firefox

I have a smooth running, fast, reliable W98SE, P11 300 MHz machine. I use
it for email and fairly extensive browsing, digital snapshot editing, etc.
I am a general believer in the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach.
However, I have read a lot about Firefox and an intrigued. I'm currently
running IE6 SP1 with all the updates/patches/fixes installed. I keep my
machine free of virii/spyware/malware with the standard array of protective
stuff.

My question is:

Can I download and use Firefox without screwing up my IE6 operation. Can I
operate both IE6 and Firefox in a dual either/or setup and keep them
completely independent of each other or will downloading Firefox take over
my associations with IE6. Although I have never tried to run any browser
besides IE, I have had some bad experiences with trying to have WMP and
Quick Time on the same machine. Also had a bad experience with Real Player
usurping WMP associations.

I would really like to try Firefox but don't want to screw up a reliable
machine.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

"bobster" wrote in
:

I have a smooth running, fast, reliable W98SE, P11 300 MHz machine. I
use it for email and fairly extensive browsing, digital snapshot
editing, etc. I am a general believer in the "If it ain't broke,
don't fix it" approach. However, I have read a lot about Firefox and
an intrigued. I'm currently running IE6 SP1 with all the
updates/patches/fixes installed. I keep my machine free of
virii/spyware/malware with the standard array of protective stuff.

My question is:

Can I download and use Firefox without screwing up my IE6 operation.
Can I operate both IE6 and Firefox in a dual either/or setup and keep
them completely independent of each other or will downloading Firefox
take over my associations with IE6. Although I have never tried to
run any browser besides IE, I have had some bad experiences with
trying to have WMP and Quick Time on the same machine. Also had a bad
experience with Real Player usurping WMP associations.

I would really like to try Firefox but don't want to screw up a
reliable machine.

Like IE, Firefox will pop up the window asking if you want to make it the
default browser. You can click NO and check "Don't ask me again". Then IE
will maintain its associations. Otherwise the browsers are totally
seperate entities and have no effect on each other.
I prefer Firefox myself, so it is set as default. But in the rare cases
where it won't work on something, I have no problem running IE.

--
--- A Freudian slip is when you say one thing but mean your mother. ---

In ,
bobster had this to say:

My question is:

Can I download and use Firefox without screwing up my IE6 operation.
Can I operate both IE6 and Firefox in a dual either/or setup and keep
them completely independent of each other or will downloading Firefox
take over my associations with IE6.

Yes. Yes you can. If you'd like (they have a plug-in but I think it's
bloated) you can even incorporate a new context menu so that you can
right-click in IE and open it in Firefox. If you click on a blank spot
you'll open that page but if you click on a link you will open the link
you'd clicked on. It's pretty simple really. If you're interested in such a
thing I have it zipped somewhere and can upload it. (I was bored at the time
and didn't know about the plug-in so that's it's history.)

To be honest I don't really like Firefox and don't even have it installed on
this computer. I did have it installed at that time however. I found it
bloated and that it didn't nearly hold up to the whole "fast" idea. If you
want fast (and pure unadulterated safety in browsing) try OffByOne if you'd
like. It's not mine but I've used it a number of times and it's installed
here. The newer version seemed a bit buggy so I'm using the old one still.
It's light, has the option to disable everything but text, and doesn't mind
if you use IE at all. In fact it doesn't even ask if you want it to be the
default browser if I recall. Of course you won't have any features unless
you opt to and even then they're quite limited but that's a good thing at
times.

Galen
--

"My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me
the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am
in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial
stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for
mental exaltation." -- Sherlock Holmes

Thanks for the inputs. I'm trying to get up my courage to try Firefox.


"bobster" wrote in message
...
I have a smooth running, fast, reliable W98SE, P11 300 MHz machine. I use
it for email and fairly extensive browsing, digital snapshot editing, etc.
I am a general believer in the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
approach.
However, I have read a lot about Firefox and an intrigued. I'm currently
running IE6 SP1 with all the updates/patches/fixes installed. I keep my
machine free of virii/spyware/malware with the standard array of
protective
stuff.

My question is:

Can I download and use Firefox without screwing up my IE6 operation. Can
I
operate both IE6 and Firefox in a dual either/or setup and keep them
completely independent of each other or will downloading Firefox take over
my associations with IE6. Although I have never tried to run any browser
besides IE, I have had some bad experiences with trying to have WMP and
Quick Time on the same machine. Also had a bad experience with Real
Player
usurping WMP associations.

