Why do I need two browsers these days?

First, let me correct a statement that several people have already made. *****DuckDuckGo is not a browser - it is a search engine.***** Right now it has two characteristics that make it somewhat desirable.

(1) It runs 32 search engines in parallel, is still lightning fast. I found that the sheer amount of data coming back was such that it took me a long time to find what I wanted. Second, but only for the present, it uses one of its many IPs rather than yours, so advertisers, etc. cannot trace the question back to you. However their plan is to get people hooked on these two "advantages" and then offer the first offer free and charge for the anonymity.

(2) 2 step authentication is a choice now, except for Yahoo and Google who demand it. When you sign in with in with your user ID and password, there is a second step. They may allow you to phone you at home with a (usually) 6 digit number that you have to enter to finish the second step. They may text or phone your cell phone, but one thing that they all do is mail that number to your second browser. Of course this assumes that you have a second browser and that you have notified each about the other.

(3) If you're not at home that kills the first option. If you forgot to carry your cellphone or it's battery is too low that kills the second option. But browsers are always there, so if you can't get into browser 1, they'll send the information to browser 2 that lets you have a six digit integer, or, if you have forgotten your password or User ID they can send you an option at your second browser's mail to use a temporary password or User ID that will get you into the system and steer you to the place where you can enter a new password or User ID. That kind of thing is not possible over the phone or in a text message.

In conclusion, use two browsers and different mail systems, my choices are Yahoo Mail in www.Yahoo.com and Gmail in Google Chrome. As IE10 is constantly having problems, go with Gmail and Yahoo Mail.

In less than a year 2-step authentication will be used universally. Those hackers who are trying to steal your ID, bank account, Credit card numbers, SSN, etc. can break most passwords. They are large companies and rthey don't try to break your password with a microcomputer. They run Cray supercomputers in parallel and beat your password to death. That's why we need two-step authentication, and it's why you need two browsers, each with a separate mail system.

You can't avoid this, so do it now, not after you've had your password broken.

Seriously, DO IT NOW! Don't wait until you're forced to do it.

You can skip the other messages - this is something that I really know about. I can't tell you where I was trained so you can take a guess at how much I know.

GerryR

Back in the day of mainframes being the only thing, each manufacturer would do something different to make their system look better than the competition. Unfortunately, this meant some programs written for one system could never run on a different system without extensive changes, if even that. It meant: there was no "APP Store". Then along came standards so everyone would ahere to the standards. Then again, the manufacturers would put in add-ins to make theirs look better than the others. So, if programmers stuck to the standard, their program was somewhat portable. But, use even one proprietary feature, and you are back to square one. With browsers, it is a similar situation.

Even though HTML was a "standard", makers of different browsers would add new features to either the browser, itself, or the back end to limit funtionality of competing browsers. Remember "Frontpage"? To some extent, as others point out, not adhering to standards makes a big mess. That's why you see little labels on websites that say, "This website best viewed by ... (insert broser name and version)...". Ideally, programmers are supposed to test their product on various machines, various platforms, and with various browsers and other software. But they don't.

I have had issues accessing parts of Microsoft's website with Internet Explorer. I heard the fix was to use only the latest versions which required Windows 7+. So, I got in the habit of using Firefox on Microsoft's sites and that seems to work fine. Then some manufacturers decide to switch to using standards and drop support for their proprietary stuff. But do the website makers stop using code that is proprietary? Do people even bother updating their site? We had one contractor who limited software versions because he insisted we had to have Frontpage. Frontpage is a dead horse, from what I understand.

Then their is the Google Chrome issue. I don't know a lot about Chrome but just remember that when you get "products" free from a company that is making billions of dollars, there has to be a catch, right? Maybe the makers of Chrome are looking for information about you and they need for you to have an account somewhere? I'm just guessing, of course. If you think the NSA is spying on you, aren't you concerned that free products are being used to make money off of you and by accumulating information about you? The NSA is just looking at our stuff. Others are making money off of it. Enough said.

