IE & OE Alternatives: Mozilla Firefox & Thunderbird #2

Continuation of original thread from http://davesgarden.com/t/417472 I'm including the text from the first post of that thread here for everyone's convenience:

11:17pm 2/10/2004 - added section about Java support.

This is a work in progress. If I've missed anything or been unclear on any points, please let me know and I will edit this first post. That said, here goes!

Scattered throughout the threads lately at DG, there's been much discussion of the web browser Mozilla Firefox (formerly called Firebird) and the e-mail client Mozilla Thunderbird.

I've started this thread to put all that information in one spot, as well as clear up some questions I've seen in those various threads. First, let's talk basic terminology so we're all on the same page.

What's a Web Browser?

Browsers are programs you use to view web pages. Think of them as windows through which you see the world; viewed side by side, you'll pretty much see the same view, though one window might open a little differently than another. Two familar examples of browsers are IE and Netscape, but the choices don't end there.

But My ISP Provided its Own Web Browser. What Now?

The good news is, you're not stuck with it. You may need some of the components from it, but you don't have to use it for browsing the web.

It doesn't matter if you use AOL, Earthlink, Roadrunner, or even some little mom & pop ISP in your town: You have choices. No matter what software they stick on your machine, you're NOT doomed to use their stuff exclusively. Once you're connected to the web, you can open any web browser separately and use it.

What Is an E-Mail Client?

E-mail clients are programs you use to download your e-mail for reading at home so you can, if wanted, read them offline. Some of the best known examples of e-mail clients are Outlook/OE, Eudora and Netscape. But again, the choices don't end there!

But I use Web-Based E-Mail - Is that the Same?

No, not quite. Those of you using Hotmail, Yahoo and other free web-based e-mail access your mail via a web browser. You go to your e-mail provider's website and view your e-mail there. Your e-mail is viwed and stored at the provider's website and not downloaded to your computer.

Exceptions to this are folks who pay for extra services which allow them to download their e-mail to their home computers, using an e-mail client. The rule of thumb here is, if it's web-based only, you can't see it if you're disconnected from the Internet.

Why Should I Switch from IE and Outlook/OE?

That said, let's talk about alternatives to IE and Outlook/OE. As Dave and others have pointed out, Microsoft's browser and e-mail are fraught with security holes. Microsoft tries to keep up with them, issuing patches and updates, but the issues still remain and grow worse.

Because IE and OE are included free with the Windows operating system, they very popular and therefore big targets for people who write malicious code. These issues have been discussed here at DG in threads such as http://davesgarden.com/t/415715/ and http://davesgarden.com/t/412734/ (scroll down a bit in
that one). Search Google any day for IE security holes and you'll find dozens of hits: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=IE+security+holes&btnG=Google+Search

What the heck is Mozilla, some B-Movie Monster?

It's a monster, but a good one! To put it succinctly, Mozilla is the code that Netscape's browser suite is built on. It is open source, meaning people from all over are free to use and modify the code.

Open source is great because bug fixes and enhancements are provided from many sources, not just from one mega company and its developers. Many of these cool extra functions are in the form of extensions, add-on code which expands the browser's capabilities (more about that later).

So, Tell Me About Firefox

It is a stand-alone browser, meaning it is lean and mean; it opens quickly and does not take up a bunch of your system resources, bogging down your computer. Mozilla Firefox is a streamlined version of Mozilla, which is a suite of applications including a browser, HTML composer, e-mail client and news reader. The folks at Mozilla.org explain their product's features much better than I can, so read more there at http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ .

I want dat! Where Can I Get Firefox?

Most users download Firefox at http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/download.html It is a self-extracting installer for simplified installation.

Is Firefox different from Firebird?

Yes and no. Firebird is what this Mozilla browser was called up until the most current release. With the new release came a new name, Firefox. For more information, see http://www.mozilla.org/projects/firefox/firefox-name-faq.html

What is Thunderbird?

Thunderbird is Mozilla's stand-alone mail and news reader. Again, I defer to Mozilla for the specifics and perks: http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/


Oooh, I want dat, too! Where can I get Thunderbird?

You can get it at http://www.mozilla.org/products/thunderbird/ (look at the sidebar on the left) or at http://texturizer.net/thunderbird/download.html (be patient - the site's been busy).

It comes in a compressed (zipped) file, so you will need a program like WinZip (http://winzip.com) to open the file. Unzip the file's contents into a folder on your hard drive -- I used c: program filemozilla thunderbird (created ahead of time).

NOTE: If you're not up to dealing with the zip file, there is a self-extracting installer available for Windows users at http://seb.mozdev.org/thunderbird/ . The page may take a long time to load since there's such interest right now.

I'm upgrading - What's different for me?

Be sure to read http://www.mozilla.org/projects/thunderbird/release-notes.html#install


Okay, I've installed it. Why won't my Firefox/Thunderbird do XYZ?

You may want to check out the extensions available for these programs. Extensions are add-on code which give the programs added functions (not to mention coolness factor).

For Firefox, see http://extensionroom.mozdev.org/main.php/Firefox

For Thunderbird, see http://extensionroom.mozdev.org/main.php/Thunderbird

ADDED 2/10/2004, 11:18pm: If Java applications (such as DG chat) does not work for you with Firefox, see the following link: http://java.sun.com/getjava/manual.html In particular, you need to use Firefox to open that page and use online installer they provide. Let me know if this helps.

Where can I get support?

First, there are tutorials available (complete with screen prints).

Firefox Intro: http://www.nidelven-it.no/articles/introduction_to_firebird
Thunderbird Intro: http://www.nidelven-it.no/articles/introduction_to_thunderbird

There are also GREAT Mozilla support forums at http://forums.mozillazine.org/

Mozilla also has a newsletter: http://newsletter.mozdev.org/

And, of course, the fun-loving geeks here at DG will also help as much as possible. Many of us are new to the product, though, so we'll probably be heading over to Mozilla's forums for our own answers!