Internet Explorer has pissed me off for the last time.

Type A post.

Now, I'm normally a Firefox user. However, once in a while I'll use Internet Explorer for, ahem, "different" sites. ;)

However, IE apparently will freeze up if it has more than about 10-15 or so tabs open. And once I close IE, explorer.exe freezes up. And that can only be fixed with a hard restart of my computer.

Now, this is the 2nd time that this has happened this week (first time a couple of days ago, second time earlier today). And personally, I really hate IE now because of it (I had like 20+ tabs open in Firefox once, and it worked just fine).

Yesterday, I was looking around some browser comparisons because that's the kind of things that Wikipedia does to me (one time I went from Genghis Kahn to Mahatma Ghandi in like nine or so articles without even realizing it). After following a couple of outside links, I discovered something interesting.

Now, sometimes I argue with one of my friends about which browser is better (he says IE, I go with the more logical Firefox). Funny thing is, we're both wrong: Opera (believe it or not) has been proven to be faster, more secure, and has more features than either IE or Firefox (spell-check, bookmarks toolbar, and customized toolbar placement are noticably missing though). AND, you don't have to worry about site compatibility issues because you can have Opera identify itself as IE or Firefox (and if you adjust which buttons to display, you can do it on the fly). Best of all, Opera is designed for crappy, slow-ass computers like mine (installation file was a mere 4.5 megs). Jubilations! ^o^

So I downloaded it. And it took me until now to do it because IE pissed me off far too many times far too often (twice this week I think).

Originally, I was planning on using Opera as an IE-replacement, while sticking to Firefox as my dominant browser. After using Opera for a few hours though (and counting! - I'm using it right now), I'm not so sure anymore.

My alt-browser has switched from IE to Opera, that much is official. HOWEVER, for the time being my main browser usage will stay in the Firefox kingdom. Give me a week or two though - considering how good of an impression Opera has made so far, I might switch to being an Opera user soon enough. Might (I miss the bookmarks toolbar - but "speed dial" is good enough for now).

And hell, I've got a DS and I hope that one day I'll get a Wii. Both have web browsers (DS's will probably come stateside eventually), both are Opera. If nothing else, my Opera usage now can help familiarize myself with my Wii Opera usage in the somewhat far future. ^o^

Okay okay, enough Opera ass-kissing. In short: IE sucks, Firefox is much better, and Opera so far kicks serious ass but needs getting used to.

What a shame that none of my school friends are reading this - I could use feedback from them about this. Oh well, there's always my ONE reader (Miss Tagged Image File Format - had to look that up in Wikipedia).

Until next time! ^_^

- siggy