Best browser for Linux?

[Brad]

Most (in fact probably all) Linux Distributions use Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or higher. But is this really the best browser out there? What's you're opinion? I personally like Firefox for its excellent support, customisation and just general running. Chromium/Google Chrome are both good too! But they don't always fully run some websites.

[axel668]

If you can afford only one browser, there's no alternative to Firefox, it just opens EVERY website, is fast enough and has the most features (using add- ons).

Chrome is catching up fast, and is a valid alternative, but for some sites you still need firefox as backup (mainly due to some site owners not supporting webkit).

The two, Chrome and Firefox are really playing in their own league, best of the "runners up" is probably Opera, that offers a lot of unique features but lacks decent add- on support and still has lots of compatibility issues.The real showstopper for me is, that Opera does not show javascript context menus, which makes rich web apps like google docs almost unusable.

[Superewza]

I've gotta say Chromium. I still love Firefox, and respect it for being such a great piece of software. FF4 may change my mind but Chromium is just so much faster, uses less RAM and has a much nicer interface in my opinion. I've never had any problems with Java, Flash or websites not opening.

[tdockery97]

I have to go with Firefox. I used to use Opera back around 2002, then switched to Firefox. I tried Opera again recently and didn't care for it. Seems like they managed to make it much more complicated than FF. Tried Chrome/Chromium once, and it felt like using a toy. I can live with the extra resources that FF uses knowing it is unlikely I will hit a website that won't run in it.

[lexon]

I still use FF 3.0.17 with Mint 7 as I find that FF 3.5 takes up to 50 seconds to get to some of the URL's I use. Found this out with three different Linux OS.
I clear All private data everytime I close FF which is quite often which causes this issue.
It seems that FF 3.5 wants up to date cookies and/or history.
I will go higher in Mint if I can find a browser that is better than FF.

Lex

[craig10x]

Firefox is very good but i recently started using Google Chrome (downloaded with the deb file from their site...not the open source version that's on the Mint Software Center) and i really love it...It seems to be faster then Firefox, renders graphics beautifully and fast and even does streaming videos (like you tube) slightly better then the Fox (lol)...plus it is a nice simple interface that is attractive and takes up less screen real estate then the fox....

It also has a very nice file down loader and pdf file viewer in it...

By using the direct Chrome version you get only the stable releases and you also get all the updates and new versions for it for it automatically...
I tried Opera too and liked it a lot but Chrome is better...and it seems to be compatible with about 99% of the sites (more then Opera it would seem)...
It "teams" very nicely with Linux Mint...for those occassionaly (but rare) incompatible sites, i just fire up the "fox"

[linuxviolin]

There are no browser currently for any OS which is really good, unfortunately. But Google browsers? No thanks! Google is probably/maybe the next threat to the Liberty...

Firefox? Hum, yes, not too bad but use it without,or in all cases with the less possible, extensions for more stability, and security.

Opera? Maybe the best currently and the most respectful of web standards. (e.g. see Acid2 test)

You have also Midori. It has a WebKit engine but it is still very young...

[craig10x]

Have you actually TRIED IT linuxviolin (Google Chrome) you might be very surprised...i didn't bother with it for a long time...i said...well, google has a pretty good search engine...but a Google Browser??? Not thinking it would be much....but once i tried it, i was really very pleasantly surprised...In fact, it ended up being my favorite browser to use on Linux Mint (Firefox now being #2)...

[GoustiFruit]

linuxviolin does not say that Chrome is not a good browser, he says that you should think twice before using Google services.

[vincent]

If you're worried about using Google services, you can still use Chromium instead of Google Chrome, and disable the search suggestions features, the syncing features, and switch your default search engine to something else. That way you get a great, speedy browser, without worrying about any tampering Google has done with its own customized build of Chromium (a.k.a. Google Chrome). Besides, if you're paranoid enough, keep in mind that Chromium is an open-source project and you can spend as much time as you want reviewing the source code.