Hello Joe,
No you are not the only one to feel this way, I and many others are with you all the way.
Yahoo, Google Et Al. are playing stupid games to outdo and dislodge each others all the while squeezing us into an ever-narrowing window in the center of the screen flanked by two rows of parasitic adverts that open up if one accidentally allow the cursor to float (not click) over them.
If I have the nerve to try and delete the nuisance, I am immediately fustigated by being sent to a new Yahoo page that goes on for ever explaining why these ads should be there. See if I care!
I held on to XP until last January but I found that most browsers were becoming unstable and I had to suffer a Win7 reconditioning. It was difficult and nine months later, it still is very painful. Nothing seems reliable in this platform and one section after another keeps messing up, Outlook being a prime offender.
Recently, I made the error to purchase a year of Microsoft technical support and the mistake to use it. I was sent to India, as usual, I HATE that. I am French, and it is always a dialog of deaf & mute: No one understand the other.
This time it was a lot worse, I hit rock bottom. I got a couple of consecutive women who were equally inept at supporting anything technically and who finally blew up my entire operating system. I am not using a figure of speech here; I actually SAW my desktop "explode", the icons turning into pulsating figures like the Win7 quartet logo. That was a month ago and I am still trying to put the pieces back together ALONE. I cannot believe that I paid Microsoft to have two of its hackers destroy my computer.
So be glad that XP will no longer be supported, you will be a lot safer that way.
As for security, after a major security company allowed four Trojans on my computer some time back, I decided to try a small but very sharp software called Vipre. At first I felt very vulnerable due to its apparent small footprint, but it is just as its name would imply: very fast and lethal to any potential intrusion or malware. I love it and I feel quite safe now. Furthermore, the tech support is free, in the US, and of very good quality. One cannot ask for more.
A last comment, when I was faced with a wrecked machine, I wrote a stern letter to two of Microsoft senior officers and among other topics, I suggested that they stop messing up people like us who want a sensible and stable platform. I suggested that they should start producing two different operating systems: One for the gimmick lovers and one for the logical workers, this second version being like a revival of XP. I would not hold my breath but you never know...miracles do happen on occasions.
Bon courage, and take care.
HG

... that you don't, actually need two browsers. I've been using Firefox since it first appeared, glad to finally find a replacement for Netscape Navigator, and are still using it happily now. IE? Don't use it, except where various products (such as antivirus software) rely on it as an interface. Chrome? In spite of Google's relentless pestering that I should install it, I have neither installed nor used it so far. And as long as FFox is alive and well, I definitely will not. I don't store any sensitive data on the computer. No passwords, no login names, and DEFINITELY no bank account numbers or similar. It all resides on my old fashioned, webless mobile phone, a Nokia E50. I've got lots of text files (which are also saved on a backup microSD card) with all I need- passwords, numbers, etc.
As for the ads... well, I try to install all add-ons that promise to suppress them but more often then not, they don't. Browser crashes? Only on dubious trojan infested sites. Which I generally avoid. As for the "can't they stop concentrating on new ways to..." thingy, well, they just can't. It's called revenue. And it's the "core business" of every, well... business! ) They pay good wages and the money for it has to come from somewhere. And that's from clogging our Internet connections with MBytes of useless... hmm... well, advertising (I was just about to say the "c" word here)...

Joe

The biggest reason that I actually have 3 browsers, Firefox, Chrome and IE is because of Malware and Browser Hijacker Objects. While they are technically termed Browser Helper Objects, I have yet to find one that is actually helpful to the Browser. Certain Web Sites that you may need to access especially government based sites will require that you use Internet Explorer and this is the only times that I ever use IE is when a site strictly requires it's use. Internet Explorer is so heavily tied into Windows Operating System that if IE get's trashed by Malware it's likely to screw up Windows Functionality as well. But even that being said, should a browser become inoperable due to some type of virus or malware it's unlikely that same infection would have damaged all browsers. So let's say your using Chrome and something corrupts it, you may find your self needing to uninstall and reinstall it in order to get it functioning properly again. Now ask yourself this question, How many years has it been since you have seen free browser CD's at the local stores? If you only have one browser and it's not functional how do you expect to download the re installation file for that browser. Essentially it's best practice to have other options in case of emergency. You also may need that additional browser to be able to download the proper removal tools if you were to get hit with a nasty virus. Again my advice is too only use internet explorer when absolutely needed because of the active x technology that for some reason is still in existence it is by far the unsafest browser available and easily vulnerable to attacks that can cause system wide problems. Whenever I do a clean install on a computer I always install FireFox and Chrome even though I almost never even use Chrome I know it will be there in the event that I need it.

feeling is mutual (except for the part about paying for my browser). i love chrome BUT have to use ie for mapping on openstreetmaps. chrome doesnt display uploaded tracks while ie does.

So...I'm filling out an important form on a site and they tell me to be sure to use the latest version of a particular browser (almost always IE) but the form is a mess and refuses to display properly enough for me to fill out the form, so I end up having to switch to a "wrong" browser to get the job done. It's BS.

