How many browsers do you use?

Paul mentioned in a podcast the other day that he had switched to FIrefox but switched back to Chrome because he still used Chrome some and didn’t like using 2 browsers.

I then realized that I probably use at least 3 different browsers everyday and some times even 4. I use Edge and Opera everyday at home and use either Edge, Chrome, or Firefox at work depending on where I’m at and what I’m doing.

Part of the reason I do this is because some of the computers I’m using have some pretty specialized configurations that Chrome has problems working on and the same can be said for Firefox to a lesser degree as well. Maybe I’m unique in that and wanted to see if others use multiple browsers on a daily basis also.

Conversation 20 comments

  • lwetzel

    Premium Member
    09 February, 2018 - 11:00 am

    <p>Generally one EDGE. However I have FF and Chrome and occasionally others to test web page I work on.</p>

  • Tony Barrett

    09 February, 2018 - 11:00 am

    <p>Literally just Chrome and Firefox. Since 'Quantum' Firefox has improved immensely, and feels like a new browser now. Chrome is just great at everything, so I just have both running all the time. I still have to use IE for some corporate sites, but I steer clear of it for everything else.</p>

  • Jamiemcg

    09 February, 2018 - 11:01 am

    <p>I mainly use Google Chrome on both my personal and work machines and have been a fan of the browser for a number of years now. However, I also sometimes use IE at work.</p>

  • Paul Thurrott

    Premium Member
    09 February, 2018 - 11:17 am

    <p>I only use Chrome regularly. There is no good reason not to have a few choices on hand, however.</p>

    • jimchamplin

      Premium Member
      09 February, 2018 - 3:36 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#244517"><em>In reply to paul-thurrott:</em></a></blockquote><p>Do you find that Chrome does well when you're unplugged?</p>

  • Tim

    Premium Member
    09 February, 2018 - 11:18 am

    <p>I just made the switch to Firefox, I'm using the Developer Edition (for obvious reasons). I think FireFox is rocking it right now. </p>

    • Sprtfan

      09 February, 2018 - 2:24 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#244518"><em>In reply to Tim:</em></a></blockquote><p>I tried to switch to Firefox at work but ran into issues where if Firefox was left open for a few hours, it would end up using so much memory that the system would lock up. I think I have a screen shot of it some where but was able to reproduce it a few times. Ended up just switching back to Chrome on that system since it was easier than trying to figure out why. (I know that switching to Chrome to use less memory doesn't make any sense but was what ended up working)</p>

  • Bats

    09 February, 2018 - 3:26 pm

    <p>I try to keep my life simple. I just use one, Chrome.&nbsp;</p><p>Why? All my important information (passwords, bookmarks, autofills, etc…) are in Chrome and not anywhere else.</p><p>I downloaded Firefox to test see if I can experience the speed difference between it and Chrome. My conclusion, is NO. There is no big difference between Chrome and Firefox in the speed department at all. LOL…maybe there is (technically), but not so, in a way that my mind was blown out of the water. As for CPU usage, honestly? I know Chrome has been tested to be really bad in that department, but…..I don't feel it. My whole system runs free, clean, and fast. The other day, I posted on the forums here how I just use Windows Defender (or Security "whatever")…again, no problems.&nbsp;</p><p>Bottomline, if anyone wants a faster browser experience, upgrade your internet service.&nbsp;</p><p>As for people who need to have different browsers because of your system configuration…….Why? Why do you have to mess with your system that much, to the point that it effected your browser? It kinda reminds me of a time, when a friend of mine was so "Security Conscious" of his Home Wifi Network that he configured his router to the safest and strictest standards that he could. LOL…next thing he knew, he noticed a drastic performance hit when he played his FIFA online with his PS3.&nbsp;</p><p>Just keep things simple, that's all I say. That's not to say, "Don't use Firefox."&nbsp;If you are going to use Firefox, then just use that and nothing else. Keep it simple!</p>

    • Sprtfan

      09 February, 2018 - 3:54 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#244585"><em>In reply to Bats:</em></a></blockquote><p>System configuration for me at least is a requirement for work. I bounce between several computers during the day and each has a different configuration due to what software it is running and what needs to be done. </p>

