Firefox is the internet browser that most users find to be the safest and the fastest that is available for download right now. Although many people are brand loyal to Google’s Chrome or prefer open-source options, the benefits of Firefox may persuade some users to give it a try. There are also some disadvantages to using Firefox that must be considered before making a complete change, so here are some of the key points to consider.
What Are the Pros of Firefox?
1. It has security features that are automatically embedded into it.
As a browser, Mozilla has equipped Firefox to counter several advanced security threats automatically. This includes spyware that may be downloaded automatically from some at-risk sites, malware, and even certain viruses. It also eliminates many of the annoying pop-ups that occur, even when they are delayed in their display on certain websites.
2. The user experience is virtually the same.
The trouble that some internet browsers have is that their UX is very different from those that are commonly used. Tabbed browsing is available and Firefox has an embedded memory included as well. If something happens to the browsing session, like the computer unexpectedly losing power, the session will restore itself upon a reboot if desired.
3. Firefox offers a number of very helpful extensions to the browsers.
From video downloading assistance to IT session managers, there are a number of extensions that can be added to Firefox to customize the experience. This makes it extremely useful to sync passwords, manage bookmarks, and sort out personal preferences. With enough customization, many of the negative components of this browser can be effectively countered.
4. The interface has minimalistic qualities to it.
The learning curve required to make the most out of Firefox is very minimal. The average user can get it up and running within a few moments of downloading it. Because it is so familiar to other browsers, even those who have never used Firefox in the past can adapt without much of a tutorial.
What Are the Cons of Firefox?
1. There are several compatibility issues.
Firefox doesn’t work well on all platforms. This is especially true for mobile platforms. Not every website is compatible with this browser either, which means some sites may not show properly on the screen if they even show at all. Because this problem is hit or miss, it may not be a disadvantage for some users at all. Others may find this problem to be a deal-breaker.
2. It consumes a lot of a computer’s memory.
Firefox consumes an extensive amount of available memory in order to operate. This makes it difficult for many low-level computers to run anything but basic sites because of this requirement. Videos are slow to stream if they ever do and the tabs are prone to freezing or failing and requiring a reboot. This is especially true if numerous plugins must be used simultaneously.
3. It does not automatically resume downloads.
If you are downloading a file and browsing at the same time on Firefox, then there is a good chance that the browser will freeze. When this occurs, the downloaded file will stop downloading instead of pausing the download like other browsers allow. This means that the downloaded file has to start over once again. For large file downloads, this can become a tremendous headache. There are no automatic updates for plugins that are being used either, so everything must be checked manually on a regular basis to make sure the browser is performing at the highest possible level.
4. It struggles with HTML 5 quite a bit.
The amount of trouble that Firefox has in reading HTML5 is incredible. Some websites will fail to load on this browser or fail to load certain components of the site based solely on its coding. Add-on compatibility issues are also frequent and this leads to delays on page loading and encourages added memory consumption. This issue is found on multiple computer brands and configurations, so delays in browsing tend to occur instead of increased speed as in previous versions.
The pros and cons of Firefox show that it may still be beneficial for some users, but many might not love the modern UX experience. Some of the problems aren’t due to Firefox itself, but that doesn’t matter from the user perspective. If websites can’t be accessed on this browser, but can be on others, then the choice of whether or not to use Firefox becomes very clear.
Although millions of people visit Brandon's blog each month, his path to success was not easy. Go here to read his incredible story, "From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors." If you want to send Brandon a quick message, then visit his contact page here.