You need IE because it's needed for Windows Updates. It works well with MS sites when need be too. You need another browser because IE is buggy. I use Firefox because I like it best. I also like Chrome so I use it with CNET. But I don't see the site incompatibilities you reference. I can get to all the sites I frequent with all three browsers. Outside of the seemingly constant updates with Firefox (24 full versions in 3 years plus incremental updates in between), I don't have a problem with 3 browsers. Just make sure you have plenty of RAM for what you do and a 64 bit OS. 4 GB is probably all most folks need, but I upgraded to 8 GB because I like to start a lot of web sites & keep them open, and because it only cost me $42 to upgrade from 4 GB. YMMV.

It's NOT "Progress" at all.
It's just a mess.
I used IE for years, 6, 7, 8 9 etc.
Switched to Chrome, and so far I like it, even though it's got it's own flaws.
Tried Firefox once, hated it.

There are standards and there are proprietary deviations ("extensions") from the standard. Each of the major browser vendors deviates from standard to gain some market advantage.

The defect, however, is that web developers take the amateurish shortcut in creating browser interactions. A well-designed, well-implemented site will determine which browser, which version, and which operating system your are using. It will then interact with that browser -- with you -- in a way that enhances your online experience. That is a professional approach to web development.

Sadly, many web developers do not take this professional approach. For many reasons -- ignorance, laziness, deadline pressures, cost, deficient development tools, or just a lack of interest -- a web developer may not bother to deal with proprietary deviations from standards and may not invest in the testing needed to validate against all common browsers.

When that happens, you -- the user -- pay the price, by encountering web pages that don't work properly, by having to install new browsers, and by spending your time debugging the web developer's product.

Software development is not a profession, and web development is broadly carried out by amateurs -- in many cases, the web page might have been produced by a non-developer using a "site builder" tool. The result is that you have to use more than one browser to get your work done.

I understand where you are coming from. I find myself turning more and more to Firefox rather than Internet Explorer. For some reason it seems to be more stable. I have heard of DuckDuckGo and just downloaded it. Plan to try it out this week as my search engine. What i hate is any time I access my financial info on my iPad, I am required to change my password (and I do check remember this device). Then when I go back to my laptop, it again says for security reasons I need to change my password (and I have also checked remember this device). I am running out of passwords that I can remember and it won't accept any password that is too similar to last 6 ones or so!! Grrr.....I know it is keeping me safe, but gosh when I need access right away it is frustrating. I travel with my iPad since it is more convenient to carry than my laptop.

Yes, there is a governing body, but there's no rule that anyone has to pay attention - and developers can offer new features before standards are ratified, so we end up with differences. See http://xkcd.com/927/ for a good comment on standards

The biggest problem I see is Microsoft and their IE - it's never been anything like compatible with standards (yes it's getting better, only because they have little choice). But it's the default browser in the default operating system, so it's just there. Everyone should do everyone else a favour and STOP USING IT

Writing the HTML that defines a web page can get very complicated supporting incompatible standards, so some pages are just going to work better with certain browser engines - which is why you want a backup. I would suggest using Chrome and Firefox as your safest bets - pick one as your primary, and go with it. My operating system doesn't natively support IE and I don't notice it's absence in any way.

Worried about men in black watching you - well, they can, if they want, regardless - so I'm not about to make like hard for myself pretending that I'm invisible. But to each their own.

Ads - most of the ads you see belong to the website, not the browser - and it's just a way of monetizing the website - like it or not. Some websites I do pay to not see ads, and that's a decision we can each make, assuming we have the option.

Now I could be wrong on this, please politely correct me if I'm wrong - I think Windows is much more vulnerable to popups, unwanted addins and other trash when browsing. I use Ubuntu and don't seem to have any troubles with that. My work computer is Windows and it's much worse, even though at work I don't go towards such bad neighbourhoods where I might find bad websites.

I don't have much need for more than a search engine for my day to day internet use. I keep it simple and use www.dogpile.com. Name is kind of out there, but it's very simple.

Wiki has a pretty detailed list of web browsers, and all the different types that individuals may have specific need for and links to all. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_web_browsers)

I just checked out that DuckDuckGo search engine. I kind of like it. very plain and simple. I will have to give it a try. Thanks.

I've asked why I have to use IE at some sites because Chrome doesn't work. I get responses that are based on archaic thinking that say they work only with the "dominant browser". They must be stuck in 2005, huh?