My Dad and Browsers

[Monica]

For over a year now I've been hearing about how bad IE is and that Opera and Firefox are tons better. So I tried them both. FF was too much like IE for my tastes and I hated the download thing for some reason. I dunno why but I don't feel very comfortable with a "build-your-own-browser" type thing. I can do it, but all extra plugins in general make me uneasy like it wasn't built right or something.

So then I tried Opera and it was heaven! I have never had a more wonderful browsing experiance then when I used Opera. The Wand and "Continue from Last Time" are fantastic, and so is being able to reopen an accendentally closed window. And absolutely NOTHING ON EARTH can get past Opera's popup blocker (seriously, if anyone knows a popup that got through, let me know what it was)

My dad hates the idea of us using any other browser except IE. He thinks that the other browsers won't pay too much attention to security and the more features it has the more vulnerable it is. (I know, I know, don't say anything...) The thing is, he's very very good with Windows and computer stuff in general except when it comes to browsers...

Anyway he let me use Opera for about half a year (each of us has our own XP account and everyone else was still using IE) and then one day, Twaintech infiltrated the system, and he had to reset the whole thing. Guess what he blamed? Yep. Even though I tried to tell him that the evil files were in the IEcache, he said they came in through Opera so I had to uninstall it.

I've shown him every news article I could find and they didn't work. Now that FF has gained some attention and even gained a spot on the news, I'm hearing even more and more that switching is best. After it was on, I asked him if I could try Firefox since it was on the news (Even though I hate it I thought maybe someday if he got used to it he would let me have my Opera back) and he said no. He said "Remember what happened last time you used a different browser?"

So now I feel like everything is progressing, and I'm being left behind. :( The thing is, he technically gave me this computer when I bought XP out of my own money since ME was nearly dead. It's also the family comp. He has his own newer comp 8 feet away and it is always giving him problems even after he deleted everyone else's account but his and makes anyone else who uses it use a guest account (it has a CD burner and this one doesn't)

Usually he's very nice, just in the area of browsing, he's a little slow, heh. I know he's trying to do what he believes is best for the computer. (we use Norton, AVG, Registry Machanic, and various spyware killers including Adaware, Spybot and Spyware Blaster and a few he paid for)

I just needed to vent my frustration that I'm literally stuck on IE. Do any of your parents get really strict in certain computing areas?

[*b*]

nope. my dad trusts me with everything I install on this comp (it's his), and unless I download a virus, or change some system settings, he dosen't get on my case. he uses IE, though. with is pretty ironic, because he's always talking about how other browsers are better

[Pablo]

It took me a year to get my dad to figure out how to access a site that is ON HIS FAVORITES LIST in IE.He doesn't know enough to bitch about me using different browsers. And my mom uses Opera :)

[automatic]

time to save up for your own computer.

[Masamune]

In my experience, family comps are nothing but trouble. There are 3 kinds of people on a family comp.

The old frightened geezer - These people are afraid to change anything on their comp. They are afraid of the warranty sticker on the back of their new overpriced Dell. If anything screws up, it is not their fault because they read the whole user's manual.

The casual user - They are usually aware of newer better software and tricks to help things run smoother. Most know what they're doing.

Stupid little kid - Keep them the fuck off your comp. These are the people who think going into system 32 and deleting anything you can will make the computer faster.

See, the users conflict with eachother. The geezer halts progress, the casual user gets frusterated, and the stupid little kid gets on around 2 or 3 in the morning to spread peanut better in the CD drive and delete your shit. When the geezer gets on to discover their shit doesn't turn on, they will blame the casual user while the stupid little kid sits in the corner sniffing the shit in his belly button.

That is why I have my own computer. It runs like clockwork, and when my parents fuck their comps up, they can't blame me.

[AlexMax]

Get an IE skin for Firefox, and give Fireforx the IE icon and title.

[Monica]

How can I give it the icon? O_o

[Masamune]

Right click your Firefox shortcut and hit properties. In the shortcut tab, click change icon. Browse to C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE and click the internet explorer icon. Hit OK, apply, etc...

[Sylvan_Wizard]

FF was too much like IE for my tastes and I hated the download thing for some reason.There are extensions to customize it, and once you do, it's not like IE at all. There is an extension to improve the download manager as well.

I dunno why but I don't feel very comfortable with a "build-your-own-browser" type thing. I can do it, but all extra plugins in general make me uneasy like it wasn't built right or something.It was built right. It was designed to be minimal. Just what you need for browsing. That way you don't have to download a huge file and just add only the functionality you want.

So then I tried Opera and it was heaven! I have never had a more wonderful browsing experiance then when I used Opera. The Wand and "Continue from Last Time" are fantastic, and so is being able to reopen an accendentally closed window.You can do these with Firefox as well.

And absolutely NOTHING ON EARTH can get past Opera's popup blocker (seriously, if anyone knows a popup that got through, let me know what it was)Same with Firefox.

My dad hates the idea of us using any other browser except IE. He thinks that the other browsers won't pay too much attention to security and the more features it has the more vulnerable it is.Usually that would be the case, but in this case it's backwards. Show him Firefox's track record compared to IE. Before service pack 2, IE had not had a new feature in years. It had many security patches, nothing more. Firefox on the other hand, has many features, is much more stable, and more secure. They also fix security holes much faster than MS does.

[vegeta1215]

Sorry hear about your troubles in convincing your dad to let you use something other than IE. If nothing works, I'd say stick it out and use IE until something goes wrong again (it's bound to happen), then you can put the blame on IE.

[gdorf]

originally posted by monica: FF was too much like IE for my tastes and I hated the download thing for some reason.

originally posted by Sylvan_Wizard: There are extensions to customize it, and once you do, it's not like IE at all. There is an extension to improve the download manager as well.

posted by Monica in original post: I dunno why but I don't feel very comfortable with a "build-your-own-browser" type thing. I can do it, but all extra plugins in general make me uneasy like it wasn't built right or something.

Just thought I'd point that out Sylvan. You seem to have a "no browser is better than firefox for any person" mentality going on, and that's bullshit. Firefox is good and its my browser of choice, but I certainly understand why some people prefer opera or IE.

That said, I sympathize with you Monica. There are times when my parents put the foot down for reasons I can't even begin to understand. But thats life, you gotta just whittle away at them until they give. I've heard alot about avant browser, a plugin for IE that gives it many of the features that opera and firefox enjoy; maybe your dad would allow you to use it?

http://www.avantbrowser.com/

If you want a personal testimonial talk to Atma, I believe he uses Avant.