  • eebrinsfield

    09 February, 2018 - 4:26 pm

    <p>I try to use Edge but always revert back to Firefox. I keep hoping that Microsoft will make Edge usable. They have improved some but it is still not there yet.</p>

  • hrlngrv

    Premium Member
    09 February, 2018 - 6:00 pm

    <p>For Work, I'm still using Windows 7, and IE remains the corporate standard. I cheat and also use portable Firefox ESR.</p><p>At home, I mostly use Linux, and on Linux I use Firefox ESR for all financial transactions and anything else sensitive. For most other things, I use Opera, Firefox Quantum or Waterfox. I also have Chrome installed, but I use it least often. I've tried Vivaldi and Brave, but I just couldn't get used to them. Finally, I also use Links2, a plain text browser, because it never displays popups, autoplay audio-video, and other unpleasantness.</p><p>I prefer Firefox's bookmarks menu and organization to that of any other browser, and I prefer the UI customization pre-Quantum Firefox provided. For browsers with no UI customization, I've gotten used to using Opera. I use Chrome only when I have to.</p>

    • seapea

      09 February, 2018 - 7:18 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#244633"><em>In reply to hrlngrv:</em></a></blockquote><p>I like how you are using the ESR. I still think the fast release they went on is a mistake.</p><p><br></p>

      • hrlngrv

        Premium Member
        09 February, 2018 - 10:01 pm

        <p><a href="#244664"><em>In reply to seapea:</em></a></p><p>ESR works with all the financial web sites I use while also NOT being Quantum for a few more months. Sadly, a few financial web sites treat Waterfox like non-ESR, pre-Quantum Firefox and don't allow account login. I'll eventually be forced to use Quantum for this, but it'll be the only thing for which I'll use Firefox.</p>

  • seapea

    09 February, 2018 - 7:17 pm

    <p>same as OP, 3 or 4. PaleMoon, Chromium, Brave and sometimes FireFox. </p><p>wait 5 – sometimes Edge pops up.</p><p><br></p>

  • rameshthanikodi

    09 February, 2018 - 10:16 pm

    <p>I use Chrome but lately I have found that Chrome does a bit of disk thrashing when you first open it, and i'm not on an SSD, so for short sessions I use Edge. Honestly, I love Edge, and I was using Edge full-time for 2 years, but I switched back to Chrome for the stability and mobile sync (Edge wasn't on mobile until recently).</p>

  • wright_is

    Premium Member
    10 February, 2018 - 3:49 am

    <p>I've used Firefox since it was called phoenix. I switched to chrome at the beginning of last year, because Firefox was having problems with the Intel graphic's driver for Skylake and was only displaying black blocks.</p><p>After a couple of months, Edge was released on Android and I switched to that and was reasonably happy. </p><p>Now I work for a company that uses Linux as its main desktop OS, so I have switched back to Firefox.</p>

  • John Scott

    10 February, 2018 - 6:07 am

    <p>I mostly use Chrome, its what I have used for a couple years now and works the best with most sites. Edge has some RAM consumption issues for me, but I occasionally use it. I lost track of Firefox when their rapid release BS started. Haven't re visited that browser since. On my Apple devices its Safari all the way. </p>

  • Adlton

    10 February, 2018 - 8:17 pm

    <p>I mostly use Opera and to a lesser extent Firefox. Chrome and Edge from time to time.</p>

  • Jeffery Commaroto

    10 February, 2018 - 10:34 pm

    <p>I mostly use Chrome on Windows and Linux and Safari on Mac and iOS. I occasionally have to use Internet Explorer or Edge to either test things out or connect with a Web app that must Interact with IE. I do my best to avoid IE and Edge though.</p>

  • SWCetacean

    Premium Member
    11 February, 2018 - 1:18 am

    <p>My main browser on all of my Windows computers is Edge. I keep Chrome installed for some websites that don't work well in Edge. At work, I have a Linux computer and use Chrome.</p>

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Thurrott © 2024 Thurrott LLC