preachin' the firefox gospel

[sparticle]

In this article on safeguarding PC's for online security:

Safeguarding A New PC

I found the following:

Step five is a big one: Download the free Mozilla Firefox Web browser (www.mozilla.org) and use that instead of Microsoft's Internet Explorer whenever possible. Firefox is not only simpler and more convenient than Internet Explorer, it's also much more secure -- since it's not hooked so tightly into Windows, it can't act as a transmission belt for viruses. And by not running Microsoft's ActiveX software, Firefox blocks a common route for spyware.

I've been using Firefox exclusively for a month and I wouldn't go back to Explorer if you paid me.

(If you knew how stingy I am with money, you'd know how emphatically I mean this. heh heh heh)

[Large Marge]

I tried that, but they don't make it for Mac.

I keep getting these annoying messages from Yahoo! that I need to update my browser, but to update my browser to Mozilla or Safari, I need operating system X, which I don't have.

Hmm, wonder how much all that's going to cost me? Might as well get a new 'puter.

[Smartypants]

Marge, I think OSX is only about $99, and once you try it, you're sure to love it, especially Safari and Mail, but I'd warn you that unless you have a fairly fast Mac, it will slow you down.

I think it's a bargain as long as you don't have the need for specialty software, the upgrading of which will cost you your first, second, AND third-born.

I only use OS X for administrative stuff. I splurged for business apps Quickbooks Pro and Office X, but it will be a while before I shell out for Illustrator, Quark, Photoshop, and all of those major apps -- those are remaining at the OS 9 level for awhile still. (I have a design business, so upgrading the whole endeavor to OS X will cost thousands. )

Also, right now you can usually get I-Life free when you buy Panther OS, so that adds some fun functions, especially if you have a still/digital camera.

[Zaftig]

I'm a firefox user as well and I freaking love it. That's just my .02 Canadian, which really isn't much.

Sim uses firefox and runs on a freeBSD box and has absolutely NO Microsoft products on his comp. He coverted my to firefox and I won't ever go back to IE.

[Large Marge]

So if I use PhotoShop, I shouldn't upgrade to X?

[Hyakujo's Fox]

Okay I have downloaded it.

Cool so far: tabs, bookmarks toolbar, choice of search engines.

Uncool so far: Won't download http://www.zefrank.com/bulletin/images/paperclip.gif, this input window is half as wide as it used to be.

[sparticle]

Yeah, that was one drawback, but I hardly noticed it. Compared to the pluses, I didn't notice it at all.

[Smartypants]

Originally posted by Large Marge
So if I use PhotoShop, I shouldn't upgrade to X?

Well, I'm still using Photoshop for System 9.

When I do upgrade, I'll likely get the Adobe Creative Suite, which includes -- for OSX -- Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat Pro, and GoLive in one integrated package. In the latest ClubMac catalog, the upgrade price is $549. Photoshop alone is $169 for the upgrade.

That's not bad, considering that Quark Xpress costs $300 for an upgrade to OSX. This may not matter to you if all you use is Photoshop, but I rely on Quark/PS/Illustrator/Acrobat as the main workhorses of my business. Considering that I've been an Xpress user since version 1.0 and have bought legal upgrades for 4 to 10 workstations, I've spent well over $15,000 with Quark over the years, and one of the great joys I plan to experience in my life is to once and for all kiss the Quark Corporation goodbye. Their software pricing is downright disrespectful to long-term customers, and InDesign seems to finally have reached a point where Quark can no longer overcharge as the only game in town.

(Sorry, I know that's off-topic, but I just can't ever resist venting about Quark! It may be that all your needed upgrades can be had with $99 for Panther plus $169 for Photoshop. Remember, too, that switching to OSX doesn't require that you abandon all your OS 9 applications right away; 9 and X can run simultaneously on your Mac.)

[Smartypants]

Originally posted by Hyakujo's Fox
Uncool so far: Won't download http://www.zefrank.com/bulletin/images/paperclip.gif

Is that supposed to be a paperclip? All I've ever gotten for that graphic is a black smudge that appears next to thread names. What's it supposed to mean?

[Hyakujo's Fox]

Originally posted by Smartypants
Is that supposed to be a paperclip? All I've ever gotten for that graphic is a black smudge that appears next to thread names. What's it supposed to mean?

If you enlarge it, and squint really hard - you can clearly see the Baby Jesus crying.

[melissa]

I see Him!!

[Large Marge]

Originally posted by Smartypants
Well, I'm still using Photoshop for System 9.

When I do upgrade, I'll likely get the Adobe Creative Suite, which includes -- for OSX -- Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat Pro, and GoLive in one integrated package. In the latest ClubMac catalog, the upgrade price is $549. Photoshop alone is $169 for the upgrade.

That's not bad, considering that Quark Xpress costs $300 for an upgrade to OSX. This may not matter to you if all you use is Photoshop, but I rely on Quark/PS/Illustrator/Acrobat as the main workhorses of my business. Considering that I've been an Xpress user since version 1.0 and have bought legal upgrades for 4 to 10 workstations, I've spent well over $15,000 with Quark over the years, and one of the great joys I plan to experience in my life is to once and for all kiss the Quark Corporation goodbye. Their software pricing is downright disrespectful to long-term customers, and InDesign seems to finally have reached a point where Quark can no longer overcharge as the only game in town.

(Sorry, I know that's off-topic, but I just can't ever resist venting about Quark! It may be that all your needed upgrades can be had with $99 for Panther plus $169 for Photoshop. Remember, too, that switching to OSX doesn't require that you abandon all your OS 9 applications right away; 9 and X can run simultaneously on your Mac.)

I love Quark, but have never had to pay for it myself.

I have heard wonderful things about InDesign, but haven't tried it yet. Does it use all the same quick keys?

Looks like I'm stuck with OS for a while; I can't afford all those upgrades.

Damn technology!

[sparticle]

Originally posted by Hyakujo's Fox
If you enlarge it, and squint really hard - you can clearly see the Baby Jesus crying.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Yep -- God is in the details....

[Smartypants]

Originally posted by Large Marge
I have heard wonderful things about InDesign, but haven't tried it yet. Does it use all the same quick keys?

Looks like I'm stuck with OS for a while; I can't afford all those upgrades.

Damn technology!

I assume it doesn't use the same quick keys, but the idea is that Adobe has standardized all its palettes and key commands across all its programs, so if you're familiar with those programs, you should be able to get up to speed in InDesign pretty fast. You can also open any Quark document in InDesign, and it miraculously captures every detail - styles, kerning, H&J rules, runarounds -- pretty impressive. You an get a fully functioning demo online. The big problem before was that Quark has been the printers' standard, so you needed to find printers (or pre-press shops) that could run your job. That's not so much of an issue anymore.

Since cost is always an issue, and we can only hold off so long in our complete switch over to OS X, I bet a lot of designers will abandon Quark for InDesign, just to avoid shelling out the upgrade dollars for Quark.

[Smartypants]

Originally posted by Hyakujo's Fox
If you enlarge it, and squint really hard - you can clearly see the Baby Jesus crying.

Originally posted by melissa
I see Him!!

ROFL!!