Features and Functions.. Browsers
When I ran IE6 as my default browser, like many others I also had the Google toolbar installed but, other than the Google search box, I didn’t use any of its other features. Did I reduce the toolbar footprint and customize it down to the search box only? Nope, because, you never know when you may need the other features. I can categorically state that I NEVER needed any of its other features, and I don’t miss seeing them either.
After having installed the IE7 beta, I couldn’t remove it fast enough. However, I realized that if I was going to use Vista full time, I would have to get used to not having the cluttered and customizable IE6.
So what functions of your preferred browser do you actually use? I use Home, Print, and Favourites. I don’t need to keep going into Tools (Options) because IE7 prompted me to setup all of that stuff when I first installed it.
Here is my customized IE7, sporting the three functions that I use most of the time..
I test changes to my website in multiple browsers, so also have Firefox, Opera, Maxthon and Google Chrome installed. Other than for testing purposes, I do not use any of them..
Firefox.. I don’t mind this as I changed the look to IE7, but it takes up more real estate. Now, if I could only dump the annoying task bar at the top..
Opera.. You probably don’t know anybody who uses this one. It has features that you have to ‘right click’ to access, and most likely would never use.
Maxthon.. I had to include the Pageflakes header so that you could see the less than useful ‘sidebar’. I have it on authority that this browser is the most customizable of all, and is certainly closer to the look of IE6 than any of the others.
Google Chrome.. The most annoying thing about this browser is that Google wants to install two of its own start-up entries.. thanks, but no thanks
As you can see from the Maxthon view, I use Pageflakes for my home page. It is the best of the ‘Ajax’ start pages. I have my most used links on show in widgets called ‘Top links’. I can have as many Top Links windows as I need or want. The weather widget enables me to have tabbed weather locations in one small window. This is useful in Canada as one always needs to know what is blowing in from the west. The comics widget offers an astounding choice (I am a Dilbert fan). I also capture news from around the world, and have local, BBC, CBC, MSNBC and Al Jazeera news services.
A browser is for browsing/surfing. Why do I want to display tool bars full of stuff that I don’t use. I find it annoying that some browsers allow customization in ‘blocks’, that is to say, one can’t have this feature unless a number of other useless features appear on the same bar.
Can you see why I prefer IE7/8?
So there was an IE7 scare recently, but Microsoft fixed it the next day. Funnily enough, Firefox had more or less the same problem, but it was less publicized..