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RE: Outside the box
By foolsgambit11 on 12/29/2008 6:44:12 PM , Rating: 2
Except that you can pay absolutely nothing and get anything you want, from a full-featured browser to a text browser. So your "consul wars" analogy falls flat on its face.

People prefer products that can display the 'whole' internet, and that can do it quickly, safely, and with stability. The UI should be clean and responsive, and preferably customizable. All of those requirements add up to lots of code. Sacrificing any of those requirements will reduce the browser's market share. Like you illustrated, if they dropped tabs (which make browsers less lean), they'd lose you as a user. Same goes for any of the currently-supported elements of browsers. What if Opera dropped mouse gestures?

In the end, though, the critical security vulnerabilities are almost always with the core browser functionality - accessing the web and displaying the vast variety of content available. Let's face it, a browser that can't display Javascript, Java, or [obligatory iPhone dig], heaven forbid, Flash, isn't going to survive.

Hey, if you want a leaner browser, go download The Off By One Browser. I've never used it. Apparently it's 1.2MB - it could run from a floppy disk (if you still have a drive). It lacks Javascript, applet, or plug-in support (ergo, no Flash). But it does have the one feature you begged to keep, tabbed browsing. Or, you could try even smaller browsers, like Bluto, or the text-based Lynx. Or Dillo, if you're on *nix.

RE: Outside the box
By ViroMan on 12/29/2008 9:50:48 PM , Rating: 2

I don't want or need the "whole" internet, all I want is a lean browser that does java(sun),graphics(pictures),and flash. I think that sums up pretty much 70% of internet pages. Not loading up the rest of the drivers/plugins (unless I add them in) to display the other 30% will save me plenty of start up time, be safer and much more stable.

RE: Outside the box
By Rockjock51 on 12/30/2008 11:00:56 AM , Rating: 2
I don't know about you, but Firefox launches basically instantly and I couldn't tell you the last time it crashed.

RE: Outside the box
By foolsgambit11 on 12/30/2008 5:14:43 PM , Rating: 2
I'm sure, with a little research and experimentation, you can find a browser that will meet your wish list. It may not come that way by default, but you'll be able to disable the things you don't want to use. Think of that customization work as the cost of getting a program for free.

