Why does IE get so much dislike?

[chris1neji]

Or is it just my friends, one of them which considers Google their god.

Personally I started using Firefox since version 3 i believe.
It was great it work fine on XP. I didn't know about computers and IE would always crash for some unknown reason.

Anyways so i been using FF ever since then.
However recently in the last 5 months i have slowly started using IE. Mainly because of how Firefox just has problems starting up and says it's still running. I open up task manager look for Firefox and have to close it, then try opening Firefox again. Recently Thunderbird is doing this to me too!!
Over time i found myself using less and less tabs on Firefox, today right now i found myself using IE alone Firefox is close. Google Chrome well i have it but only to test web pages load correctly.

I also like Bing especially on Mobile Smart phone. I don't need a weather app or Movies Playing app. It's there obvious and easy to get to.

Bing bar on IE also makes it easy and quick to look at weather, latest headlines, and facebook.

Anyone have any thoughs on this ?

 

[profdlp]

IE6 got a reputation as a lousy and very insecure browser. IE has been getting steadily better since then, but a lot of people still have a bad opinion of it based on the way it was years back.

A good comparison might be Norton Utilities. They were the gold standard ten to fifteen years ago, then turned into a lousy bloated suite which prevented viruses mainly by tying up so many of your computer's resources that the virus couldn't find any free RAM in which to execute. (A mild exaggeration.) Nowadays, Norton is getting good reviews again but a lot of people still think of them as being crummy. Reputations are easily damaged.

 

[MrNeeds]

there's a saying going around for our IE users,

"does it open up HTML5? it's not IE".

 

[mickey megabyte]

ie9 is probably a very good browser.

personally i don't use it because i think it's ugly as sin! the address bar is too short and squat, the tabs are too industrial and 'brutal', while that back button makes me feel ill. if i don't like how a program looks, then i don't enjoy using it so much, and as my browser is probably my most used program these days, then i want to feel comfortable running it.

it's great that we've got a few browsers to choose from, and can take our pick.

 

[seavixen32]

I think it's just a matter of personal choice.

I use IE9 and get on well with it. I don't bother with tabbed browing as I have my most-used websites in my Favorites folder.

I don't know about Google being a God (I'm sure the Almighty would have something to say about that ). I just find Google so intrusive and although I use it as a search engine, that's all I use it for.

I've tried Chrome and Firefox and wasn't over-impressed with either, but I agree with Mickey - just try each of the many good browsers available, and then stick to the one you like the best.

 

[sreedhav]

ie9 is probably a very good browser.

personally i don't use it because i think it's ugly as sin! the address bar is too short and squat, the tabs are too industrial and 'brutal', while that back button makes me feel ill. if i don't like how a program looks, then i don't enjoy using it so much, and as my browser is probably my most used program these days, then i want to feel comfortable running it.

it's great that we've got a few browsers to choose from, and can take our pick.

I love mickey's irreverent and loving way of cursing off IE9! I will try and add a few technical points. That really makes micky megabyte's post such good reading and mine not so!
I am very sure Big Bill is slipping up! He's pushing us to 64-bit OS, yet the latest offering(IE9) of his is yet to be a fully integrated 64-bit one!

Playing the "honest broker", i gave a fair trial to the native browser! Man, it was a freezing cold experience! Then i found out that "waterfox" existed and going into the details ,it was a fully integrated 64-bit browser, miles ahead of Opera!

Once you get going with WATERFOX, you won't look back. A flawless performance! Is Redmond listening? The less said about FF, the better!

Regards,
sree

 

[mickey megabyte]

thanks sree,

irreverent is my middle name!

 

[bru]

IE had its largest market share drop in years in the last reported survey. I think they are at about 52%. So while they may have gotten better and are competitive against others, more people are choosing the alternatives.

Except for a short dalliance with FF a few years ago I have used IE since I've been online. But I think I may be switching soon as I can't seem to solve a script error issue. To what I am not sure. I had thought it was going to be Google Chrome but now I will consider Waterfox.