I would really like to try Firefox but don't want to screw up a reliable
machine.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

No problems here on two machines, bobster. Just don't set it to be the default
browser if you want to continue having IE as default. There are a lot of
"extensions" you can install to add functions and context menu items...just look in
the bookmarks for Firefox that come with the installation to find the download
locations. They are in fact *not* bloated....most are just a few dozen kilobytes to
download.
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

"bobster" wrote in message
...
I have a smooth running, fast, reliable W98SE, P11 300 MHz machine. I use
it for email and fairly extensive browsing, digital snapshot editing, etc.
I am a general believer in the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach.
However, I have read a lot about Firefox and an intrigued. I'm currently
running IE6 SP1 with all the updates/patches/fixes installed. I keep my
machine free of virii/spyware/malware with the standard array of protective
stuff.

My question is:

Can I download and use Firefox without screwing up my IE6 operation. Can I
operate both IE6 and Firefox in a dual either/or setup and keep them
completely independent of each other or will downloading Firefox take over
my associations with IE6. Although I have never tried to run any browser
besides IE, I have had some bad experiences with trying to have WMP and
Quick Time on the same machine. Also had a bad experience with Real Player
usurping WMP associations.

I would really like to try Firefox but don't want to screw up a reliable
machine.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

No worries, bobster. Firefox works great for me. If you want to make sure
everythings okay then back-up your current information before installing the
browser but I highly doubt you will have a problem and if you are like me
once you try it then you will feel Internet Explorer is very limited.
Firefox, gives you no Active X concerns, 256 bit encryption or better as
compared to a maximum of 128 bit encryption for IE, tabbed browsing, more
information on properties, etc. I am sure you will enjoy. You can try it
and post back about your experience for the benefit of all. Now I wonder if
IE 7 will add these features and more to the browser and if Microsoft decides
to make it available for 98, 98SE and ME in order to compete with Mozillas
Firefox.

"bobster" wrote in message
...
: Thanks for the inputs. I'm trying to get up my courage to try Firefox.
:
:
: "bobster" wrote in message
: ...
: I have a smooth running, fast, reliable W98SE, P11 300 MHz machine. I
use
: it for email and fairly extensive browsing, digital snapshot editing,
etc.
: I am a general believer in the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
: approach.
: However, I have read a lot about Firefox and an intrigued. I'm currently
: running IE6 SP1 with all the updates/patches/fixes installed. I keep my
: machine free of virii/spyware/malware with the standard array of
: protective
: stuff.
:
: My question is:
:
: Can I download and use Firefox without screwing up my IE6 operation. Can
: I
: operate both IE6 and Firefox in a dual either/or setup and keep them
: completely independent of each other or will downloading Firefox take
over
: my associations with IE6. Although I have never tried to run any browser
: besides IE, I have had some bad experiences with trying to have WMP and
: Quick Time on the same machine. Also had a bad experience with Real
: Player
: usurping WMP associations.
:
: I would really like to try Firefox but don't want to screw up a reliable
: machine.
:
: Any thoughts will be appreciated.
:
:
:
:

"bobster" wrote in
:

I have a smooth running, fast, reliable W98SE, P11 300 MHz machine. I
use it for email and fairly extensive browsing, digital snapshot
editing, etc. I am a general believer in the "If it ain't broke, don't
fix it" approach. However, I have read a lot about Firefox and an
intrigued. I'm currently running IE6 SP1 with all the
updates/patches/fixes installed. I keep my machine free of
virii/spyware/malware with the standard array of protective stuff.

My question is:

Can I download and use Firefox without screwing up my IE6 operation.
Can I operate both IE6 and Firefox in a dual either/or setup and keep
them completely independent of each other or will downloading Firefox
take over my associations with IE6. Although I have never tried to run
any browser besides IE, I have had some bad experiences with trying to
have WMP and Quick Time on the same machine. Also had a bad experience
with Real Player usurping WMP associations.

I would really like to try Firefox but don't want to screw up a reliable
machine.

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

There shouldn't be any problems aside from the two browsers both asking to
be the default. I tried Firefox but much prefer Avant
www.avantbrowser.com. It has many of the features of Firefox but uses
the IE rendering engine. It has tabbed browsing, pop-up blocker, ad
blocker, flash blocker, support for RSS feeds and is highly configurable
and just over 1MB in size! Worth a look if you are looking to upgrade your
browser.

