Opera 9

Firefox is a more secure browser in multiple respects, but just like most browsers it does not block tracking cookies by default. Assuming that is what you've been finding, the risk is minimal and you'll continue to find them regardless of whether you use IE, Firefox, Opera, or Netscape. To combat tracking cookies you need to do two things:

1.) Use the free program SpywareBlaster to block a list of cookies and ActiveX controls from the start. It does not run in the background meaning it does not use any system resources. Just run it every other week to update the block list.

2.) Set your browser to ask you every time a cookie is to be installed. (This is an option in IE, Opera, and Firefox.) From then on you will have the option of allowing the cookie indefinitely, allowng it for the session, or blocking it indefinitely. It may be a little annoying at first but after a few days your allow/block lists should be well-populated.

In regards to Opera, it's a good browser with a history of fewer vulnerabilities than Firefox. However, its interface is not what you're used to and the browser overall is much less customizable...Firefox has an outstanding level of third-party support so you can add thousands of features whereas Opera is more of a 'what you see is what you get' browser. Finally, it wins most speed tests but I have found some websites to load much faster in Firefox so it really depends on where you are browsing.

It can't hurt to give Opera a try and see if you like it, but be sure to clamp down on the tracking cookies to prevent more spyware scares.

John