Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Avant Browser Vs. FireFox with RoboForm

Dec 7, 2004 10:12AM PST

I just heard about Avant Browser at the IE home page forum. Then learned about FireFox. I am looking for a browser that will block the flash animation and flashing ad crap on web sites. But, I'm a big RoboForm user for passwords and form filling. Right now I'm testing Avant. It handles RoboForm because it is a shell over IE. 1) Would appreciate replies from FireFox users who are successfully using RoboForm with FF. 2) Also, will FF take care of the damn flashing ads ??! Thanks --

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Re: Avant Browser Vs. FireFox with RoboForm
Dec 7, 2004 1:53PM PST

Firefox's strong point is that it is strong against spyware and pop-ups. It does have a built-in password and form manager, though I cannot say how it compares to RoboForm. Avant is just a shell for IE, so you get the same bad and good with Avant.

Those idiotic flashing ads are usually Shockwave Flash files or animated GIFs. The newest FF supports flash, so you will get the embedded flashing ads. We need to write to those jerks and tell them to knock it off.

I personally will not buy any product advertised in that manner. Hype and flash usually means tripe and junk.

I do hope that marketing clowns involved will read this.

- Collapse -
Re: Avant Browser Vs. FireFox with RoboForm
Dec 8, 2004 9:03AM PST

Thanks, Tim:
If you're saying that FF doesn't block flashing ads, then I don't see the point in even trying FF. Avant Browser has flash animation blocking and ad blocking, and also pop-up blocking, all 3 by buttons on the Standard tool bar. Maybe FF is a little faster, and I do like the sparse interface, but I'm trying to knock out the flash crap at web sites. I also need RoboForm to work . . . Thanks again.

- Collapse -
Just noting.
Dec 8, 2004 9:20AM PST

Firefox does not come with all possible features installed. One of the addons does toggle flash off and on as well as other settings.

To write that Firefox does not block flash is fine, but then again, it can do this. I added the very nice adblocker since not only does it block the ad, but the page is rendered as if it was never there (no red-x's).


Bob

- Collapse -
Re: Just noting.
Dec 8, 2004 11:01AM PST

OK, that's important to know.
Also, I went to the RoboForm site and they have a "converter" to download for FF 1.0. Looks like which browser, Avant or FF, is the better is really up to personal preferences. I may have to give FF a full try-out to really know which of the 2 is best for me. Up to now: Really liking the much faster browsing speed (compared to IE) of Avant. Of course, a lot of bandwidth has been saved by the blocking functions. But, the interface is busier than I like, with too many tool bars ! From screen shot, FF looks to be sparse and clean . . .

- Collapse -
Avant Browser vs. Firefox
Dec 17, 2004 11:47AM PST

I prefer Avant Browser (Using Version 10.0 Build 033), although I have Mozilla Firefox for backup. Occasionally, I use IE 6; SP2. Unlike Firefox, Avant Browser is an enhancement to Internet Explorer. As such, I assume it shares security vulnerabilities reported with IE. With SP 2, firewall, updated frequent Antivirus scans, and spyware scans, I believe I am relatively safe. However, since Firefox is considered more secure, I use it for sites where security might be an issue.

The reason I prefer Avant Browser is that it includes features not found on Firefox. The Avant Browser can be configured to retain the web addresses of open web pages when shutting down; it then reloads them automatically upon opening the browser. The Avant Browser has a button to open additional pages within the browser; this is a real convenience. In Firefox, you must click through "File," etc., and if you hit "Open Window" by mistake, you open another browser program, instead of a blank page. Avant Browser also includes a handy feature next to the type size button; it will zoom in through a wide range of magnifications. This is great for sites with tiny typefaces.

Both browsers include a great variety of custom configuration possibilities; however, I believe the Avant Browser has more of the features I prefer. Both are much faster than IE. And both are tabbed, unlike IE. In fact, the tabbed pages within one browser program are a much more efficient use of resources and RAM. That accounts for a large measure of the increased speed of the two browsers. This difference from IE is even more pronounced when using Win 98, PII, and 64 MB of RAM. However, the speed is an advantage even with Win XP, SP2, with P4 and 512 MB of RAM.

Firefox: **** Avant Browser, *****.

Robert in Los Angeles, Cah-lee-FOR-nya

- Collapse -
The Avant Browser is more secure than the Firefox Browser!!!
Dec 18, 2004 3:42PM PST

It may surprise you to learn that at the present time, the Avant Browser is actually more secure than the Firefox Browser according to www.secunia.com, a website which verifies the security vulnerability of various products including web browsers. According to their latest reports on Firefox and Avant, Firefox has 4 vulnerabilities with one vulnerability having a partial fix. Avant, by comparison, only has one vulnerability. However, their is a fix for that one Avant vulnerability by upgrading to a more recent version of Java. After doing this upgrade, I ran Avant through the secunia.com security tests and it passed all of them with flying colors. It also passed all security tests on another website. With this upgrade, Avant has no security vulnerabilities according to these aforementioned security check websites.
I tried Firefox and really liked the features it afforded via the extensions. However, without going into a lot detail about it, there were also some hassles associated with the use of Firefox including the inability to reach certain websites and an "anything but easy" initial plugin configuration in certain respects. Once I passed these initial challenges, Firefox was convenient to use as long as a few certain websites were avoided. Don't let me give you the wrong impression, I would give Firefox a very high score as a browser. It is very unfortunate that there are proprietary factors which come into play where browsers, like so many other computer related items, are concerned.
Avant, however, was easy to use right from the very start. Easily configurable, Avant offers some excellent customizable options and some very attractive skins. In all respects including aesthetics, security and functionality, I highly recommend the Avant Browser and give high praise to it's creator, Anderson Che.

- Collapse -
Avant Browser vs Firefox
Apr 28, 2005 10:40PM PDT

I agree with your assessment of the two web browsers. Avant continues to soar past its competitors with ease and seem to be determine to hold the number one rating. While Firefox continues to provide healthy competition for Avant it still remains supreme. I hope that in keeping that rating, they don't over shoot their objective by over designing the browser.

I used them for different situations and find them both to be an excellent tool for Internet browsing.