Can Chrome supplant Firefox?

g-d-zilla said:
Browser wars - to be expected! I have all of them! For me, Opera is the worst, followed by IE, followed by Safari, followed by Chrome, followed by Flock, with Firefox on top as the best - but that's just my preference. IE9beta is okay, guess they ripped off Google Chrome and some of Firefox's coding, but that's just Microsoft - always ripping off someone for their own advantage. Browsers are like cars, preference is up to the user.
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Yeah - and MS is like that cheap golf you bought when you were young and couldn't afford anything else...

EDIT: Blonde is perkier. Def the right choice... :D
 
Firefox is my preferred browser since it's easy to customise and the fact that I rely heavily on the extensions/add-ons. Chrome is my 2nd choice and I use it often as well (and their add-ons are increasing). I never use IE.

Problem with video format in HTML5 which could affect Firefox users (or users of open standards browsers)
There's a big debate going on about default support for video formats in HTML5 which *could* (unfortunately) force users away from Firefox in future. Firefox is open source and support open standards so they chose the Ogg video format for HTML5 video. Ogg is also open so there are not licencing of patents involved which makes Firefox happy.
But here's the problem; Google Chrome, Apple's Safari and IE (v.9) support the H.264 video format for HTML5 video. H.264 is patented... so that means Firefox will have to pay licensing fees if they want to support it. Since they're open source, they don't want to.

The problem is that popular video sites like Youtube (3rd most popular site in the world if I remember correctly) support H.264 so that effectively means once all is said and done (and HTML5 is fully implemented on most sites over time), Firefox users may end up having to open another browser just to view Youtube videos correctly (in future); or find a plugin to view 'H.264 only' sites in Firefox. (H.264 does better compression and delivers better video quality than Ogg so most sites will deliver videos using the H.264 codec, instead of Ogg)

Firefox may end up dying due to restrictions on proprietary codecs due to their open standards approach. I'm surprised the article didn't even mention the whole video format issue in HTML5, considering the article's subject matter.
 
Globetrotter said:
Firefox is my preferred browser since it's easy to customise and the fact that I rely heavily on the extensions/add-ons. Chrome is my 2nd choice and I use it often as well (and their add-ons are increasing). I never use IE.

Problem with video format in HTML5 which could affect Firefox users (or users of open standards browsers)
There's a big debate going on about default support for video formats in HTML5 which *could* (unfortunately) force users away from Firefox in future. Firefox is open source and support open standards so they chose the Ogg video format for HTML5 video. Ogg is also open so there are not licencing of patents involved which makes Firefox happy.
But here's the problem; Google Chrome, Apple's Safari and IE (v.9) support the H.264 video format for HTML5 video. H.264 is patented... so that means Firefox will have to pay licensing fees if they want to support it. Since they're open source, they don't want to.

The problem is that popular video sites like Youtube (3rd most popular site in the world if I remember correctly) support H.264 so that effectively means once all is said and done (and HTML5 is fully implemented on most sites over time), Firefox users may end up having to open another browser just to view Youtube videos correctly (in future); or find a plugin to view 'H.264 only' sites in Firefox. (H.264 does better compression and delivers better video quality than Ogg so most sites will deliver videos using the H.264 codec, instead of Ogg)

Firefox may end up dying due to restrictions on proprietary codecs due to their open standards approach. I'm surprised the article didn't even mention the whole video format issue in HTML5, considering the article's subject matter.
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Youtube will be using the Open Source version AFAIK (since it is owned by Google and they support the open source video format which's name I cannot recall)
 
Tpex said:
Youtube will be using the Open Source version AFAIK (since it is owned by Google and they support the open source video format which's name I cannot recall)
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You're referring to the VP8 codec (part of the WebM project). It would be great if this codec is adopted by all but Microsoft seem to be hesitant and currently still see H.264 as a safe bet. The other argument is that VP8 may not offer the same quality and compression H.264 does. Then again, if it's free, maybe it doesn't matter in the end.
 
Globetrotter said:
You're referring to the VP8 codec (part of the WebM project). It would be great if this codec is adopted by all but Microsoft seem to be hesitant and currently still see H.264 as a safe bet. The other argument is that VP8 may not offer the same quality and compression H.264 does. Then again, if it's free, maybe it doesn't matter in the end.
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yes thats it, other factors on video choice aside, IMO this fight will be fight will be won on which format youtube decides to use, your browser is worth (almost) shyte if you it can't open such a big part of the web.
 
Since firefox 3.5xx it slowed down.. and is slow.. even slows down my operating system.. tried chrome.. buggy and will not render some HTML like it should.. now back to Internet Exploder.. hopefully firefox 4 won't turn into a piece of crap like ver 3 after a couple of updates..
 
Chrome flies for me. I tend to go with the browser that works the best. I used to use netscape navigator, then I used IE, then Maxthon, then Opera, then Fire Fox and now Chrome. I always test out new browsers when they come out and for what I use the Internet for... Chrome is the winner hands down. I even tested speeds between this IE 9 beta release and Chrome... and Chrome was way faster.
 
I love the FF personas addon!!! It runs with 0 bugs smooth fast on my pc with some very nice other addons blocking any hacking attempts from websites. Chrome is the lord of the bugs and EI is like having sexc time with a sex worker...
 
if I am forced into a corner with a sawn off shotgun to my head, I'd still take FF ... the look, the feel, the apps and the functionality all work for me

PS. the pics had nothing to do with my decision ... although I do like the look of the fox :o
 
I find Opera very "busy-looking", but I wish I used it 'cos of the connectivity with Opera Mobile and Opera Mini. I'm sure one just gets used to a certain look and feel. I use FF and I thnk its great although I've had trouble lately with it freezing on video. Seems to be a known bug. It doesn't bother me enough to make me change. I haven't had the focus to personalise it with a lot of add-ins, and like most users I probably don't scratch the surface of the available functionality. I must confess I haven't tried Chrome. For me to go back to IE would be like drinking an SAB product - it would just seem strange!
 
Sorry Didn't bother reading the article... the pics were good enough hehehe ... I vote .... Firefox
 
People who have found Chrome buggy or slow might want to try it again.

I switched to Chrome from FF precisely because Chrome is so much more responsive, especially on autosuggesting in the address bar (after building a very large history in FF it was barely useable). It's faster opening new tabs as well. The cost is in memory use.

I've heard IE9 is looking pretty good. If it works like Chrome but handles scrolling and text-selection better (which I will bet money it does), then I will be glad to make the change again.
 
I prefer Chrome's minimalist styling but Chrome's file downloader is broken, often ends up with incomplete files. Also it keeps loosing keyboard focus requiring you to click the page before up/down/pgup/pgdn keys works again ... very irritating. So I end up going back to FF every time.
 
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