JON555  "Windoze"? Really? I'm surprised you didn't replace the "z" with a dollar sign or something.

Grow up.  
(Version 3.5.5)

CANADIANPJ  Agreed. It is not clever. At all. Firefox has had its share of issues but overall I find the stability of the browser to be higher than IE.  
(Version 3.5.5)

DAVE BROCK  While I'm nearly in tears that you took exception to how I spell crap, I mean to say "Windows", regardless of your opinions regarding how clever or stupid my misspelling happens to be; neither one of you actually addressed any content that my message contained.

The single statement thus far is, "Firefox is more stable than IE!" While that's quite thrilling (and something I acknowledged in passing), I'm unclear what it has to do with a review of the Mac version of Firefox.

If both of you are such big fans, could you please, coherently and succinctly explain why exactly? I understand the plug-ins and add-ons or I will die people, but Firefox is at best a 3rd rate app on OS X. 5+ years without figuring out how services work? Does Firefox somehow run faster and use less memory for the two of you, in the special universe you inhabit, that makes it more appealing than Safari or Chrome?

I don't get it... Why do you like it, or what are you reviewing that I'm not seeing? Polite, genuine question.  
(Version 3.5.5)

DANMARC  Agree with your assessment and the many constant minor upgrades are starting to grate on me. Fine that they improve stability and security but it feels now that just going for a quick brows on internet leads to spending time upgrading either latest version and/or plug ins (no I do not have many) and restart.

Still a great browser, me I use Safari for main browser as I find it clean and fast and no real issues with sites (if I have I just find alternative). I really like the Themes and plug ins so yes I use it: I would give it one more star than you did ; ) just opionion.

I also agree with your comment and feel it´s a bit unfair of the others specially including the IE comment as it really isn´t related to a comment on a Mac version (you really using IE on Mac ? : ) )

I write Windoze all the the time specially in speed related issues : )  
(Version 3.5.5)

ST00P!D M0NK3Y  I'm sorry, but your Safari fanboy bandwagon rant sounds just as bad as the Firefox crowd. Now granted, your word choices are more eloquent than those complaining about your review, but you still sound biased, nonetheless. I personally use Safari as my #1 browser, but there are still a few websites that do not work at all in Safari that work perfectly in Firefox. For example... when posting an ad on Craigslist.com, when you are all finished with the ad and go to submit, a CAPTCHA verification page will appear to confirm the ad. This does not appear in Safari (I have tried every means imaginable to make it appear, trust me), but it does appear in Firefox. This is a rare instance in which a site just simply does not work in Safari, but I use that site on a daily basis, so I wish Apple would address that issue with Safari ASAP. So... both Safari and Firefox have their pros and cons, but don't belittle other people because you can't comprehend why they'd want to use Firefox over Safari because that defies all logic that encompasses your existence. Use what you like... that's all that matters, anyway. That's why there is diversity. That's why there is competition. That's why there is choice. If there wasn't any competition, we wouldn't see as many innovative ideas as we do now. Competition breeds creativity.  
(Version 3.5.5)

ERUNNO  I've already stated the reasons why I think that Firefox suits me better than the competition even without the myriad of extremely useful extensions. The list was written with Safari in mind so obviously some points do not apply to Chrome (although many do):

1) Bookmark tags, which tremendously help in case you quickly want to recover a bookmark among hundreds. Also allows to safe searches like with Spotlight.

2) Automatic session recovery, which also restores tab history and even remembers the position on a site (very useful when reading long single sites across several sessions).

3) Fine-grained privacy control for those who care.

4) Better keyboard control (tab switching, switching to private browsing, etc.).

5) Non-modal save password dialogs.

6) Basic download manager which supports resuming for servers which allow it.

7) Firefox can differentiate whether to open new windows for pop-ups or redirect new windows into tabs automatically. With Safari it's even with the hidden preferences all or nothing.

8) You can add different search engines even without an extension if the site supports it.

9) The AwesomeBar :-) although it seems to be a love or hate thing. As a heavy keyboard user I can't live without it anymore.

10) A maximize window functionality. :-)

11) You can restore closed tabs and windows.

And probably some other features as well which I can't remember right now. ;-)

It's not really difficult to be better than Safari if one has little use for the OS X features as it probably the most under-featured major browser on the market. The Chrome beta leaves it in the dust as a native browser replacement although it's only slightly over one year old and the Mac port even younger.  
(Version 3.5.5)

SPHERICAL CUBE  Firefox is just... old and starting to creak. Try loading up Google Wave in Firefox, the experience is like... go make coffee and grow old and die, while waiting for a page to load. Now try the same thing in Safari, Webkit, or Chrome, it's instant.   
(Version 3.5.5)

MECHAMANIA  Here's a news flash, monkey: opinions are biased by definition.  
(Version 3.5.5)

ERUNNO  Dave Brock wrote:

"If you really absolutely want the Gecko rendering engine for some reason, then Camino stomps all over this dinosaur."

