Minimal

Why I don’t use Mozilla Firebird

Following Microsoft’s announcement (threat?) that it would cripple its web browser for the sake of a court ruling on embedded media patents, I’ve been advised (yet again) to switch to Mozilla Firebird. I’ve given it a go before, but it’s never quite made the grade. Would this time be any different?

In short: no. Don’t get me wrong — Firebird is an excellent browser. It’s just missing one thing: the Google toolbar. Granted, it has a built-in Google search box, but there’s so much more than that to the toolbar IE gets. Here are the key features I’m missing:

• Buttons created dynamically for Googled search terms
• Parent folder button for quickly moving up site hierarchies
• Site search, for restricting queries to the current domain

If Firebird had these things, I’d be a lot closer to adopting it. Even then, though, it would be a toss-up. Internet Explorer would remain easier to update, as it doesn’t rely on skins to fit in with my operating system. Firebird would, however, win hands down on its page-rendering speed and general cleanliness. Internet Explorer could strike back with websites’ greater support for it. Firebird would, though, make a moral case for changing the web via support of standards. They’d be pretty much equal on pop-up prevention (the Google toolbar does it better than Firebird).

So, for me, right now, the slight advantage remains with the IE/Google combo. Until I accidentally install that dreaded Eolas ‘upgrade’, I’m sticking with it.

Update: Things just got interesting with this little find: a Google toolbar for Mozilla. Hmmmm... :)

Update 2: Nope, sorry, it’s too sucky. It hits your browser with the ugly stick and isn’t configurable enough. Really, I just want the listed features as part of the standard Firebird package (available from the search box and Customize command).