Bob

I have downloaded Firefox and so far,as several of you have said, it has not
impacted my IE6 capability. I can switch between the two and they seem to
be completely independent. So far, no negatives.

That being said, it is quite different than IE6 and looks like it will take
awhile to get it customized and learn all of its
capabilities/idiosyncrasies. My first reaction is that it is very "busy".
I'm also surprised at how "Googleized" it is. I'm an avid user of Google
but don't know if I like the idea of it having such a dominant role in my
browsing.

Guess I'll play around with Firefox for a few weeks, then decide if I want
to make it my default browser. My initial reaction is that I may want to
keep both of them and use the one that is most appropriate for the
particular task at hand. The nice thing is that either is just one click
away.

Thanks for the suggestions and help from all who responded.


"Dan" wrote in message
...
No worries, bobster. Firefox works great for me. If you want to make
sure
everythings okay then back-up your current information before installing
the
browser but I highly doubt you will have a problem and if you are like me
once you try it then you will feel Internet Explorer is very limited.
Firefox, gives you no Active X concerns, 256 bit encryption or better as
compared to a maximum of 128 bit encryption for IE, tabbed browsing, more
information on properties, etc. I am sure you will enjoy. You can try it
and post back about your experience for the benefit of all. Now I wonder
if
IE 7 will add these features and more to the browser and if Microsoft
decides
to make it available for 98, 98SE and ME in order to compete with Mozillas
Firefox.

"bobster" wrote in message
...
: Thanks for the inputs. I'm trying to get up my courage to try Firefox.
:
:
: "bobster" wrote in message
: ...
: I have a smooth running, fast, reliable W98SE, P11 300 MHz machine. I
use
: it for email and fairly extensive browsing, digital snapshot editing,
etc.
: I am a general believer in the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"
: approach.
: However, I have read a lot about Firefox and an intrigued. I'm
currently
: running IE6 SP1 with all the updates/patches/fixes installed. I keep
my
: machine free of virii/spyware/malware with the standard array of
: protective
: stuff.
:
: My question is:
:
: Can I download and use Firefox without screwing up my IE6 operation.
Can
: I
: operate both IE6 and Firefox in a dual either/or setup and keep them
: completely independent of each other or will downloading Firefox take
over
: my associations with IE6. Although I have never tried to run any
browser
: besides IE, I have had some bad experiences with trying to have WMP
and
: Quick Time on the same machine. Also had a bad experience with Real
: Player
: usurping WMP associations.
:
: I would really like to try Firefox but don't want to screw up a
reliable
: machine.
:
: Any thoughts will be appreciated.
:
:
:
:

"bobster" wrote:


That being said, it is quite different than IE6 and looks like it will take
awhile to get it customized and learn all of its
capabilities/idiosyncrasies. My first reaction is that it is very "busy".
I'm also surprised at how "Googleized" it is. I'm an avid user of Google
but don't know if I like the idea of it having such a dominant role in my
browsing.

I don't know what you mean by that. In the upper right-hand corner is
a quick-search box. That's a dropdown, and allows you quick access to
a number of search engines, including Google. Drop the box down and
select "Add engines..." to find out how to add others. Oh yeah, the
default start page is at Google, but of course you can set the start
page to anything you want.

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(DTS)

Thanks, Tim. I'm about 2 hours into Firefox and am on a steep learning
curve. Re -set the start page to my taste and am now setting up what is
called "links" in IE6. Haven't quite figured out all the aspects of tabbed
browsing but I can see the potential. Having lotsa fun and no problems so
far.

================================================== =========
"Tim Slattery" wrote in message
...
"bobster" wrote:


That being said, it is quite different than IE6 and looks like it will
take
awhile to get it customized and learn all of its
capabilities/idiosyncrasies. My first reaction is that it is very
"busy".
I'm also surprised at how "Googleized" it is. I'm an avid user of Google
but don't know if I like the idea of it having such a dominant role in my
browsing.

I don't know what you mean by that. In the upper right-hand corner is
a quick-search box. That's a dropdown, and allows you quick access to
a number of search engines, including Google. Drop the box down and
select "Add engines..." to find out how to add others. Oh yeah, the
default start page is at Google, but of course you can set the start
page to anything you want.

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(DTS)