I'm sorry for being blunt but you have no idea what you are talking about. The current stable Camino version 1.6 uses a completely outdated Gecko 1.8 and even the new Camino 2.0 will use the outdated 1.9.0 version. FYI Firefox 3.6 will use Gecko 1.9.2 which received massive improvements since the initial major revision was released. Camino currently is technically no alternative to people who want or need Gecko powering their browser.  
(Version 3.5.5)

K. VAUGHAN  I don't understand what gecko or whatev is, or care much. I use Camino when there is some site that will not load no matter what on Safari, like some other person said here before. Firefox is very ugly and slow on my Mac (iMac 27" with 8GB ram) compared to safari or camino which is also slow but at least looks like a Mac program.

Where do I find google Chrome? I don't see it anywhere linked from this site, when searching it doesn't find it. thanks.  
(Version 3.5.5)

HORACE GREELEY  Firefox is important as a open source project that exists, that's about it, but it's a big, important reason. I don't trust anything by Google not to constantly spy on me and send statistics back to Google and would be very hesitant to install Chrome before the final release and reading some technically knowledgeable reviews of what it's really doing or sending back to Google.

Firefox existing, constantly forces the other big browsers to keep improving and getting better, which is great for everybody.

Other then existing, I too only use Firefox as a backup when Webkit fails, in the current browser wars saying Firefox is trailing by a wide margin is a nice way of saying it's dead in the water and an outdated speed-bump unless some massive effort to improve its performance comes along. It's so much slower it's becoming sad. Honestly Firefox 3.5 is so much slower it's terrible, but I've heard good things about 3.6 to let's hope.

It's probably far more important that Firefox exists on the Windows platform, then any special reason on the Mac other then the people who love all the addons and there seem to be lots of those.  
(Version 3.5.5)

ST00P!D M0NK3Y  This is probably the first time in MacUpdate history that I'm seeing good points on both sides being discussed. It's refreshing and everyone is making valid points. But you're right, opinions... by definition... are a little biased. I just can't tolerate the "you're an idiot for using this over this" crowd. I keep switching between Firefox, Safari, and Camino. I wish they could combine all 3 to create some super dooper ultimate browser. That'd be nice.  
(Version 3.5.5)

DMNELSON  I have gone back and forth, using virtually every browser under the sun as my default at some point or another since the mid 90's -- including both Safari and Firefox. Both apps excel at being a browser. Either one beats Internet Explorer hands down. But as they say, the devil's in the details.

To me, the issue of Safari vs. Firefox is a debate of form vs. function. Both have their place, and the ideal is a balance of the two -- a blend of aesthetics and utility. With its ability to add extensions, Firefox leans toward the "function" end of the spectrum. Safari leans more toward the "form" end of the spectrum with its sleek appearance and native feel.

Personally I mostly use Safari because all I want is a browser, no extra add-ons. Both do that just fine but Safari is prettier so I choose it. But some people need extensions that are available for Firefox, so they have good reason to favor it instead.

In the end there is no right answer. Just two apps that have a similar core purpose but differ in their priorities. I comes down to which one is a fit for your needs and preferences.  
(Version 3.5.5)

ST00P!D M0NK3Y  I just make those comments for the completely random negatives that people give others for no reason whatsoever.  
(Version 3.5.5)

KKNOPP  I was just pointing out that the things you claim to be annoyed by, you do as well. And as far as your G4 comment. You really think you shouldn't have been negged down?

I have my own issues with MacUpdate and it's system. But this instance isn't one of them.   
(Version 3.5.5)

BLLOYD  A surprisingly good summary :-)

I've spent much time, as I suspect you have, evaluating the options and have largely come to the same conclusions. I was using DEVONthink for years and it truly is a "kitchen sink" with great search, but it's seriously ugly like the byproduct of two siblings who married in Kansas.

In the end, I moved my PDFs, Keynotes, and other associated documents to Finder folders. And I now store bookmarks and RTFs in Yojimbo 2.0, which is absolutely BLAZING fast compared to DEVONthink. And it's been a happy mix for the last while. I do like having most of the stuff in the Finder, and I use Leap to organize and tag them; it looks quite nice and can provide assistance in tagging that DEVONthink may have in, say, 2.0 pb 27 :-(  
(Version 8.01)