 

[pincushion]

I use IE9 for much of my browsing and tend to prefer it over Firefox which I also use quite a bit. IE9 has the option to hide the Favorites bar and so tends to give more space. Also having the Favorites on the right is fine now after using IE8 for many years. Like previous poster I do get some script errors - not that many - but the only way to sort them is to terminate IE which is annoying.

:huh:

 

[MWRed]

I use it occasionally. Not a lot, but I don't have anything against it. Personal preference,really.

 

[sjc1138]

Because Google Chrome exists.

 

[Wishmaster]

The best thing to do, honestly, is give IE a serious try and use it for awhile and not rely so much on others opinion of it. Then make your own decision.
im not saying that those who dislike it are wrong by any means, just that opinions vary.
In and of itself, theres nothing wrong with IE. Its a very good browser. It really just comes down to what you prefer.



I found that after I started getting used to it, it quickly became my favored browser, and still is. I still use FF on occasion, but 99% of the time its IE.



I do agree that past reputation may have a lasting impact on it overall.
Also, layout and how a browser looks is a part of it.


So not everyone is going to like it. But, but you never know untill you give it a serious look. Otherwise, you may be passing up a browser thats perfect match for your needs.

 

[chris1neji]

Well its good to hear some opinions from you guys .
You guys are probably right the bad reputation is from a long time ago and its still lingering

 

[seavixen32]

You're very welcome.

To satisfy yourself, just give it a try.

If you don't like it, you can always uninstall it - you'll find it in the list of installed updates under Programs in your Control Panel.

 

[carwiz]

I've nearly always used IE. Tried FF years ago and didn't like it. (It kept crashing.) I've resisted IE9 after a quick look but after using the new Ribbon format in Word, Excel and Windows 8, I may give IE9 another hard look. Windows 8 comes with IE10 that I now think is better than IE8. I've never had IE8 crash but have had some tabs go belly up--Probably from bad scrips or my hosts file doing it's job blocking hostiles. Everything I normally view works without special effort and without a pile of add-ons.

 

[Andreas W]

Only reason I don't use IE is because of the tabs in IE, and what I know of there is no plugin for IE called "no script" and "ad block plus" that I use on firefox. I know there is 1 ad block thingie on IE but it don't work as I like it on IE, but speed wise to load pages I find firefox and IE being about equal.

 

[M1GU31]

i only use ie when firefox is bugging up lol but my parents love ie idk why !! my dad says it's easier for him to use then FF and is less complicated for him and he likes how the bookmarks are saved

 

[DavidE]

My primary browser is Waterfox/Firefox depending on OS.
I use them for the addons available, especially the "NoSquint" addon.

This addon allows setting Text Zoom AND Full Zoom per SITE.
I haven't seen this capability in any other browser/addon.

My primary is an HTPC, so most often someone is browsing with the screen 10 ft away.
I've also found NoSquint quite helpful for visually impaired people i help.

For me FF is very stable, can't remember the last time it crashed.
I don't have all the issues i read about, but it may be because of websites i visit/don't visit...

IE is my 2nd choice.

I think all browsers have their pro's and con's...
It's just personal preference and spending the time trying each browser.

 

[sjc1138]

Chrome has no cons. It's fast, easy to use, looks awesome, has the best popup and advert blocker in the world (Adblock) and is supported on many different platforms.

 

[profdlp]

...I think all browsers have their pro's and con's...
It's just personal preference and spending the time trying each browser.

So true.

Years ago all my friends were bugging me to try Firefox. I'd install it, mess around for half an hour, then head right back to IE. On about the fourth or fifth try I decided that I would never find out if I liked it or not unless I gave it a longer trial. I decided to swear off IE for an entire week and stick solely to Firefox, then decide between the two. After four or five days I ended up liking Firefox so much I never went back.