Why do I need two browsers these days?

OF course it is possible to have several email accounts open in the same browser, IF They Are From Different Providers.

Again, if you have several DIFFERENT email accounts with different providers, yes, of course you can have them all open in one browser. This was NEVER an issue, nor did I debate this fact.

One user here did post a gmail setting that will allow multiple logins with Gmail, but again, I'm not sure if other providers have this functionality. If not, I still adhere to my original posts about multiple logins of most any account(s), email or otherwise, in the same browser.

I'm sure at this point that there will be some exceptions to this, given the fact that Google, has made it possible in Gmail.. Others may well follow suit.

The way that privacy settings are set up in most browsers, would require some sort of work around, just like gmail has, AGAIN this assuming same provider(s), multiple account logins.

Hope this makes sense! I know it can be hard to convey in short syntax, one's meaning..

Why ?

What benefit is derived from a second or third account ? It seems like one takes on more work to keep up with them a more risk of everything.
Are the accounts mutually supportive of one another ?
What accounts would be a good idea ?

A work account, a family account, a totally private account for sensitive data and so forth. There are lots of reasons to maintain multiple accounts. Yes, it does create a bit more in the way of organization, but there are benefits too , especially in the way of privacy.
One example is, I use one email account for only online sign ups to pages like cnet, blogs, forums etc.. Another for banking. Another for work specific. I have several.

The minute you "refresh" your page/tab, your current login will be shown, and the previous, gone.

Actually , I have 4 Gmail accounts , all open in the same browser at this moment. You can either elect to have your email from other accounts, not necessarily just GMAIL, collected into one Gmail account ( I have 2 hotmails and 2 charter accounts doing this) , and at the same time you can "Add Account" and the other Gmail accounts open in new tabs in the same browser. ( I have 3 plus my primary one open in tabs right now) . Perhaps it is true that you need more than one browser for multiple accounts like Amazon and Netflix, or other email accounts , but what you are saying is NOT true regarding GMAIL. I usually use Chrome, but this works the same in Firefox or Internet Explorer.
I primarily use Chrome, but you cannot a "selection" in Chrome, to my knowledge, so I find I must use Firefox or IE for that function.

There are so many variables, that have been discussed at different places in this thread but,
There are so many options for how folks set up email accounts. On gmail, yes they allow both multiple instances of email accounts, this has been discussed. As well, one can opt to have emails from different accounts Forwarded to a Main account if desired.
So yes there are options that each individual can choose to set up.

As far as banking user sign ons , Netflix and others, well, ....most of them won't allow that in the same browser.

Thanks for the comment.

I agree with webserf - it is definitely a matter of personal preference and choice. I am a staunch user of Internet Explorer, and have the latest version on my PC. I have no problems accessing web pages, entering data, etc. Plus I can access all my web-based e-mail accounts all at once, by opening them in different tabs. I personally have found Chrome to be slow, Firefox to be too buggy, and Opera to be inadequate for me ( at least in my opinion). I know others swear by these other browsers, but I am one that has found that IE is the best - - at least for me.

on DDG , so now the purpose of it being secure is defeated as it's just a an engine to direct you to web sites. Other than being fast it really doesn't do anything for us?

DDG does what it advertises. It allows us to search without our personal information being collected and stored. Not even our IP addresses, MAC Addresses nor our browser information is collected and stored. I strongly suggest that you read DDG's Privacy Policy by following the link here: http://donttrack.us/ .

Tracking is another animal altogether. Tracking can be done no matter which browser you use. Learn about tracking by doing a search for "web tracking" to begin with and with what you learn from that you can do further searches to learn even more and how to protect yourself from it.

And by all means, continue to use DDG! ....and even give Startpage and Ixquick a try, too!

Looking up just now for a download of duckduckgo it seems to be a fancy search engine but I didn't see anything suggesting it was a browser. Have I got that wrong? I would like to try a new clean browser as I've not been happy with any so far Firefox; IE8; Sea Monkey; Safari; Chrome - they all seem to be full of problems one way or another. It's a bit like finding a good free Anti Virus that works well for more than a few months and doesn't clog up the system to a grinding halt !

ddg is a search engine not a browser.

Both FF and Chrome are excellent browsers, and frankly, so is IE (leaving any vulnerability issues aside). For variety's sake, you might try the Chrome-based Comodo Dragon.

I was having a few issues with Firefox until i adjusted my security levels. I have Adaware and Avira as my anti virus programs. I also have DoNotTrackMe and AdBlockPlus [ that's one addon the IE doesn't allow and as an online gamer I find very convenient]. I'm 67, just got a computer 4 years ago and I find that with a little research I can find solutions to any PC problems I may encounter. Good luck, Joe.

1. Let's not get things confused here any more than they already are.

a. A Search Engine is a web based service that you use to do searches on to find other web pages of you choice.

b. A Web Browser is a software program on a device such as a computer, tablet or smart phone that enables you to get on the Internet.

That is not to say that DuckDuckGo is not a good Search Engine. It is one of the most private Search Engines out there among others which also include Ixquick and Start Page, Ixquick's little brother that searches Google for you while keeping your search history, etc from Google.


2. As far as Browsers go, I use Firefox exclusively with very minute problems such as what Joe A. describes. I refuse Chrome due to it's lack of privacy issues that Joe describes. I've tried many other browsers, too, but have always disliked one thing or another about them especially when it comes to functionality. They just simply do not hold a candle to Firefox with one's chosen extensions.

