Activity for December 25

Review - Mozilla Lightning for Windows
1.1 (Dec 25, 2011)

This version, like the last two I have tried to use with Thunderbird simply jams up everything. Thunderbird refuses to work with this add-on. It will work with Google Calendar add-on.
Review - Mozilla Firefox (v4) for Windows
4.0 (Mar 27, 2011)

-Update-
Changing the rating up to 5 from 4. Apparently I was wrong about the page rendering. I had the NoSquint add-on set to change both font and whole page to say 120% which is wrong. Reset it to font (text) to 100% then ZOOM both Text and Page to ___% which for me most pages at 145% look fine and it works just fine. I was getting an improper text alignment and tried the Disable NoSquint and tested the page rendering and it sill looked off. Well, it likely had recalled the settings in Firefox, so my re-test was in error. Sorry Firefox Mozilla team, as I dead wrong, and the FF4 is rendering correctly set as from when downloaded, or using NoSquint set the way I just described above.

All said and done, I think the new Chrome10 is still going to be tough competition for Firefox. I have several add-ons making FF4 as good, if not a better choice, but many people never tweak a browser, so Chrome may be a better pick for them. I altered the toolbar setup and now after using just a row for bookmarks and one for tabs, have something as compact as Chrome -- will other people do this? Once tweaked, with wonderful add-ons, I am not 100% happy with Firefox 4.
Review - Opera for Windows
11.10.2064 Beta (Mar 27, 2011)

Opera just come up with strange issues, like one site Opera works well with Mac version, but the Windows version refuses to load the data from cnbc pre-markets. They still have the old bookmarks system, which is harder to work with than others.

Opera has cool features, like Rewind, but overall it is the lack of extensions, such as the really great Ad Block, and not working with some sites which holds it up. There are some sites which render the same, some off, and some do not work.

Want a browser with email, just get SeaMonkey Beta, and move around the address window and eliminate a bar or two, and you have something slick. It is snappier than IE4, and renders sites correctly. At 100% to 150% sites look great in SeaMonkey. Presently I have moved to Chrome10 which is sleek, fast, lean and renders well. Just a very capable and easy to live with browser. My vote is for Chrome10. Opera has cool features, but too many issues to deal with.
Review - Microsoft Internet Explorer v9 for Windows 7 (32-bit)
9.00.8112.16421 (Mar 15, 2011)

It lacks some user friendly features / add-ons, like AdBlocker, double click on tab to close, remembering the individual website choice for resizing, simple and quick reminder app as an add-on, Yahoo mail alert add-on, and the list goes on for missing great extensions or built-in features. Also noticed ie9 is more compact, but Chrome and FF4 take it one step more down the road in that they use the Title Bar on top as a Tabs Bar, thus no wasted space.

Chrome is cleaner, and shall we say cooler looking, while being the most user friendly an app can be. Chrome, Firefox4, and Opera are still ahead of Internet Explorer. Microsoft adding speed to ie9 is a good thing. I am sure it has some valued points to its credit. For my everyday use, Chrome or Firefox is by far easier to live with - use. This rendition is worth a rating in the two to three stars range, so I have given it both ;) - different articles.
Review - Google Chrome for Windows
10.0.648.127 (Mar 13, 2011)

FF4 is an improvement, but Chrome, now with enough good extensions, great speed and a nice viewing area is my #1 browser. CHROME has finally done it! After using many browsers, I have found this one solid, lean looking, cool is style and easy to live with. Has an easy setup and the layout for options is user friendly. Have found all sites so far to work well with Chrome.

The new Chrome 9 and 10 are simply the best. This is not to say some extensions are a tad better in Firefox and that the fox is not a great browser as well. Just seems like from the quick starting of Chrome to its nice tight look and feel, Chrome has jumped over the Fox this time. FF4 is a solid 4 but the Chrome I would say is indeed a solid 5 start. Opera still has issues. Some sites do not work with Opera. It doesn't seem to remember resized pages and the bookmarks are harder to deal with -- sorry, Opera, as cool as it is in some ways is a 2 or 3 star ratings. SeaMonkey is a solid 3.5 or a 4 star ;)
Comment - NSS tests claim IE9 blocks 96% of social engineering attacks, Firefox 8%
10.0.648.127 (Aug 16, 2011 - 1:01 AM)

Really -- Ad Blocker is included? I don't think so. A real ad blocking extension so that it automatically will not display a ton of ads - sounds good, but it is not on IE9. Some things perhaps are good about IE9 - everyday usability as in user experience is better when using the other three -- FF , Chrome, Opera. There is no script as an add-on for Windows users, or when all else fails the innocent lambs, just use Mac or Linux. Seriously, I don't know what sites people are using to get in so much trouble these days and just what files are they executing on their Windows computers?

IE9 is a great step in the right direction, and the best effort since version 5 of IE to compete. It has its moments of glory ;)
Comment - Apple tool solves Leopard to Lion Migration woes
10.0.648.127 (Aug 12, 2011 - 12:15 PM)

Let's analyze the names here: 1) The Leopard, smaller, faster and more agile. 2) The Lion, slower, strong, but sort of a bully, and loves to eat while letting others provide-- ate some wallets the other day :o Think I will stay with a Snow Leopard - nice kitty.
Comment - Apple is no longer the world's most valuable company
10.0.648.127 (Aug 12, 2011 - 11:48 AM)

Is there a magically way for Exxon to sell their gas at 20 to 40% more per gallon -- I think not. Got to admit that there are but the few magical companies like Apple which succeed in retailing the same product for a higher price while having people smile as they leave the store. Fashion is a powerful tool. Apple is tops in the fashion side computer marketing. Well all seem to fall for it at one time or another, in this Sergio Valente jeans world, when a perfectly good Wrangler jean would cover our butts just as well ;)

Perhaps Microsoft would do better if they found a salesman like Cal Worthington. Good ol' Cal Worthington and his dog spot! Microsoft remains a good cake with no frosting on the top.
Comment - How does the US downgraded credit rating compare to major tech companies?
10.0.648.127 (Aug 8, 2011 - 11:56 PM)

No Joe, you should only be surprised at the US rating above junk. You are talking apples and oranges, and the ratings you posted are excellent for the most part. Look at the extra cash on hand, and money they generate -- perhaps they can loan our treasury a couple of clams ;)
Comment - My mother is getting a Chromebook
10.0.648.127 (Jul 31, 2011 - 1:07 PM)

If you add Firefox with Theme Font & Size Changer to make the Bookmarks readable, it may work. Mac software has these tiny fonts making apps like Safari extremely difficult to read. For my Mac Mini I am presently using my old monitor, a 1280 x 1024, but the bookmarks are still too small in Safari. Mac is fast boot-up, so just to check mail and such, quite OK. For something to work on, I strongly prefer Windows 7. Love the good quality freeware for Win 7 too. Mac has its moments, but overall I rate it along with Linux, second to Windows.