blocking images from a few particular servers (ad.doubleclick.net, s0b.bluestreak.com, etc.) will mostly do the trick. Most ads are from one of a few different servers, so I block the vast majority without going out of my way to install an extension. The (revised) score's pretty accurate in my opinion anyways.
>General user interface:
Opera fans both love and hate the menus and advice pages. The basic problem is the use of idiosyncratic terminology and an assumption that the user knows what something then means. Firefox on the other hand uses incredibly straightforward language with lots of clear guidance. A win for Firefox (and would score better if they had control over the instructions for extensions). Both have excellent forums for on-line advice.
>Score: Opera 6 Firefox 8
I hardly think it's fair decreasing Firefox's score simply because mozilla.org has no control over third-party extensions. Does Opera have control of third-party config files passed around to configure it? I'd tend to rate Firefox higher, but I'm rather biased. 8 is still decent in my opinion; I'd probably give it a point (not likely two because I'm sure there's still room for improvement).
All in all however, it seemed a good review to me. You clearly favor some of Opera's choices that Firefox has deliberately avoided. For example, mouse gestures and the panel are Opera-centric features. Mouse gestures are too radical to appeal to Firefox's target audience, so they stay an extension. I've frankly never found a real use for panels that I couldn't fulfil another way (and never seen real uses for panels anyways). I'll take your review as it is, tho, with the recognition that you aren't the typical browser user (the audience a default Firefox attempts to please – extensions as a way to achieve additional, non-mainstream functionality). Atypical browser users should mostly expect extensions will be needed for Firefox (tho I've usually managed without, partly because I stick to nightlies so much).
Jere
11 Jun 2004"Am using middle click to open a new tab in focus"
You can configure it in Preferences -> Mouse and Keyboard -> Middle click options.
Words
11 Jun 2004Just to be fair, I should report that the full version of Firefox is now out (v. 1.0).
I've installed it on my other half's machine and it runs fine. (Also have it as a spare on this box). Would I change my verdict? Probably not. While FF has improved, the extensions game on every upgrade is still a pain (and sometimes causes incompatibilities), it still insists on loading new windows in some situations, the range of skins is poor and I haven't yet figured out how to really customize the toolbars. These things are just so straightforward on Opera.
I also think the Wand (especially when controlled simply by mouse gestures) is the best thing since sliced bread. I've umpteen passwords on different sites and no longer need to type anything at all to go where I want. Click-click and in. Great.
Gravellips
3 Jun 2010Opera unfortunately still has huge problems with words overlapping on certain sites. Fox is one of them. Say what you will, but this has been an ongoing problem for years and for some weird reason, the Opera people are bound they are NOT going to fix it. If they were, it would have been overcome years ago.
Even a certain site I reported just recently, drags certain portions of the text (one called it imaging then recanted) but offered no real fix. If Opera could overcome these persistent problem, it would be hands down (or is that hands up) the best browser out there!!!
shlonga
27 Nov 2010I use both of them. But prefer Opera because it is faster.