That said, there is one caveat that I must interject where my use of Firefox is concerned: I use a version of FF that is about two to four versions behind the most recent version and I do NOT allow it to update on it's own. I use that version until it just doesn't work any more then I "upgrade" again to a version that is behind the latest version. It really doesn't take but about a year and a half to two years for this to occur now that FF has increased it's update schedule. Once I install the new version of FF I simply install all my add-ons again. I use an add-on called Extension List Dumper to generate a list of my add-ons so I can remember all of them. I use another add-on called PlainOldFavorites so that I can save my bookmarks in IE's Favorites and access them from FF so I don't have to use FF Bookmarks which are more tricky to save. Therefore, I never lose my Favorites when I uninstall the obsolete version of FF in favor of a newer one.


3. As far as Firefox extensions are concerned, the ones that do help protect the computer or the user's privacy (BetterPrivacy, NoScript, etc) do have to be configured properly in order to do their optimum jobs while not impeding user's surfing and other usage habits. It's all in learning how to use these extensions properly to tweak them to the user's habits. While this can be a bit of a slowdown or pain in the anal orifice at times it is well worth that little bit of time and trouble to have that protection.


4. I suspect that Joe's problems may be one or more Add-ons (if he has them) causing most of his incompatibilities where Firefox is concerned. If he does have these types of add-ons installed on his Firefox then he may want to go into each one and learn how to use it individually, first and then go on to the next. This will be made easier if he disables all but the add-on that he's working with at the time. Then he can enable one at a time to see how it meshes with the others and whether it needs some tweaking or a similar replacement to make his internet usage more seamless with just Firefox. That way he won't have to have Chrome on his computer at all if he doesn't want to.

For sites that are just incompatible with Firefox, and I've run into them a handful of times, too (they're usually very small "one-horse" sites) he could try to contact that site and ask them to make it compatible with Firefox. I've done this on occasion and those folks normally appreciate the feedback and do what they can to fix the problem on their end. I even had a local TV station that was incompatible with FF until I called their IT department and notified them of the problem. It was fixed in just a few days!

I hope this helps in some way, Joe. Good Luck! <img style="border:0;" class="smiley" src="http://i.i.cbsi.com/cnwk.1d/i/mb/emoticons/happy.gif" alt="happy" />

itsdigger-WHAT does duckduckgo have to do with this thread ?? duckduckgo IS A SEARCH ENGINE.NOT a browser ! Just a bit off topic now aren't we ?

and you'll find that I corrected that.

...was the code word to get home safely on a Saturday night when the yahoos were being thrown out of the pubs.

Dafydd.

I did not know DDG was a browser - just like iXquick or Startpage?

I thought I knew the difference between a browser and a search engine. I gave several thumbs down to several different post because I only knew of DDG as a search engine. But several people are stating it as a browser. So I went to DDG and they claim it is a browser but in their description they describe it as a search engine! Which is it?????

My question is, and by the way I have the DDG "search engine" installed on my FireFox browser, did someone redefine the word browser?????? How can it be a browser? Does it function stand alone or do you need a browser to utilize it???

If you "need a browser" then it is only a search engine and NOT a true browser! It is one or the other. But by DDG's very own site they describe an engine.

@ Glenn51

Read DDG's own description properly, please.

Write "Duck Duck GO" on their search field and read the result, which is:

"Duck Duck Go is a search engine based in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania that uses information from crowd-sourced sites (like Wikipedia) with the aim of augmenting traditional results and improving relevance.
More at Wikipedia | Official site: duckduckgo.com
Internet search engines"

This text is itself a link to Wikipedia. Click on it and continue reading on Wikipedia.

The world is full of dumb people, those slowing down human development. You cannot take their rubbish opinions into account, or you will be part of them. You have to learn by yourself and use trustable sources.

Thank you BUT I already knew that it was a search engine. What had me confused was several people called it a browser and also if one goes to DDG THEY THEMSELVES call it a browser but when you read the description of it they THEN describe a "search engine"!!

I was at their site about an hour or so ago. I just wanted to make sure the definitions for "browser and search engines" didn't get rewritten in the last couple of days. So a browser is "STILL" a Browser and a search engine is STILL a search engine, which is what DDG is. A search engine and NOT a browser!

I am NO LONGER confused albeit I wasn't really confused in the first place by what I knew but some people change the meanings of the terminology!! Mainly wanted to set the "record straight"!

Because IE is a magnet for viruses and malaware, I don't go near it. But unfortunately, IE comes installed with Windows and you can't kill it.
I use Chrome and Opera. Opera, esp. for me is very dependable. I also have Safari installed as a "backup" browser.

@ philw19642002
Yeah, all OSs are very fast when you install them and before you start adding programs and stuff. After that they all slow down, specially regarding their ever longer start up time even if you arrange the location of the start up files. But you are right about IE. Chrome only works well with less than 10 tabs open. With more than that it takes an unbelievable eternity so start up, as well as to close down; It often crashes at closing and does not always let us restore the preciously open tabs. It is a real mess with more tabs open that what it can take. Very good and fast tough, if working with only a couple of tabs, but a mess to avoid it we like or need to have many tabs open. For this, Firefox behaves properly up to about 40 open tabs. IE is actually the worst browser in many ways, as working disgustingly. Windows should come without a browser. There is no reason today for its inclusion since Outlook Express was discontinued. In Europe you M$ has to ask if you want their browser, bit that is ridiculously not enough. They should simply cut it short. The OS does not need one, even for registration or activation.