# Best Free Browser? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 8, 2000, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501 "2000-09-08T15:04:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2000, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/1 "2000-09-08T15:04:14Z")
To put it mildly, I am fed up with both Netscape and Explorer, and I don’t need or use all their bells and whistles. What is the best browser I can get for free off the internet? ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2000, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/2 "2000-09-08T15:05:06Z")
Opera is the only one I know of. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/3 "2000-09-08T15:22:56Z")
If you happen to be on a Mac, go get iCab ([www.icab.de](http://www.icab.de)). It rocks. (Actually, though it’s still in development and is lacking a few features, like JavaScript and Cascading Style Sheets… and when it’s done it will cost $30. But it will be well worth it.) ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2000, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/4 "2000-09-08T15:41:09Z")
Opera is NOT free. Or wasn’t when I looked at it. try [http://www.download.com](http://www.download.com) browser link, because I don’t know what type of computer you have Jean. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2000, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/5 "2000-09-08T17:15:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\*Opera is NOT free. Or wasn’t when I looked at it. > > try [http://www.download.com](http://www.download.com) browser link, because I don’t know what type of computer you have Jean. \*\* I have a PC, and I downloaded a “shareware” Opera only to find that I will have to pay for it at the end of 30 days. I got it from [Download.com](http://Download.com), but I’ll go back to see what else they have. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2000, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/6 "2000-09-08T18:08:05Z")
Jesse Berst’s Anchordesk at ZDNet just did a review of alternative browsers to IE and Netscape. Here’s the link: [http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2625615,00.html](http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2625615,00.html) Personally, I love Opera. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2000, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/7 "2000-09-09T09:20:45Z")
I had written the source code for a free 'Net browser of my own, and in my experiences, it rocked. It was perfect. I got every single bug out of it, then I deliberately put in more bugs to get rid of those, too. I checked it with hundreds upon hundreds of web sites, under dozens of difficult, bizarre working conditions. Everything came out in the green. No glitches. No crashes. Excellent speed. Then Bill Gates broke into my house and beat me over the head with a wiffle bat, then he had his goons smash my computer, destroying my perfect web browser. Then he laughed at me. That meanie. ::sobs:: ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2000, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/8 "2000-09-10T00:02:16Z")
You could try Mozilla. It’s the basis for the next Netscape, but without all the crap. > **[Internet for people, not profit](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/)** > > Mozilla is the not-for-profit behind the lightning fast Firefox browser. We put people over profit to give everyone more power online. Though still under development, it is quite nice. Be sure to report any bugs that you do find, so that they can get fixed. ---
**Author:** ![Tropical\_or\_topical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Tropical\_or\_topical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tropical_or_topical)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2000, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/9 "2000-09-10T00:32:50Z")
I couldn’t live without all the bells and whistles! I really loved NeoPlanet over IE4, and I had collected 40 skins and looked for more every week. But when IE5 came out with automatic formfill and password entry, I just couldn’t use Neoplanet anymore. And now that IE5.5 has “header wallpaper”, I don’t even miss NeoPlanet. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2000, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/10 "2000-09-11T17:29:35Z")
Thanks for the responses. I went back and downloaded Mozilla; haven’t installed it yet, though. And **Tropical** , I am very high maintenance, so you’d think I’d love all bells and whistles in the Top Two Browsers. But I find that I only use the main buttons and the bookmark feature. And if having a skeletal browser means I don’t have to reboot every 45 minutes when my current browsers lock up my computer, I’m all for it. ---
**Author:** ![CheapBastid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@CheapBastid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheapBastid)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/11 "2004-06-12T01:03:39Z")
So, what is the consensus on the best free browser out there nowadays? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/12 "2004-06-12T01:16:11Z")
I presume you’ve bumped this thread with the genuine reason of asking that question… Mozilla is now a helluva powerful beast - so much so that Thunderbird, the standalone browser, has been released separately. I can’t see anything else free comparing with it (and no, I don’t regard the advert-funded version of Opera to be free) ---
**Author:** ![CheapBastid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@CheapBastid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheapBastid)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/13 "2004-06-12T01:21:04Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > I presume you’ve bumped this thread with the genuine reason of asking that question… Yes, I did. I’ve heard of a browser called **Firefox** , is that Mozilla’s latest? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/14 "2004-06-12T01:23:41Z")
:smack: That’s the one. Thunderbird is the Email client. :smack: All available at [www.mozilla.org](http://www.mozilla.org) ---
**Author:** ![quilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/839c29/32.png) [@quilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quilter)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/15 "2004-06-12T01:25:09Z")
Another vote for Mozilla. I use it on the PC and Mac at work, and on my Mac at home. If/when Firefox (which is Mozilla without mail/chat/etc) will let me ignore animations, I’ll consider switching again. Mozilla’s advantages include: tabbed browsing, no pop-ups, and no animations. I want a browser, not a cartoon! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/16 "2004-06-12T01:28:23Z")
Firefox is not just the browser from the Mozilla suite. The Mozilla brower and Firefox are seperate, distinct programs. My vote is for Mozilla. ---
**Author:** ![quilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/839c29/32.png) [@quilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quilter)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/17 "2004-06-12T01:39:06Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Firefox is not just the browser from the Mozilla suite. The Mozilla brower and Firefox are seperate, distinct programs. Perhaps we’re saying the same thing differently, **Revtim**. [mozilla.org](http://mozilla.org) calls Firefox “Mozilla’s next generation browser” – and I meant to imply that it was Mozilla without the frills of mail/chat/etc. I use Eudora Pro as a mailer on the work PC, and Mac’s mail at home. So I want a browser sans frills – but Firefox’s browser isn’t quite there yet. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2004, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-free-browser/32501/18 "2004-06-12T01:39:24Z")
> [@CheapBastid](#): > > So, what is the consensus on the best free browser out there nowadays? Next time start a _new_ thread, possibly with a link to the _old_ thread. Lockdown.