If you thought the only reason to try Firefox is the improved security, you'd be missing half the story. Granted security is important, but we think the real value in Firefox is with some of the features they've added. We list ten of our favorites.

The long awaited release of Firefox 1.0PR occurred last week. Firefox is a competing web browser to Microsoft's Internet Explorer. This free browser has always had a cult like following, but is gaining acceptance by mainstream users. While some attribute its recent popularity to better security, we think it is attributable to a better user experience. Here is a list of 10 items we liked.

1. Installation

The first item people will notice is the easy installation. The 4.5mb install program will step you through your options. The program will even import your Internet Explorer settings such as bookmarks. And if the program doesn't suit your needs, the uninstall process is equally easy. Firefox also includes a help topic specifically for Internet Explorers users which outlines terminology differences, keyboard shortcuts as well as features.

2. Tabbed Browsing

This feature sets Firefox apart from Internet Explorer. We often open many web pages when doing online research. Although both browsers can handle this task, the page organization differs. In the picture below, I've opened 4 web pages in Firefox. Each page is represented as a tab with the page name or URL displayed on the tab.

If I were to open the same pages in Internet Explorer, I would see an icon in my taskbar for each page. I need to place my mouse over the page for details. The more pages I open, the harder it is for me to tell which page is which.

For the astute viewers who noticed the screen above has 5 web pages open, that's because one is a pop up ad. Firefox, like Windows XP SP2, has an option to suppress pop up ads.

3. Extensions

Firefox allows you to customize the browser through extensions. An extension is code that enhances browser functionality. Already, there are over 100 Firefox extensions. Some of these extensions emulate common toolbars that IE has such as the Google toolbar. Others are more specialized such as the Developers toolbar.

You can find these extensions by using the Tools menu. A small dialog opens with a "Get more extensions" link. Clicking this link provides a listing of extensions by category. You can also search by "Most popular", "Editors Picks" or "Newest". Each extension has a brief description and ranking so you can see how popular it is with other users.

One of our favorite extensions is IE view. When we encounter a page that is designed for Internet Explorer, we can use this extension to open the same page in Internet Explorer.

4. Adjustable Text Sizes

Here's an interesting experiment for you. Using Internet Explorer, try to change the text size of this page using View | Text size | Larger. You can't because our style sheet has a fixed font size of 12px. (Originally, we used 10px but found it too small for our eyes.) But, if you look at the same page in Firefox, you can adjust the text size. The spacing may not be precisely what you want, but you have more control. And yes, we plan on moving away from fixed font sizes.

5. Better Bookmarks

Although all browsers have bookmarks, Firefox has a group bookmark feature. I routinely watch four sites about the content management system our site uses. Rather than navigating to each site, I can go to my Mambo bookmark folder and use the "Open in Tabs" menu option. Firefox will open each bookmark in a separate tab. This feature works extremely well with Firefox's Personal Toolbar Folder. By combining the two features, you can click the folder icon on the toolbar and have all the pages open.

Firefox also makes it easier to find a bookmark. If you open the Bookmark sidebar, you'll see a Search box at the top. This is useful if you've created a bookmark, but don't recall where it is. Unfortunately, it doesn't search the Description field.

 

 

6. Speed

Although Firefox takes longer to open, we found it faster for browsing. This was more apparent when we were browsing multiple sites.

7. Multiple Home Pages

A related feature to tabbed browsing is I can set multiple pages as my Home page. I simply add a pipe sign | between the URLs in the Home page section. When I start Firefox, each address will open in its own tab.

8. Smart Keywords

Smart keywords are a feature we like more than we thought we would. A smart keyword is a word or letters you type in the address bar that maps to a URL. For example, I could associate the URL http://www.timeatlas.com/ with a keyword of "prod". When I typed "prod" in the address bar, the site appears. This process can be faster than navigating your bookmarks.

Editor's correction: I previously stated that the keyword couldn't be a domain name. As example, I couldn't use "ta" since there was a ta.com. I was politely informed this is not the case. I'm guessing I mistakenly typed Ctrl and Enter which automatically appends the .com to an address. My apologies for any confusion.

9. Searching for Information

Firefox, like IE, allows you to enter in terms in the address bar for searching. So long as the term isn't a smart keyword, Firefox will search Google for the terms. However, Firefox goes a step further by allowing you to search Google for a term or phrase on the current web page. You simply highlight the term, right-click, and select the "Search Web for" menu option. The results will appear in a separate tab.

 

10. Printing

For those people who print web pages, you'll be glad to know Firefox's Print Preview has some unique options such as "scaling" and "shrink to fit". These options are great for conserving paper. You can also change the page orientation.

One item that caught me off guard was Firefox had turned off background color and images. If your page looks like it's missing elements, you should check your options in Page Setup.

While there is a lot to like about Firefox, there are some people who may not like the browser. Certain sites such as Outlook Web Access (OWA) won't appear or behave the way people expect. In some ways, Firefox is not as forgiving as Internet Explorer. Usually, this happens when the site doesn't adhere to web standards. This is something we've noticed with our site templates. Other sites may have custom code or ActiveX controls that won't work with Firefox. In these cases, Firefox might suggest a component needs to be installed. In our testing, we only found one site that would not work at all with Firefox.

Unless you're in an organization that restricts you from installing programs, we'd suggest you try Firefox. The program provides a pleasurable viewing experience that even diehard Microsoft enthusiasts can appreciate.

• Cost: Free
• URL: http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
• Size: 4.5 mbs
• Reviewed Version: 1.0PR ( Preview release)