Which browser do you use and why?

[Gabriel]

Question is in the title.

[Commerce Brian]

I have IE6 and Firebird 0.7.
 
IE6 is a little unstable but is more forgiving of websites, and the Google toolbar.
 
Firebird is fine enough but I simply find myself not using it. Maybe one day, hm?

[becki]

I use Mozilla because I had an ex who insisted on using it and installing it on pc. I could never get my head around linux though so I just use windows xp like all the other sheep. baa!

[Gabriel]

Mozilla is the best browser by far. You had a boyfriend who definitely had good taste. And I'm not just thinking about your browser.

[paulhiles]

I use IE6 as my default browser, for two reasons. Firstly, it loads quickly, there's no waiting around for plugins to load, etc. Secondly, I want to be able to see sites the way the majority of the browsing public sees them.
 
If I'm looking at a site seriously, either for review or exploring it in any depth, then I usually switch to Mozilla Firefox 0.9. I have the web developer extensions installed, as well as other utilities that will give me instant information about the site.

[GoldDust]

I am used to using IE - I have not really had the need to use any other browsers, only when checking if the sites work ok accross all browsers.
 
 
I will be happy to stay with IE as its well supported also.
 
What  benifits are with other browsers apart from IE that would convert me to use them ?

[Commerce Brian]

The security issues of IE sent me away from it - it is very prone to malacious scripting on websites. A lot of spyware and trojan infections can easily come via IE vulnerabilities - experienced them myself.
 
 I use Firefox almost exclusively, excepting for a little PR checking via IE. The slight extended time to load up at first is easily compensated for by the more secure and safer browsing.
 
 Oh - and I second that about checking in IE as well - I created a lovely nav in CSS via Firefox - but it somehow looked drab in IE.

[paulhiles]

There's no more need to switch to IE for simply checking PR.
You can now install Googlebar from Mozilla, it's been around for a while, but they've been busy ironing out a few bugs. You can download it from here: http://googlebar.mozdev.org/releases.html

[Commerce Brian]

Actually, I'd rather not be providing Google with free marketing demographics via the toolbar. It is, essentially, a form of spyware.
 
 I'm just picky like that.

[paulhiles]

Actually, I'd rather not be providing Google with free marketing demographics via the toolbar. It is, essentially, a form of spyware.

It's well known that the googlebar provides data back to Google, however I would disagree with you that it's spyware. They clearly state their intentions when you install the tool, so strictly speaking you're allowing them to monitor its usage when you agree to their T & C's

[Commerce Brian]

Indeed - I'm being a little provocative.
 
 But the toolbar actually provides so little information. The fact that Google has create a arbritary value to all websites, and then suggested the Toolbar as a way to find that value, has to be one of the most effective and brilliant internet strategies for collecting marketing date.

[paulhiles]

it certainly is a good tactic.. and probably explains why there was such a demand for an equivalent tool for Firefox to match the existing Google toolbar in IE. I know there are many people who are reluctant to instal the toolbar for all sorts of reasons... mostly privacy concerns.
 One way of avoiding using the Google toolbar altogether is to use this online PR checker at SEO Town http://tools.seotown.com/pagerank/

[Commerce Brian]

Now that's a cunning tool.

[sweet_mayhem]

i use mozilla firefox simply because it's more convenient to open tabs at the top of the window plus i find it more efficient than internet explorer--which people use here at home.  also, i won't discover stumbleupon without mozilla.