IE sucks

[garys]

I took things one step further yet. Not only did I junk IE, but I junked Windows and all Microsoft software. I got so frustrated trying to use Windows that I dumped it back in 1999 and switched to Linux. Linux is far ahead of where Windows and Microsoft will ever be for usability and reliability.

No viruses or spyware. No more clearing temp files or cache. No more of any of Microsoft's mess.

[JPG]

I only have one 'problem' with firefox. When I have more than 5 or six sessions running at once(only one in the foreground) it tends to get bogged down. Wonder why??? Yahoo is a bad acting contributer FWIW.

I remember a friend who would open all these windows and wonder why her computer was so slow. After cleaning out the cache and a few few other housekeeping chores she said it was still slow. I told her just because she CAN open all those windows doesn't mean she SHOULD!

Be well,
Ben

Agreed. Too much 'excess'. Plenty of ram. Decent speed. However yahoo seems to be greedy even when 'in the background'. I am suspicious that yahoo may be a gateway for unknown snooping. Cpu 'usage' goes way up/down with yahoo firefox session start/stop(not always). Also there are other things to temporarily relegate to the background!

[dusty]

If I obtained either a Ubuntu or a Linux OS, would I be able surf the web as I do now and would I have a selection of word processors and data bases to use. Will applications such as Sketchuup be functioal.

I am thinking about rebuilding this "BBB" and installing independent HDs for each of the OS that I might want to try/use.

[jsburger]

I only have one 'problem' with firefox. When I have more than 5 or six sessions running at once(only one in the foreground) it tends to get bogged down. Wonder why??? Yahoo is a bad acting contributer FWIW.

What do you mean by sessions? Separate windows? If so try tabbed browsing. Open all links in a new tab and not a new window. I regularly have 5 or 6 tabs open with no slow down.

[dusty]

I only have one 'problem' with firefox. When I have more than 5 or six sessions running at once(only one in the foreground) it tends to get bogged down. Wonder why??? Yahoo is a bad acting contributer FWIW.

What do you mean by sessions? Separate windows? If so try tabbed browsing. Open all links in a new tab and not a new window. I regularly have 5 or 6 tabs open with no slow down.

That is good but somewhere along the line you have to pay. What OS, how much memory and how fast a processor?

[sawwood]

Running Vista on an old? Dell inspiron 530 (Duo core 2.2GHz, 4Gb ram). With a window or 2 or 3 open with multiple tabs, of course FireFox slows down!!! Heck, I've even crashed FireFox numerous times, of my own doing of course. When the computer starts acting strange or I see the "not responding" message, it's only a matter of time for a reboot and I start the process all over again.

[jsburger]

I only have one 'problem' with firefox. When I have more than 5 or six sessions running at once(only one in the foreground) it tends to get bogged down. Wonder why??? Yahoo is a bad acting contributer FWIW.

What do you mean by sessions? Separate windows? If so try tabbed browsing. Open all links in a new tab and not a new window. I regularly have 5 or 6 tabs open with no slow down.

That is good but somewhere along the line you have to pay. What OS, how much memory and how fast a processor?

PC Laptops Laptop Computer (Local high end vendor)
Windows 7 Professional
Intel Core i5 CPU at 2.40 GHz
4 GB RAM
64 bit Operating System
250 GB solid state hard drive in the computer
3 TB Western Digital My Book Live network drive connected to the wireless router

I also have a 10Mbps internet connection.

The local network is via a Cisco Linksys EA4500 Dual‑Band Wireless Router.

[garys]

If I obtained either a Ubuntu or a Linux OS, would I be able surf the web as I do now and would I have a selection of word processors and data bases to use. Will applications such as Sketchuup be functioal.

I am thinking about rebuilding this "BBB" and installing independent HDs for each of the OS that I might want to try/use.

Linux won't run any of the Windows software unless you run a Windows emulator inside it, and that opens you to the viruses and spyware of Windows again.
Linux has browsers available just like Windows does. You can't get IE for Linux for the same reason as other Windows software. You can run Firefox, Opera, or other browsers for the internet.
For word processing, database work and spreadsheets, you want either Libreoffice or Open Office. Both are free and can read and write Windows files.
I have no idea what Sketchup is or how it runs, so I can't answer that question.
You can try Linux free by simply downloading an image of it and burning it to a DVD. If you download the live DVD image, you can boot from that DVD and run it on your Windows computer without installing it or without making any changes to your Windows installation. If you like it, install it and wipe Windows away. If you don't, take out the DVD and reboot back to Windows on your hard drive with no changes to the way it was before.
I suggest Linux Mint as it seems to be the easiest and most straight forward distribution to use.
You can get it here.
http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php
Try the first one on the list "Cinnamon" in either 32 bit or 64 bit to match your hardware. If it turns out that Cinnamon doesn't support your video card or other hardware, try Mate with codecs (4th one down on the list)
If you don't like either one, you are out the cost of 2 blank DVDs and your time. If you like them, you cut the cord from the non-ending Microsoft virus path.

[dusty]

Thanks for this feedback. I am going to give this a go. It is not the susceptibility to virus that bugs me. My computer is well protected. It is the never ending list of "updates" and software incompatibilities that get to me.

Either way, a divorce from Microsoft would be like being set free.

[jsburger]

Thanks for this feedback. I am going to give this a go. It is not the susceptibility to virus that bugs me. My computer is well protected. It is the never ending list of "updates" and software incompatibilities that get to me.

Either way, a divorce from Microsoft would be like being set free.

Just remember it will be a bit slow when when you are booting and running from a DVD and don't have the OS installed on your hard drive. I had a dual boot laptop (Windows and Linux) about 15 years ago. My internet connection at the time was dial up. Linux at that time required constant updates. Not all versions but the one I liked. I found a few WiFi hotspots so I could sit in my car and update the OS.

Back then the compatibility between Windows apps and Linux is not what it is today. Firefox is the best browser and I only use MS Office for email and the picture viewer. And that is only because I haven't changed. I use Open Office for everything else and it runs on Linux and Windows and has all the same functionality as MS Office.

I really think it is about time to change back to Linux. It is really much better.