Also, the latest versions of both Chrome and Safari all pass the Acid3 test with flying colours, not just Opera. When it comes to web standards, aside from IE, all the major browsers are more or less on par with each other (and even IE is getting quite a makeover in the form of IE9).

[markcynt]

I try Chrome/Chromium every 3-4 months and get rid of it every time.

This thread reminded me that it was time again.

Chrome looks much more polished and there's way more extensions than the last time.

I do wish the toolbar was more customizable.

Right now I'd still have give the vote to FF but it's pretty close.

[craig10x]

I think what i like best about Chrome is that it's very fast and that everything (look of web pages, font rendering) just looks better to me then in firefox...that is what won me over to it...If Firefox had that, i would just stay with that...

And that is right, you can use the open source version of chrome (chromium from the software center in mint) if you don't want the "google service" (they add on something that tailors the web page ads to the type of things you seem to be interested in (or something like that)...doesn't bother me though...in fact, sometimes comes in handy for getting certain ads i am interested in checking out... you get ads anyway on web pages (unless you use some kind of ad blocker...lol) and an automatic updater...

Chromium doesn't add that on, but i think it doesn't give you updates either unless you request it by putting in the proper command in your terminal...
Otherwise they work identical...though Chrome is the stable version but Chromium seems to work fine (i have tried both)...

[pluraldave]

Chromium 6 from the daily builds PPA.

[libssd]

On a netbook, where screen space is at a premium, Chrome makes more efficient use of screen space (even without resorting to F11/Full screen). Chrome has evolved enormously in the past year, and has a growing library of extensions available, although, like Firefox, if you load up on extensions, performance can suffer. I had one extension (since removed, don't remember name) that pegged the CPU for 15 secondsor so, every time Chrome started. With well-behaved extensions, Chrome loads in about 2 seconds on my netbook, compared with about 10 secs on FF (although, if I removed a few FF extensions, it will boot in 6 seconds). So, for me, FF 3.66 (Canonical distribution) with no extensions takes 3 times longer to load than Chrome with 7 extensions (this is after initial caching for both).

FF is my backup browser when it has a unique extension/plug-in that I need, or I encounter a web site that doesn't recognize it (increasingly rare) and it seems to work with more javascripts than Chrome. I haven't gotten around to trying Opera yet, but since Chrome works so well for me, I have no motivation to do so.

[libssd]

I'm killing time in a waiting room, so I decided to install Opera. I do not like the UI at all, or the way it manages bookmarks. Since space is not an issue, I'll keep Opera installed for "just in case." Chrome still provides the most efficient use of screen space on a netbook, and I would give it the edge over Opera for real world speed.

[AndrewH]

I find Chromium far superior to Firefox in every respect save one, there is no decent video download extension for Chromium.

I find the Google paranoia silly; as others have said you can turn off all the "evil Google stuff" and have an excellent browser.

[Linux_Lightweight]

I have Mint 8 Fluxbox on my netbook and have downloaded chrome from google. It installed fine but I can't get it to appear in the menu. I have to click 'run' and enter 'google-chrome' in the box that appears. Not a major issue but it would be nicer if I could get the thing to appear in the menu somehow. p.s. Probably worth mentioning that whilst I am quite familiar with Win XP I am a complete novice with Linux matters.

[rivenathos]

Overall, I have a better experience with Iceweasel/Firefox. Epiphany can be a crap shoot depending on the distro, and even though Midori is interesting and getting closer, it is not quite there yet.

As for the Google-related applications, I have only tried them in passing. My first observations on Chrome were some unusual visual GTK integration. In use, the speed was comparable to my Icewesel/Firefox installs, though I admit a few sites may have loaded slightly faster. Would that be enough to switch over completely? Not really.

[cra1g321]

i use firefox for every OS i use.

[DrHu]

Whats the best browser?Just wondering what your views are.I like Firefox.

Direct answer, I installed Firefox latest version, and found that customize Google, extension.. is no longer compatible, so I can't/won't be using Firefox for awhile
--I also find Firefox's slow startup speed quite annoying

Best browser for Linux

What hoh!..
The one you want to use, the one you like
--I choose opera, I like it